Text · Opinion parliamentary committee draft
On the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing Horizon Europe, the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, for the period 2028-2034 laying down its rules for participation and dissemination, and repealing Regulation (EU) 2021/695
Full title
On the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing Horizon Europe, the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, for the period 2028-2034 laying down its rules for participation and dissemination, and repealing Regulation (EU) 2021/695
Document AGRI-PA-782309 · COM(2025)0543 – C100164/2025 – 2025/0543(COD)
- Kind
- Opinion parliamentary committee draft AGRI-PA-782309
- Date
- 14 January 2026
- Committee
- Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development
- Rapporteur
- BertJan Ruissen
- Dossier
- 2025-0543
More facts (2)
- Formats
- Official page PDF Word
- Reference
- COM(2025)0543 – C100164/2025 – 2025/0543(COD)
In short
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The Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development's rapporteur drafts amendments to the proposed Horizon Europe regulation for 2028-2034, asking that funding for agriculture and food security research keep its current share of the programme budget. The draft proposes raising the allocation for the Health, Biotech, Agriculture and Bioeconomy chapter to EUR 31.5 billion and earmarking at least half of it for Agriculture, Food Security and Bioeconomy projects. It introduces a multi-actor approach requiring farmers and primary producers to take part throughout the research cycle, with support for their time, expertise and operational contributions and fair data-use conditions. Other amendments add food security to the programme's objectives, keep both personnel cost options, simplify application procedures for farmers and SMEs, and allow farmers' organisations and agricultural cooperatives a funding rate of up to 100%.
Position. The rapporteur proposes amendments to the Commission proposal to maintain the proportional budget share for agriculture and food security research, earmark half of the relevant chapter for it, and introduce a multi-actor approach with supported farmer participation.
Key points
- Calls for long-term funding stability for agriculture and food security research and for the programme to close the gap between research results and on-farm applicability.
- States that agriculture and food production are crucial for EU competitiveness and strategic autonomy and that funding must remain commensurate to the challenges.
- Notes that under Horizon Europe 2021-2027 the Health and Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment clusters together held 18% of the budget.
- Finds that the Commission proposal merges these areas into one chapter with an indicative EUR 19.6 billion, around 11% of the proposed EUR 175 billion total.
- Proposes to maintain the proportional share, requiring EUR 31.5 billion for the Health, Biotech, Agriculture and Bioeconomy chapter.
- Proposes to earmark half of that chapter's resources for research and innovation in Agriculture, Food Security and Bioeconomy.
- Introduces a multi-actor approach involving farmers and end-users throughout the research cycle, from co-design to validation and uptake of results.
- Requires that farmers' participation be supported through eligible costs for their time, expertise and operational contributions, with transparent and fair data access and reuse conditions.
- Amends recitals to add agriculture to the Union's scientific base, food security to crisis resilience, and new recitals on agriculture's importance and the multi-actor approach.
- Adds steering mechanisms combining projects of varying technology readiness levels to balance collaborative research and facilitate practical applicability and scaling up.
- Keeps both personnel unit costs and actual cost reimbursement as funding options and requires simple, accessible application procedures for SMEs, farmers and other actors.
- Allows farmers' organisations and agricultural cooperatives a funding rate of up to 100% of total eligible costs, alongside the exception already granted to SMEs.
Who is affected
- Farmers and primary producers: to be involved as practitioners in research projects, with compensation and fair data conditions.
- Farmers' organisations and agricultural cooperatives: eligible for a funding rate of up to 100% of total eligible costs.
- SMEs and farmers: application procedures to be simple, accessible and proportionate to facilitate their participation.
- The agriculture and food sector: funding share for its research to be maintained and half of the chapter earmarked for it.
Figures and deadlines
- 18% of Horizon Europe 2021-2027 allocated to the Health and Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment clusters combined.
- EUR 19.6 billion proposed indicative allocation for the Health, Biotech, Agriculture and Bioeconomy chapter.
- Around 11% of the proposed total programme budget for that chapter.
- EUR 175 billion proposed total programme budget.
- EUR 31.5 billion required to maintain the same proportional share for Health, Biotech, Agriculture and Bioeconomy.
- EUR 31 500 000 000 for collaborative research under Chapter V, of which at least half for Agriculture, Food Security and Bioeconomy.
- Up to 100% of total eligible costs may be reimbursed, except for-profit entities where up to 70% may be reimbursed.
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Short justification
The Rapporteur calls for Horizon Europe in its tenth Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, for the period 2028-2034, to continue to provide long-term stability of funding for research and innovation in the field of agriculture and food security, and for the new Framework Programme to be used as a momentum to overcome the persisting gap between research and on-farm applicability of results.
Agriculture and food production play a crucial role for the EU’s overall competitiveness and strategic autonomy, and this should be reflected in the allocation of resources under the upcoming Framework Programme. The Rapporteur stresses that funding for research and innovation for Agriculture and Food Security must remain commensurate to address the challenges and foster the strategic contribution of the sector to European competitiveness and to be strategically prepared for the next decades.
The Rapporteur recalls that under the current Horizon Europe Framework Programme (2021–2027), the combined clusters Health (Cluster 1) and Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment (Cluster 6) were allocated a budget representing 18% of Horizon Europe as a whole.
The Commission proposal for the next Horizon Europe Framework Programme for the period 2028–2034, however, merges these policy areas into a single Chapter entitled Health, Biotech, Agriculture and Bioeconomy, with a proposed indicative allocation of EUR 19.6 billion. While this represents a nominal increase in absolute terms, it corresponds to only around 11% of the proposed total programme budget of EUR 175 billion, indicating a substantial reduction in relative importance compared to the current Horizon Europe, while the challenges for food and agriculture are increasing.
The Rapporteur proposes to at least maintain the proportional share of the budget and adjust the allocated budget accordingly, in order to preserve continuity, proportionality and policy coherence across framework programmes. Maintaining the same proportional share of the total programme as in the current period would require the allocation of EUR 31.5 billion for Health, Biotech, Agriculture and Bioeconomy.
Furthermore, in order to ensure further stability and predictability of budgetary resources for collaborative research related to agriculture and food production, the Rapporteur proposes to earmark half of the budgetary resources within the aggregated Chapter for Health, Biotech, Agriculture and Bioeconomy, specifically for research and innovation for Agriculture, Food Security and Bioeconomy.
The Rapporteur proposes amendments to overcome the gap between research results and on-farm applicability of solutions, notably by introducing a multi-actor approach to ensure active involvement of farmers practitioners and end-users throughout the research and innovation cycle to increase relevance and on-farm usability of research results, and thus to further enhance impact of research and innovation in the field of agriculture and food security. In addition, it needs to be ensured that active participation of farmers and other primary producers is appropriately supported by compensation for time, expertise and operational contributions, while also ensuring fair conditions around data use, contributing to trust and continued engagement of primary producers in collaborative research.
The Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development submits the following to the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, as the committee responsible:
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (1) It is an objective of the Union to strengthen its scientific and technological bases by strengthening the European research area (ERA) in which researchers, scientific knowledge and technology circulate freely and encouraging it to become more competitive, including in its industry, while promoting all research and innovation (R&I) activities to deliver on the Union's strategic priorities and commitments, which ultimately aim to promote peace, the Union's values and the well-being of its peoples. | (1) It is an objective of the Union to strengthen its scientific and technological bases by strengthening the European research area (ERA) in which researchers, scientific knowledge and technology circulate freely and encouraging it to become more competitive, including in its industry and agriculture, while promoting all research and innovation (R&I) activities to deliver on the Union's strategic priorities and commitments, which ultimately aim to promote peace, the Union's values and the well-being of its peoples. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (8) As in Horizon Europe, the OECD definitions regarding technological readiness levels (TRLs) should continue to be taken into account in the classification of technological research, product development and demonstration activities, and in the definition of types of action available in calls for proposals. Grants should not be awarded for actions where activities go above TRL 8. It should be possible for the work programme to allow grants for large-scale product validation and market replication for a given call under the part ‘Competitiveness and Society’. | (8) As in Horizon Europe, the OECD definitions regarding technological readiness levels (TRLs) should continue to be taken into account in the classification of technological research, product development and demonstration activities, and in the definition of types of action available in calls for proposals. The Programme should include steering mechanisms, such as project cycle and portfolio approaches combining projects of varying TRL levels, in order to ensure balance, increase the impact of collaborative research and to facilitate practical applicability and scaling up. Grants should not be awarded for actions where activities go above TRL 8. It should be possible for the work programme to allow grants for large-scale product validation and market replication for a given call under the part ‘Competitiveness and Society’. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (23) In light of increasing risks linked to natural hazards, health emergencies, technological accidents, evolving security threats, and other disruptions, it is essential to enhance the Union’s and Member States’ capability to anticipate, prepare for, and respond to crises and disasters. The Programme should support research that strengthen disaster risk and crisis management, invest in climate resilience, and enhance the resilience of vital societal functions, and build a more resilient, secure, and prepared Union, in line with the objectives of the EU Preparedness Union Strategy. | (23) In light of increasing risks linked to natural hazards, health emergencies, food security, technological accidents, evolving security threats, and other disruptions, it is essential to enhance the Union’s and Member States’ capability to anticipate, prepare for, and respond to crises and disasters. The Programme should support research that strengthen disaster risk and crisis management, invest in climate resilience, and enhance the resilience of vital societal functions, and build a more resilient, secure, and prepared Union, in line with the objectives of the EU Preparedness Union Strategy. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (23a) Agriculture and food are an essential part of the European competitiveness agenda. The Programme should reflect the essential importance of the agricultural sector for food security and strategic autonomy. The continuity and stability of funding resources available for research and innovation in relation to agriculture and food security should be ensured to ensure strategic preparation for the next decades. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (23b) In order to bridge the gap between research results and applicable solutions for farmers, the Programme should ensure a multi-actor approach in which farmers and primary producers should be involved as practitioners throughout the research and innovation cycle in order to ensure the increased relevance and implementability of research and innovation for practical solutions to current and future challenges. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (23c) Collaborative research in agriculture increasingly depends on the active involvement of farmers as practitioners where real-world testing, data provision and validation are essential for generating reliable results. This entails costs, time commitments and operational risks for the participating farmers. The Programme should ensure that farmers’ contributions are appropriately supported and that the conditions for data use are transparent and fair, strengthen trust, improve data quality and encourage sustained engagement over time. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (26) Simplification in the Programme’s implementation is essential to ensure its accessibility and efficiency, particularly by reducing the administrative burden on beneficiaries and minimising the risk of errors. To this end, the Programme should primarily rely on lump sums as the default form of Union funding. Advancing efforts over the previous Framework Programmes to streamline funding rules and minimise errors, the reimbursement of personnel costs should also be further simplified by using personnel unit costs, which reduces complexity for participants and facilitates reporting. | (26) Simplification in the Programme’s implementation is essential to ensure its accessibility and efficiency, particularly by reducing the administrative burden on beneficiaries and minimising the risk of errors. To this end, the Programme should primarily rely on lump sums as the default form of Union funding. Advancing efforts over the previous Framework Programmes to streamline funding rules and minimise errors, the reimbursement of personnel costs should also be further simplified by using personnel unit costs as an option alongside the existing option of actual cost reimbursement, which reduces complexity for participants and facilitates reporting. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (23) ‘innovation ecosystem’ means an ecosystem which brings together at Union level organisations whose functional goal is to enable technology development and innovation and which encompasses relations between material resources (such as funds, equipment, and facilities, including research and technology infrastructures), institutional entities (such as higher education institutions and support services, research and technology organisations, companies, investors - including venture capitalists - and financial intermediaries) and national, regional and local policy-making and funding entities. | (23) ‘innovation ecosystem’ means an ecosystem which brings together at Union level organisations whose functional goal is to enable technology development and innovation and which encompasses relations between material resources (such as funds, equipment, and facilities, including research and technology infrastructures), institutional entities (such as higher education institutions and support services, research and technology organisations, companies, investors - including venture capitalists - and financial intermediaries) and national, regional and local policy-making, funding entities, practitioners and end-users; |
In order to bridge the gap between research and applicable solutions for farmers, the Programme should ensure a multi-actor approach in which farmers and primary producers should be involved as practitioners throughout the research and innovation cycle.
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (24a) ‘multi-actor approach’ means an approach to research and innovation that ensures the active involvement of practitioners and end-users, throughout the full research and innovation cycle, from the co-design of objectives to implementation, validation, dissemination and uptake of results. |
In order to bridge the gap between research findings and applicable solutions for farmers, the Programme should ensure a multi-actor approach in which farmers and primary producers should be involved as practitioners throughout the research and innovation cycle.
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| – Improve the Union’s position in innovation, with a specific focus on strategic technologies and disruptive innovation, facilitate the diffusion of innovative solutions through standardisation activities to foster competitiveness and address key societal challenges. | – Improve the Union’s position in innovation, with a specific focus on strategic technologies for strategic autonomy, including for food security, and disruptive innovation, facilitate the diffusion of innovative solutions through standardisation activities to foster competitiveness and address key societal challenges. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| – Strengthen the competitiveness of the Union by ensuring that research and innovation deliver practical solutions for businesses, SMEs and farmers, through a multi-actor approach that actively involves end-users and practitioners throughout the research and innovation cycle, ensuring relevance, usability and uptake in practice. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (2) collaborative research and innovation activities under Chapter V ‘Health, Biotech, Agriculture and Bioeconomy’ of the European Competitiveness Fund; | (2) collaborative research and innovation activities under Chapter V ‘Health, Biotech, Agriculture, Food Security and Bioeconomy’ of the European Competitiveness Fund; |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (b) advance scientific knowledge and contribute to the creation of informed, effective, and responsive public policies across the Union and beyond. The Programme shall actively promote the use of the results of publicly funded research and of scientific evidence in policy-making processes at all levels, fostering stronger links between research, innovation, and the development of evidence-informed public policies. This shall include encouraging collaborative mechanisms, R&I initiatives and science-for-policy interfaces connecting policy makers with the scientific community, as well as facilitating the use of research outcomes in shaping future legislative and regulatory frameworks at all levels. Special emphasis shall be placed on ensuring that scientific insights are accessible and relevant to decision makers and citizens, with instruments for the effective use of research results, policy briefs, and recommendations. | (b) advance scientific knowledge and contribute to the creation of informed, effective, and responsive public policies across the Union and beyond. The Programme shall actively promote the use of the results of publicly funded research and of scientific evidence in policy-making processes at all levels, fostering stronger links between research, innovation, and the development of evidence-informed public policies. This shall include encouraging collaborative mechanisms, in particular the multi-actor approach, R&I initiatives and science-for-policy interfaces connecting policy makers with the scientific community, as well as facilitating the use of research outcomes in shaping future legislative and regulatory frameworks at all levels. Special emphasis shall be placed on ensuring that scientific insights are accessible and relevant to decision makers and citizens, with instruments for the effective use of research results, policy briefs, and recommendations. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| EUR 19 650 000 000 for collaborative research and innovation activities under Chapter V ‘Health, Biotech, Agriculture and Bioeconomy’ of the European Competitiveness Fund; | EUR 31 500 000 000 for collaborative research and innovation activities under Chapter V ‘Health, Biotech, Agriculture, Food Security and Bioeconomy’ of the European Competitiveness Fund, of which at least half is to be dedicated for projects in Agriculture, Food Security and Bioeconomy; |
Maintaining the same proportional share of the Horizon programme as under the current period would require an allocation of EUR 31.5 billion for Health, Biotech, Agriculture and Bioeconomy. The amendment adjusts the budget accordingly, in order to preserve continuity, proportionality and policy coherence across framework programmes. Furthermore, to ensure stability and certainty for research and innovation in the field of agriculture and food a sub-ringfencing within the cluster is proposed.
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 4. Where Union funding is provided in the form of a grant, funding shall be provided as financing not linked to cost, or as simplified cost options in particular through lump sums as well as unit costs for personnel, in accordance with Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509. Funding may be provided in the form of actual eligible cost reimbursement only where the objectives of an action cannot be achieved otherwise. Where it is necessary to enable other sources of funding including co-investments with national resources subject to State aid rules, funding shall be provided in the form of actual eligible cost reimbursement or simplified cost options. | 4. Where Union funding is provided in the form of a grant, funding shall be provided as financing not linked to cost, or as simplified cost options in particular through lump sums and may be provided as unit costs for personnel, in accordance with Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509. Costs for personnel may be provided in the form of actual eligible cost reimbursement as well as unit costs, as appropriate. Other funding may be provided in the form of actual eligible cost reimbursement only where the objectives of an action cannot be achieved otherwise. Where it is necessary to enable other sources of funding including co-investments with national resources subject to State aid rules, funding shall be provided in the form of actual eligible cost reimbursement or simplified cost options. |
As regards the funding of personnel costs, both options currently available should remain available.
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 1. Collaborative research shall support the creation of transnational research and innovation cooperation networks, bringing together entities of different disciplines, to support the development and swift diffusion of high-quality results in favour of the Union’s industrial competitiveness, space, security, clean transition, preparedness and resilience, and addressing societal challenges, including culture and creativity, and to strengthen the impact of research in developing and supporting Union policies. | 1. Collaborative research shall support the creation of transnational research and innovation cooperation networks, bringing together entities of different disciplines, to support the development and swift diffusion of high-quality results in favour of the Union’s industrial and agricultural competitiveness, space, food security, security, clean transition, preparedness and resilience, and addressing societal challenges, including culture and creativity, and to strengthen the impact of research in developing and supporting Union policies. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 2. Activities shall be carried out in a balanced manner between lower and higher Technology Readiness Levels, thereby covering the whole value chain. | 2. Activities shall be carried out in a balanced manner between lower and higher Technology Readiness Levels, thereby covering the whole value chain. The Programme shall include steering mechanisms such as project cycle and portfolio approaches combining projects of varying TRL levels, in order to increase the impact of collaborative research and facilitate practical applicability and scaling up. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 3a. Collaborative research actions addressing agriculture and food security shall apply a multi-actor approach ensuring the involvement of practitioners and end-users throughout the research and innovation cycles. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 3b. Where collaborative research actions involve the active participation of practitioners and end-users, in particular farmers and other primary producers, the Programme shall ensure that their participation is appropriately supported, including through the eligibility of costs related to their time, expertise and operational contributions, and through transparent and fair conditions for the access, use and reuse of data generated through their participation. |
Collaborative research in agriculture increasingly depends on the active involvement of farmers, where real-world testing, data provision and validation are essential to generate reliable results. This entails costs, time commitments and operational risks for the participating farmers. Ensuring that farmers contributions are appropriately supported and that the conditions for data use are transparent and fair strengthens trust, improves data quality and encourages sustained engagement over time.
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 2a. The work programme and the calls for proposals shall ensure that application procedures are simple, accessible and proportionate, in particular for SMEs, farmers and other relevant actors, in order to facilitate their participation in research and innovation projects and support the uptake of results in practice. |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| (b) impact; | (b) impact, taking into account the multi-actor approach; |
| Text proposed by the Commission | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 2. Up to 100 % of total eligible costs of an action under the Programme may be reimbursed, except for for-profit legal entities where up to 70% of the total eligible costs may be reimbursed. By way of exception, SMEs shall be eligible for a funding rate of up to 100% of the total eligible costs. | 2. Up to 100 % of total eligible costs of an action under the Programme may be reimbursed, except for for-profit legal entities where up to 70% of the total eligible costs may be reimbursed. By way of exception, SMEs, farmers’ organisations and agricultural cooperatives shall be eligible for a funding rate of up to 100% of the total eligible costs. |
Back matter, 1
Parts that accompany the text rather than belong to it: explanatory statement, annexes, opinions appended by other committees. Collapsed.
Annex: declaration of input 4 blocks
Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur for opinion declares that he included in his draft opinion input on matters pertaining to the subject of the file that he received, in the preparation of the draft opinion, from the following interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register, or from the following representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies:
| 1. Interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register |
| CEJA, European Council of Young Farmers |
| COPA-COGECA |
| LTO Nederland |
| WUR Wageningen University & Research |
| 2. Representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies |
Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteur for opinion declares that he has submitted to the natural persons concerned the European Parliament's Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.
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Cite as
European Parliament (2026). “DRAFT OPINION on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing Horizon Europe, the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, for the period 2028-2034 laying down its rules for participation and dissemination, and repealing Regulation (EU) 2021/695”. Text, 14 January 2026. docId AGRI-PA-782309. EU Parl Watch Research. https://news.eu-parl.st-solutions.dev/texts/AGRI-PA-782309 (retrieved 25 September 2026). Data: EP Open Data API: document record, https://data.europarl.europa.eu/api/v2/documents/AGRI-PA-782309 (CC BY 4.0).
BibTeX
@misc{epw-text-agri-pa-782309,
author = {{European Parliament}},
title = {{DRAFT OPINION on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing Horizon Europe, the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, for the period 2028-2034 laying down its rules for participation and dissemination, and repealing Regulation (EU) 2021/695}},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-01-14},
howpublished = {\url{https://news.eu-parl.st-solutions.dev/texts/AGRI-PA-782309}},
url = {https://news.eu-parl.st-solutions.dev/texts/AGRI-PA-782309},
urldate = {2026-09-25},
publisher = {EU Parl Watch Research},
note = {Text. docId AGRI-PA-782309. Data: EP Open Data API: document record (CC BY 4.0)}
}