Societal challenges
Horizon 2020 reflects the policy priorities of the strategy Europe 2020 and addresses
major concerns shared by citizens in Europe and elsewhere. A challenge-based
approach will bring together resources and knowledge across different fields,
technologies and disciplines, including social sciences and the humanities. This will
cover activities from research to market with a new focus on innovation-related activities,
such as piloting, demonstration, test-beds, and support for public procurement and
market uptake. It will include establishing links with the activities of the European
Innovation Partnerships (EIP).
Funding will be focus around the following challenges:

Health, demographic change and well-being

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
The proposed funding for Priority 3 for the period 2014-2020 is presented in the following
Table:
Description
Proposed Funding
Million €
Health, demographic change and wellbeing
7.472
Food security, sustainable agriculture, marine and maritime
3.851
research and the bio-economy
Secure, clean and efficient energy
5.931*
Smart, green and integrated transport
6.339
Climate action, resource efficiency and raw materials
3.081
Inclusive and reflective, secure societies
1.310
Secure Societies
1.695
Other
Proposed Funding
Million €
Spreading excellence and widening participation
816
Science with and for society
462
European Institute of Innovation and Technology
3.180
1.903
Joint Research Centre
(Non-nuclear direct
actions)
Health, Demographic Change and Wellbeing
Activities under Societal Challenge 'Health, demographic change and wellbeing' aim to
create opportunities for real breakthrough research and radical innovation, by supporting
the translation of findings into the clinic and other health and care settings to improve
health outcomes, reduce health inequalities and to promote active and healthy ageing.
Work to be supported should improve our understanding of the causes and mechanisms
underlying health, healthy ageing and disease; improve our ability to monitor health and
to prevent, detect, treat and manage disease; support older persons to remain active
and healthy; and test and demonstrate new models and tools for health and care
delivery.
Food Security, Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry, Marine and Maritime and
Inland Water Research and the Bioeconomy
Activities under Societal Challenge ‘Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry,
marine and maritime and inland water research and the bioeconomy’ aim at making the
best of our biological resources in a sustainable way. The objective is to contribute to
securing sufficient supplies of safe, healthy and high quality food and other bio-based
products, by developing productive, sustainable and resource-efficient primary
production systems, fostering related ecosystem services and the recovery of biological
diversity, alongside competitive and low carbon supply chains.
To achieve this objective, applicants are invited to find solutions which will make positive
changes to our society, economy and environment, using resources more efficiently. In
this respect, solutions should be found that cut across research and technological fields,
with a strong innovation and market driven approach, in view of increasing growth and
job creation. The involvement of end users including farmers, fishers, consumers, public
authorities (including at local and regional levels) and society at large will be a key to
achieve this.
Secure, Clean and Efficient energy
The activities included in the first Work Programme of the Horizon 2020 Energy
Challenge contribute to the three focus areas "Energy Efficiency", "Competitive LowCarbon Energy" and "Smart Cities and Communities". These activities cover the full
innovation cycle – from 'proof of concept' to applied research, pre-commercial
demonstration and market uptake measures. They also exploit synergies with other
relevant areas such as Information and Communication Technologies. In addition, the
Energy Challenge contributes to the 'Blue Growth' focus area as well as to the Public
Private Partnerships Energy-efficient Buildings and Sustainable Process Industries
(SPIRE).
An important novelty of this work programme is its challenge-based approach which
gives applicants more freedom to come up with innovative solutions to the outlined
challenges. As a consequence, topics are generally broader and allow a range of
possible approaches, often encompassing more than one possible action.
Smart, Green and Integrated transport
The specific objective of the Transport Challenge ‘Smart, green and integrated transport’
is “to achieve a European transport system that is resource-efficient, climate- and
environmentally-friendly, safe and seamless for the benefit of all citizens, the economy
and society”.
The Specific Programme is structured in four broad lines of activities aiming at:
a) Resource efficient transport that respects the environment. The aim is to
minimize transport's systems' impact on climate and the environment (including noise
and air pollution) by improving its efficiency in the use of natural resources, and by
reducing its dependence on fossil fuels.
b) Better mobility, less congestion, more safety and security. The aim is to reconcile
the growing mobility needs with improved transport fluidity, through innovative solutions
for seamless, inclusive, affordable, safe, secure and robust transport systems.
c) Global leadership for the European transport industry. The aim is to reinforce the
competitiveness and performance of European transport manufacturing industries and
related services including logistic processes and retain areas of European leadership
(e.g. such as aeronautics).
d) Socio-economic and behavioural research and forward looking activities for
policy
making. The aim is to support improved policy making which is necessary to promote
innovation and meet the challenges raised by transport and the societal needs related to
it.
These activities are addressed in the Work Programme by three Calls for proposals:
1. Mobility for Growth
2. Green Vehicles
3. Small Business and Fast Track Innovation for Transport
Climate Action, Environment, Resource Efficiency and Raw Materials
Societal Challenge 5 “Climate Action, Environment, Resource Efficiency and Raw
Materials” aims to achieve a resource – and water – efficient and climate change
resilient economy and society. Furthermore, its objective is the protection and
sustainable management of natural resources and ecosystems, and a sustainable
supply and use of raw materials, in order to meet the needs of a growing global
population within the sustainable limits of the planet's natural resources and ecosystems. Within this context, Actions and Topics in Societal Challenge 5 will address the
knowledge base needed to understand changes in the environment, identify the policies,
methods and tools that would most effectively tackle the above mentioned challenges,
and support innovators and businesses to bring green solutions to the market. ‘Waste’
and ‘Water’ have been selected as particular priorities, on the grounds of their
substantial potential for business opportunities and job creation while tackling important
resource efficiency challenges.
Europe in a Changing World – Inclusive, Innovative and Reflective Societies
Europe is facing a number of important social, economic and political challenges. This
Thematic Area will support actions that will give Europe a cutting edge and/or sufficient
resilience in facing the current and future difficulties affecting its development. Therefore,
the three basic aims set to fulfill the abovementioned under the context of this Societal
Challenge are:

To gain a greater understanding of the societal changes in Europe and of their
impact on social cohesion and to analyse and develop social, economic and
political inclusion and positive inter-cultural dynamics in the EU and with
international partners, through cutting-edge science and inter-disciplinarity,
technological advances and organisational innovations

To foster the development of innovative societies and policies in Europe through
the engagement of citizens, civil society organisations, enterprises and users in
research and innovation

To contribute to an understanding of Europe's intellectual basis, its history and
the many European and non-European influences, as an inspiration for our lives
today
Finally, this Societal Challenge will support SSH research.
Secure Societies – Protecting Freedom and Security of Europe and its Citizens
Spreading Excellence and Widening Participation
Science with and for Society
EURATOM
The Euratom Research and Training Programme (2014-18) complements the Horizon
2020 in the field of nuclear research and training. Its general objective is to pursue
nuclear research and training activities with an emphasis on continually improving
nuclear safety and radiation protection, notably to contribute to the long-term
decarbonisation of the energy system in a safe, efficient and secure way. By contributing
to these objectives, the Euratom Programme shall reinforce outcomes under the three
priorities of the Horizon 2020: excellent science, industrial leadership, and societal
challenges.
The indirect actions of the Euratom Programme are focused on two areas: nuclear
fission and radiation protection, and fusion research aiming to developing magnetic
confinement fusion as an energy source.
Joint Technology Initiatives (JTI)