In accordance with Article 182(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), Horizon Europe – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation ('Horizon Europe'), established by Regulation (EU) 2021/695 of the European Parliament and of the Council (4), is to be implemented through specific programmes which define the detailed rules for their implementation, fix their duration and provide for the means deemed necessary.
(2)
Regulation (EU) 2021/695 sets out the general and specific objectives of Horizon Europe, the structure and the broad lines of activities to be carried out, while this Specific Programme implementing Horizon Europe (the Specific Programme) should define the operational objectives and the activities which are specific to parts of Horizon Europe. The provisions on implementation set out in Regulation (EU) 2021/695 apply fully to the Specific Programme, including those relating to ethical principles.
(3)
In order to ensure uniform conditions for the implementation of the Specific Programme, implementing powers should be conferred on the Commission to adopt work programmes for the implementation of the Specific Programme. Those powers should be exercised in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council (5).
(4)
The Board of Governors of the Joint Research Centre (JRC) set up by Commission Decision 96/282/Euratom (6) has been consulted on the scientific and technological content of the Specific Programme on the non-nuclear direct actions of the JRC.
(5)
The Specific Programme acknowledges climate change as one of the biggest global and societal challenges and reflects the importance of tackling climate change in accordance with the Union's commitment to implement the Paris Agreement adopted under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (7) (the Paris Agreement) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Accordingly the Specific Programme should contribute to mainstream climate actions and to the achievement of an overall target of 30 % of the Union budget expenditures supporting climate objectives. Climate mainstreaming should be adequately integrated in research and innovation (R&I) content and applied at all stages of the research cycle. Actions under the Specific Programme should contribute at least 35 % of the overall financial envelope of the Specific Programme to climate objectives. Relevant actions should be identified during the Specific Programme's preparation and implementation and reassessed in the context of the relevant evaluations and review processes. Attention should be paid to coal- and carbon-intensive areas of the Union which are in transition.
(6)
The Specific Programme's actions should address market failures or sub-optimal investment situations, boost investments in a proportionate and transparent manner, without duplicating or crowding out private financing and have a clear European added-value and public return on investments.
(7)
Reflecting the important contribution that R&I should make to address challenges in food, agriculture, rural development and the bioeconomy, and to seize the corresponding R&I opportunities in close synergy with the Common Agricultural Policy, relevant actions under the Specific Programme should be supported by EUR 8 952 000 000 in current prices for the cluster Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment for the period 2021-2027.
(8)
The completion of the Digital Single Market and the growing opportunities from the convergence of digital and physical technologies require investments to be increased. Horizon Europe should contribute to those efforts with a substantial increase in spending on main digital R&I activities compared to the framework programme Horizon 2020 (8) established by Regulation (EU) No 1291/2013 of the European Parliament and the Council (9) (Horizon 2020). This should ensure that Europe remains at the forefront of global R&I in the digital field.
(9)
The types of financing and the methods of implementation under this Decision should be chosen on the basis of their ability to achieve the specific objectives of the actions and to deliver results, taking into account, in particular, the costs of controls, the administrative burden and the expected risk of non-compliance. This should include consideration of the use of lump sums, flat rates and scales of unit costs.
(10)
In order to ensure continuity in providing support in the relevant policy area and to allow implementation to start from the beginning of the MFF 2021-2027, this Decision should enter into force as a matter of urgency and should apply, with retroactive effect, from 1 January 2021.
(11)
Member States should be involved early in the process of defining missions.
(12)
Council Decision 2013/743/EU (10) should therefore be repealed,
