Horizon 2020 approval by Parliament a boost for European research and innovation

The European Commission welcomed the European Parliament's adoption of Horizon 2020, the next EU research and innovation programme. With a budget of nearly EUR 80 billion1 euro over seven years, Horizon 2020 is the biggest EU research programme yet, and one of the biggest publicly funded worldwide. It is also one of only very few programmes in the next EU budget to see a strong increase in funding – a nearly 30 per cent jump in real terms over the current Seventh Framework Programme. EU Member States must now give their final seal of approval ahead of the first calls for proposals under Horizon 2020, currently set for 11th December.

Horizon 2020, the EU's next programme for research and innovation, will run from 2014 to 2020 with a budget of nearly EUR 80 billion (current prices – adjusted for inflation).  It replaces the Seventh Framework Programme for Research (FP7), which ran from 2007 to 2013 with a budget of around EUR 55 billion (see MEMO/13/1034).

The Horizon 2020 programme was first proposed by the European Commission in November 2011, for decision by EU Member States and the European Parliament. Negotiators for Member States, Parliament and the Commission reached provisional agreement on the final texts of the package in June 2013. Following approval today by plenary vote in the European Parliament, EU Member States must sign off on the programme at Ministerial level.

see: http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-13-1133_en.htm?locale=en

Call addressed to individuals for the establishment of a database of prospective independent experts to assist Commission services with tasks in connection with Horizon 2020

Call addressed to individuals for the establishment of a database of prospective independent experts to assist Commission services with tasks in connection with Horizon 2020 – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation.

The Commission hereby invites applications from individuals with a view to establishing a database of independent experts who could be called on in connection with the:

- Horizon 2020 – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation1 (2014-2020) and its specific programme (Horizon 2020 framework programme), and

- Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (2014-2018) complementing Horizon 2020 – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation.

See:http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/page/experts;efp7_SESSION_ID=1YrqSTKFTVLXwMnxW1QBzTh5J5XsvpNJlPgDwKq8PyrHZhG1wznX!1078437264

Budgets Committee approves €840,000 in EU aid for redundant workers in Spain

The Budgets Committee approved on Thursday €840,000 in European Globalisation Adjustment Funding to help 300 workers who lost their jobs in the construction sector in Valencia get back on to the labour market. The decision still needs to be endorsed by Parliament as a whole and Council.

Some 140 enterprises in the region of Valencia face serious difficulties as the production of non-metallic mineral products (such as concrete, fibreglass insulation products and tiles) has declined significantly since 2008. This negative trend applies to the entire EU but production in Spain has declined more steeply.

Consequently, some 630 workers were made redundant in Valencia. Of these, roughly 300 are expected to take up the measures designed to help them back into work.

Press release

Social innovation driven by social business and young entrepreneurship

Preparatory action

Social innovation driven by social business and young entrepreneurship

CALL FOR PROPOSALS - VP/2013/017

The objective of the preparatory action is to identify, develop, promote and disseminate the good practice of national, regional or local governments and of financial intermediaries in assisting young social entrepreneurs at times of high youth unemployment. As such, the preparatory action will contribute to realising the potential of young and social entrepreneurship, emphasised also in the Commission’s Social Business Initiative 2011, Annual Growth Survey 2011, as well as in the Communications ’Towards a job-rich recovery’ 2012 and ‘Social Investment for Growth and Cohesion’ 2013.

The Preparatory Action is addressed to social enterprises in their early stages, and to social enterprises started or developed by young people that have the potential for 


• realising innovative solutions with a clear social and environmental impact,

• scaling their innovative approach, or for

• transferring their approach for replication in particular to young entrepreneurs.