The European Union (EU) is an important source of income for Dutch researchers. From 2014 to 2020, 12.7% of public research funding came from the European Research Framework Programme Horizon 2020 (H2020). This eighth EU framework programme had a total budget of 77 billion euros for the period 2014-2020. Of this, more than 5 billion euros went to the Netherlands. With H2020, the EU has a significant impact on the programming and implementation of research in the Netherlands.
In 2021, the new Framework Programme, Horizon Europe (HEU), was launched with a budget of 95.5 billion euros for the period 2021-2027. This is an increase of 24% compared to H2020. After inflation correction, an increase of approximately 14% remains. The change of framework programme is a good time to map out the participation of the Netherlands in H2020 and to look ahead to the opportunities for the Netherlands in Horizon Europe. Attention is also paid to international cooperation, a spearhead of the EU in both H2020 and Horizon Europe.
In short
- The Netherlands received 7.9% of the H2020 budget for research and innovation. Almost half of this went to universities.
- Dutch researchers received more money per FTE from H2020 than researchers from other countries. They are particularly successful in the field of excellent science and research for societal challenges.
- Relatively few resources are allocated to the countries that have joined the EU since 2004 (the EU13). They are more dependent on international cooperation for participation.
Introduction: many resources from H2020 to EU14
In July 2024, more than 68 billion euros in research was funded from H2020. 79% of that money went to researchers within the current European Union (EU), 11% to researchers from the United Kingdom (UK).
Of the H2020 funding, 85% went to the EU14 and the UK. The EU14 are the countries that joined the European Union (EU) before 2004. Until 2020, the UK was also included. In this part of the EU and the UK, 86% of European and British researchers were employed (in FTE, 2019).
Only 5% of the budget went to the EU13, the countries that have joined the EU since 2004. These countries are mainly located in Eastern Europe. 14% of European and British researchers work here (in FTE, 2019).
The remaining 10% of the budget went to countries outside the EU. All countries can receive funding from H2020 under certain conditions. A number of countries can participate in the European Framework Programmes as associated countries under the same conditions as the Member States. Norway and Switzerland in particular have been fully participating in the Framework Programmes for years. They received 5% of the H2020 budget.
