The European Commission released its proposal for the Horizon Europe (formerly known as FP9) on 7 June 2018. The next European Union Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, successor to Horizon 2020, is expected to launch on 1 January 2021 covering the period 2021-2027.

The current proposal proposes a top-down communication approach where the research and innovation results are "delivered" and "explained" to citizens and, contrary to H2020, Horizon Europe does not have a specific strand for Science for and with Society (SwafS). This presents the highly feasible risk of seeing science engagement reduced to top-down communication done with outdated modes of science engagement and without the contribution of professional mediators.

In response to this first proposal from the European Commission, Ecsite has prepared a list of amendments in line with our Position Paper, asking for:

• A strong science engagement approach in Horizon Europe
• A specific strand on SwafS that will notably aim at combating post-truth, engage in an appropriate manner young people and adults with science, technology and innovation, ensure gender equality and bring new governance approaches.
• A specific budget for SwafS activities to the same level as in H2020 (460 million) and consequently, a budget for Horizon Europe higher by 460 million.
• A stronger integration of formal and informal education with science to develop the 21st-century skills needed for research and innovation.
• A stronger integration of Social Science and Humanities in the research and innovation overall system to tackle science and society relations issues.

Read here the whole document amending the Horizon Europe proposals (Regulation and Decision and their annexes).