Managing Intellectual Property in Horizon Europe Projects
Magali Contardi (*)
1. Horizon Europe
Horizon Europe is the largest European Union instrument for promoting research and innovation. It was established in 2021 and is running through 2027.[1] With a total budget of 93,5 billion EUR,[2] the program is particularly important. It offers several opportunities for individual and collaborative funding. Moreover, it covers basic research, applied research for the development of innovative products and services, and their exploitation through commercialisation.
To this end, the Horizon Europe funding scheme builds on three main pillars. The first pillar, Scientific Excellence, aims to facilitate frontier research and includes individual research support, such as the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA). The second pillar, Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness, is centred on six thematic clusters addressing top EU priorities.[3] The third and last pillar, Innovative Europe, focuses on strengthening the European innovation ecosystem through actions that seek to bridge the gap between research and market.
The programme includes a European Innovation Council (EIC) designed to enable radical, deep-tech innovations with high market potential. It does so through three main instruments: Pathfinder, dedicated to advancing breakthrough research with market potential; Transition, assisting the preparation for entering the market of emerging technologies; and Accelerator, speeding up the acceleration of market uptake of high-risk deep-tech innovation.[4]
(*) Dr Magali Contardi is an IP lawyer and Senior IPR Researcher and Coordinator of 4iP Council. This article has been prepared for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The views and interpretations expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views, positions, or policies of any organisation, institution, or entity the author represents or is affiliated with.
[1] Regulation (EU) 2021/695 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 April 2021 establishing Horizon Europe – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, laying down its rules for participation and dissemination, and repealing Regulations (EU) No 1290/2013 and (EU) No 1291/2013, PE/12/2021/INIT, OJ L 170, 12.5.2021. The programme is the EU 9th Framework Programme for Research and Innovation Programme and follows Horizon 2020, the EU previous research and innovation programme.
[2] Following the Multiannual Financial Framework Midterm Review (MTR).
[3] namely, i) health, ii) culture, creativity and Inclusive Society; iii) Civil Security for Society; iv) Digital Industry and Space; iv) Climate, Energy, and Mobility; v) Food, bioeconomy; natural resources, Agriculture and environment.
[4] See, in detail: European innovation Council: https://eic.ec.europa.eu/eic-funding-opportunities_en
