In this page you may find information on funding mechanisms/ programmes/ instruments that can be considered by the Network Stakeholders for financing clean energy projects of industrial, policy or research scope.
HORIZON EUROPE
Horizon Europe is the EU’s key funding programme for research and innovation with a budget of €95.5 billion.
It tackles climate change, helps to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and boosts the EU’s competitiveness and growth.
The programme facilitates collaboration and strengthens the impact of research and innovation in developing, supporting and implementing EU policies while tackling global challenges. It supports creating and better dispersing of excellent knowledge and technologies.
It creates jobs, fully engages the EU’s talent pool, boosts economic growth, promotes industrial competitiveness and optimises investment impact within a strengthened European Research Area.
Legal entities from the EU and associated countries can participate.

New elements is Horizon Europe
European Innovation Council: Support for innovations with potential breakthrough and disruptive nature with scale-up potential that may be too risky for private investors. This is 70% of the budget earmarked for SMEs.
Missions: Sets of measures to achieve bold, inspirational and measurable goals within a set timeframe. There are 5 main mission areas as part of Horizon Europe.
Open science policy: Mandatory open access to publications and open science principles are applied throughout the programme Factsheet: Open science in Horizon Europe
New approach to partnerships: Objective-driven and more ambitious partnerships with industry in support of EU policy objectives
Missions
5 mission have been identified.
Adaptation to climate change including societal transformation
Climate-neutral and smart cities
Healthy oceans, seas, coastal and inland waters
The first Horizon Europe Strategic Plan (2021-2024) is expected to be adopted in February 2021.
The first work programmes are expected to be published by April 2021. It is possible that the work programmes for the European Research Council (ERC) and European Innovation Council (EIC) will be published earlier. The first calls will open once the work programmes have been published.
Read more about the mission approach
European partnerships
Horizon Europe supports European partnerships in which the EU, national authorities and/or the private sector jointly commit to support the development and implementation of a programme of research and innovation activities.
The goal of European partnerships is to contribute to the achievement of EU priorities, address complex challenges outlined in Horizon Europe and strengthen the European Research Area (ERA).
Partnership candidates and contact details are available to view grouped in the themes below.
Food, bioeconomy, natural resources, agriculture and environment
Read more about the different kinds of partnerships
The most related challenge with the EU-GCC Clean Energy Network scope and objectives is the challenge on Climate, Energy and Mobility.
wp-8-climate-energy-and-mobility_horizon-2021-2022_en.pdf (europa.eu)
For the status of the current related calls – forthcoming, open as well as closed calls
Search Funding & Tenders (europa.eu)
Additional reference documents about Horizon Europe may be found here:
HORIZON 2020
Horizon 2020 is the EU funding programme for research and innovation running from 2014 to 2020 with a €80 billion budget. H2020 supports SMEs with a new instrument that runs throughout various funded research and innovation fields,enhances EU international research and Third Country participation, attaches high importance to integrate social sciences and humanities encourages to develop a gender dimension in project.
In this respect, Horizon 2020 programme is an opportunity for EU and GCC stakeholders to work together on topics of joint interest, as well as for the GCC stakeholders to be part and engage in the EU research agenda, the practices followed and exchange experiences and know-how.
Funding focuses on numerous societal challenges
- Health, demographic change and wellbeing;
- Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine and maritime and inland water research, and the Bioeconomy;
- Secure, clean and efficient energy;
- Smart, green and integrated transport;
- Climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials;
- Europe in a changing world - inclusive, innovative and reflective societies;
- Secure societies - protecting freedom and security of Europe and its citizens.