Impact assessment of the Horizon Europe proposal
The impact assessment of Horizon Europe provides evidence-based policy and design recommendations. These include elements unique to the programme such as EU missions and a fully-fledged European Innovation Council.
The impact assessment for Horizon Europe was published in June 2018. It was drafted in line with the Commission’s better regulation guidelines and builds on
- evidence and lessons learned from the interim evaluation of the preceding programme, Horizon 2020
- recommendations of the independent high-level group on maximising the impact of EU research and innovation
- results of a stakeholder consultation
Evaluating Horizon Europe
Article 47 of the proposed Horizon Europe Regulation outlines that evaluations will be carried out in a timely manner to feed into the decision-making process on Horizon Europe and future framework programmes.
An interim evaluation of Horizon Europe should be carried out once there is enough information about its implementation. It must be done no later than 4 years after the start of the programme.
It will assess the programme's effect based on its indicators and targets and provide a detailed analysis of the degree to which the programme is
- relevant
- effective
- efficient
- providing enough EU added-value
- coherent with other EU policies
The evaluation will also identify deficiencies or problems. It will identify potential to improve the programme’s activities and results and maximise the exploitation and impact of the programme.
Monitoring Horizon Europe
Key Impact Pathways - a modernised monitoring approach
The Commission’s proposal for Horizon Europe includes a ground breaking approach for capturing and communicating impact - the Key Impact Pathways. This approach aligns with a new level of ambition to boost the diversity of impact of EU research and innovation funding.
The objective is to allow policy makers and the wider public to get regular insights regarding the effects and benefits of the programme or European science, the economy and wider society.
The Key Impact Pathways will allow the Commission to capture and communicate the difference we are making around 9 key story lines during and after the programme.
Key Impact Pathways
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Scientific impact |
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Societal impact |
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Towards technological/economic impact |
Climate Impact Pilot
This modernised monitoring approach is already being tested through the Climate Impact Pilot.
The EU aims to be climate-neutral by 2050 and 35% of Horizon Europe investment is committed to tackling climate change.
The Climate Impact Pilot initiative aims to develop tools to enhance promising Horizon Europe projects and ease the transition towards a climate-natural society for all.
Climate impact monitoring tools are being tested under the Green Deal call
The testing includes
- asking projects to describe their impact pathways towards a climate neutral society by 2050 through a survey
- assessing and collecting individual project stories through this survey to help create an assessment of the programme as a whole
Some climate project video stories are already available in this playlist.