EU R&I Funding
A project for: Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) of the European Parliament
BRIEF
The Challenge
Horizon Europe (HE) and Cohesion Policy (CP) are the two main sources of funding supporting research and innovation (R&I) in the EU. The synergies between the funding programmes of these two types of EU instruments, which result from specific operational mechanisms that allow for identifying, pooling and exploiting funding complementarities between them, have the potential to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of R&I funding, ultimately achieving greater impact in terms of innovation outcomes.
The aim of this study is to explore the evolution of synergy mechanisms and the degree of their implementation to date, as well as the persistent barriers and key accelerators, considering the existing regional disparities in R&I performance and funding concentration across the EU.
FOCUS
The Approach
To obtain these insights, this study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining extensive desk research and a comprehensive policy review alongside interviews conducted with key stakeholders.
CONCLUSIONS
The Envisioned Result
This study was completed in February 2025; it found that a key challenge in achieving synergies between funding programmes is the misalignment of objectives, processes, and timing. Despite increased awareness of synergy opportunities, challenges remain due to data limitations and a siloed approach. To unlock the full potential of synergies, further regulatory simplification, improved coordination, and technical support are needed.
Are you interested in further exploring the topic? Read our insight here or the full report here.
PREDICTBY
Our Role
PredictBy is responsible for coordinating the activities in this project, with a focus on interviews and desk research, and involves experts from partner organisations Intellera and Universitat Oberta de Catalunya.
The contribution of PredictBy to this project is as follows:
Interviews
Desk research