Chapter 1.1: An Open Research and Innovation Programme: Horizon 2020

Europe supports cities to become actors of open innovation in responding to the present environmental, social and economic challenges. The EU Research and Innovation policy in this area has been supported by Horizon 2020 (2014-2020), the main instrument in which research and innovation on sustainable urban development has been developed. It continues to be supported via Horizon Europe, the new Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2021-2027). Both these Framework Programmes put citizens at the centre of the whole process and consider cities as living labs of innovation, places where strategies for climate change, decarbonisation, energy, transport, industry, circular economy, biodiversity, natural resources, health and well-being, social inclusion and social innovation coexist and intersect.

This chapter is part of the report 'EU research & innovation for and with cities' that provides an overview of the main EU Research and Innovation (R&I) actions for and with cities to help them accelerate their transition towards sustainability and climate neutrality.