The second pillar of Horizon Europe aims to promote key technologies and solutions to support EU policies and sustainable development goals.

"Global challenges and industrial competitiveness” is the name of the pillar with the largest budget of Horizon Europe: over half of the total funding of the program is dedicated to all those actions aimed at strengthening the impact of research and innovation to improve society's problems and technologies industrial.

The pillar is characterized by a top down approach, which focuses on collaboration between sectors and disciplines, enhances the innovative potential and role of industry and does not forget to recall political priorities.

It is divided into six clusters or thematic poles:

Cluster 1 Health

  • health throughout life, environmental and social determinants of health
  • non-communicable diseases, rare infectious diseases, including those related to poverty
  • digital tools, technologies and solutions for health and care, including personalized medicine for health systems

Cluster 2 Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society

  • Democracy and governance
  • Social and economic transformations
  • Culture, cultural heritage and creativity

Cluster 3 Civil Security for Society

  • Society capable of dealing with disasters
  • Security and safety
  • Cyber ​​security

Cluster 4 Digital, Industry and Space

  • Emerging, key digital enabling manufacturing technologies, including quantum ones
  • Innovative materials
  • Next generation Internet
  • Artificial intelligence and robotics
  • Circular, low-CO2 and clean industries
  • Space, including earth observation
  • Advanced computing and Big Data

Cluster 5 Climate, Energy and Mobility

  • Science and climate solutions
  • Energy systems and networks, energy supply, energy storage
  • Communities and cities, buildings and industrial structures in energy transition
  • Smart mobilities, industrial competitiveness in transport, clean, safe and accessible transport and mobility

 Cluster 6 Food Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment

  • Environmental observation
  • Agriculture, forestry and rural areas
  • Organic circular, food and innovation systems in the EU (Bioeconomy)

In addition to the six clusters, support for the research activities of the Joint Research Centre.

In the context of Pillar II, particular attention is given to 5 "Missions", i.e. a limited series of missions defined in the context of a strategic planning process which, crossing the various thematic clusters transversally, will pursue ambitious but achievable and limited objectives over time:

  • Adaptation to climate change including societal transformation
  • Cancer
  • Climate-neutral and smart cities
  • Healthy oceans, seas, coastal and inland waters
  • Soil health and food

Type of shares

  • Research and Innovation Action (RIA) - include all activities aimed at establishing new knowledge and/or exploring the feasibility of a new or improved technology, product, process, service or solution. To this end they may include basic or applied research, technology development and integration, testing and validation on a small-scale prototype in a laboratory or simulated environment. For this type of action the 100% non-repayable co-financing.
  • Innovation Action (IA) – include activities aimed at producing plans, projects and drawings for new, modified or improved products, processes or services. To this end, the activities may include prototyping, testing, demonstration, experimentation, large-scale product validation and first commercial applications. For this type of action, the 70% non-repayable co-financing and 100% for non-profit entities.
  • Coordination and Support Action (CSA) - these actions mainly include accompanying measures such as standardisation, dissemination, awareness raising and communication, networking, coordination or support of services, policy dialogues and mutual learning exercises and studies, including design studies for new infrastructure and complementary planning activities strategic. For this type of action the 100% non-repayable co-financing.