Commission publishes foresight report paving the way for Horizon Europe’s next Strategic Plan

Today, the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation published a new Foresight report, which will contribute substantially to the development of the next Horizon Europe’s Strategic Plan (2025-2027). This comprehensive study gives an insightful perspective on the most relevant emerging trends, opportunities and challenges shaping the global and European Research & Innovation (R&I) policy landscape.

The report informs the next steps of European R&I policymaking, shaping the development of the next Horizon Europe’s Strategic Plan and, more at large, the future landscape for R&I in the EU. The conclusions drawn from this study will be instrumental in the definition of a European approach to R&I in the coming years, moving towards the second half of Horizon Europe and, later on, the next Framework Programme for R&I.

Key Highlights from the Foresight Study

The report presents six multi-level scenarios that explore alternative scenarios of the future of EU R&I policy. These scenarios encompass a range of possibilities, from a world characterized by genuine collaboration to one marked by open hostility.

Focusing on the year 2040, the study delves into eleven potential disruptions across four clusters: the global landscape, technology and society, society and nature, and social and value changes. These areas encompass a range of challenges and opportunities, from geopolitical reconfigurations and climate change to emerging global commons and the transformative potential of artificial intelligence.

The results of the study highlight the critical need for the EU to strengthen its technological and industrial leadership, while effectively addressing societal challenges posed by the green and digital transitions. The study also proposes key strategic targets for Horizon Europe, including improving global governance, strengthening resilience to crises, balancing common resources, and adopting a reflexive approach to emerging challenges.

One of the key take-aways of the report is a call for more open and flexible approaches, addressing emerging challenges, and more mobilisation of international collaboration. The management of the Programmes should remain sensitive to alternative agendas, engage in open deliberation processes, and promote consensus in the face of contestation and disruptions.

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