EU Direct Funds

Horizon Europe is the EU Framework Programme for research and innovation for 2021–2027, and the successor to Horizon 2020. It is the world’s largest transnational research and innovation programme. It funds R&I activities—and support activities—mainly through open, competitive calls for proposals. It aims to tackle climate change, contribute to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and boost 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 addressing global challenges. It also fosters the creation and dissemination of excellent knowledge and technologies.

The programme is structured into three pillars:

• Pillar 1 – Excellent Science (European Research Council, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, Research Infrastructures)
• Pillar 2 – Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness (organised in thematic clusters: Health; Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society; Civil Security for Society; Digital, Industry and Space; Climate, Energy and Mobility; Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment)
• Pillar 3 – Innovative Europe

The Programme is implemented under direct management by the European Commission.
Programme website https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe_en

Creative Europa (Europa Creativa) è il programma della Commissione europea che sostiene i settori culturale e audiovisivo. Il programma si basa e continua la struttura del programma precedente con 3 filoni:

1. CULTURA - comprende tutti i settori culturali e creativi, ad eccezione del settore audiovisivo. Mira a promuovere la collaborazione e l'innovazione nelle arti, nel patrimonio culturale, nella musica, nella letteratura e in altre espressioni creative.
2. MEDIA - copre il settore audiovisivo e si impegna a sostenere la produzione, distribuzione e promozione di opere cinematografiche e digitali, rafforzando la dimensione transfrontaliera di opere e operatori culturali e creativi attraverso partenariati, reti e piattaforme transnazionali.
3. INTERSETTORIALE - comprende attività in tutti i settori culturali e creativi: valorizzerà il ruolo della cultura nell'inclusione sociale, promuovendo attività trasversali in diversi settori, il giornalismo di qualità e un ambiente mediatico libero, diversificato e pluralistico.

Il Programma ha gestione diretta e indiretta

Sito del Programma >https://culture.ec.europa.eu/creative-europe/about-the-creative-europe-programme

Digital Europe is the first EU programme aimed at accelerating recovery and driving Europe’s digital transformation. It is an EU funding programme focused on the adoption of digital technologies by businesses, public administrations and citizens.

With a budget of EUR 7.6 billion, the programme is part of the EU’s long-term budget for 2021–2027. It will finance projects in five key areas:

1. High-Performance Computing
2. Artificial Intelligence
3. Cybersecurity
4. Advanced Digital Skills
5. Large-scale deployment of digital technologies in the economy and society

Digital Europe is designed to bridge the gap between research on digital technologies and their application, facilitating the transfer of research results to the market for the benefit of citizens and businesses, especially SMEs. Investments under the programme support the EU’s twin transition (green and digital) while strengthening the Union’s resilience and strategic autonomy.
The Programme is implemented mainly under direct management by the European Commission.
Programme website https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/activities/digital-programme

Erasmus+ is the EU programme for education, training, youth and sport in Europe. Its budget is estimated at EUR 26.2 billion, almost double that of the previous programme (2014–2020).
The 2021–2027 programme places strong emphasis on social inclusion, the green and digital transition, and promoting young people’s participation in democratic life. It supports the priorities and activities set out in the European Education Area, the Digital Education Action Plan, and the New Skills Agenda for Europe. In addition, the programme:

• supports the European Pillar of Social Rights;
• implements the EU Youth Strategy 2019–2027;
• develops the European dimension in sport.

Erasmus+ offers mobility and cooperation opportunities for higher education, vocational education and training, school education (including early childhood education and care), adult education, youth and sport.
Programme website https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/

EU4Health is the EU’s main funding instrument in the health sector and aims to strengthen the resilience of national health systems by improving their ability to respond to emergencies and health crises. The programme finances initiatives for disease prevention, the promotion of healthy lifestyles, the digitalisation of healthcare, and the development of co-operation networks among Member States. It also supports the production and availability of essential medicines and medical devices, training for healthcare professionals, and improved access to care for EU citizens. EU4Health forms part of the EU’s health strategy, with the goal of reducing health inequalities among countries and promoting a common approach to global health challenges.
Established for 2021–2027 with a budget of EUR 5.3 billion—the largest EU allocation ever for public health—EU4Health was created to address the challenges that emerged with the COVID-19 pandemic and to reinforce the EU’s crisis-response capacity.

EU4Health focuses on four main objectives:

1. Prevention and health promotion: emphasis on chronic diseases, healthy lifestyles and mental health.
2. Preparedness and response to health crises: strengthening emergency stockpiles and improving epidemiological surveillance.
3. Strengthening health systems: investment in health infrastructures and digitalisation, and enhancement of the medical workforce.
4. Access to essential medicines and medical devices: reducing dependence on imports and ensuring care for all citizens.

Implementation is managed by the European Commission through the EU4Health Annual Work Programme, which sets priorities and open calls for funding. Interested organisations can submit proposals via calls published on the Commission’s official platform.
Further information on the programme, funding calls and opportunities for stakeholders is available on the official EU4Health website.
Programme website https://hadea.ec.europa.eu/programmes/eu4health_en?prefLang=it&etrans=it

LIFE

The LIFE programme is the EU’s main funding instrument for environmental, climate, and clean-energy transition projects. Active since 1992, it supports initiatives aimed at achieving the EU’s environmental and climate objectives. For 2021–2027, LIFE has a budget of approximately EUR 5.4 billion and is divided into four sub-programmes:

1. Nature and Biodiversity
2. Circular Economy and Quality of Life
3. Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation
4. Clean Energy Transition

LIFE is open to a wide range of beneficiaries, including public bodies (Regions and Municipalities), NGOs, associations, businesses—including SMEs—as well as universities and research centres. Funding is provided through different project types:

• Standard Action Projects (SAP): innovation and best practices
• Strategic Integrated Projects (SIP): implementation of large-scale action plans
• Technical Assistance (TA) projects: support for preparing more complex projects
• Other specific calls for pilot initiatives and studies

LIFE calls are published annually by the European Commission, and proposals must be submitted via the Funding & Tenders portal. Co-financing varies by project type, with the possibility of covering up to 95% of costs.
Programme website https://cinea.ec.europa.eu/programmes/life_en?prefLang=it&etrans=it

The Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund – AMIF is the EU’s financial instrument supporting policies on asylum, migration management, and the integration of third-country nationals. Active for 2021–2027 with a budget of around EUR 9.88 billion, AMIF aims to strengthen co-operation among Member States in managing migration and to promote a more effective and solidarity-based approach.

AMIF is structured around four main objectives:

1. Asylum: improving the Common European Asylum System, strengthening Member States’ capacity to manage applications for international protection, ensuring appropriate reception conditions, and promoting more efficient and fair procedures.
2. Legal migration and integration: financing projects to facilitate the legal entry and stay of third-country nationals in the EU and supporting their socio-economic and cultural integration through education, training, access to work and social inclusion.
3. Return and readmission: promoting effective voluntary and assisted return policies, improving co-operation between countries of origin and EU countries, and ensuring fundamental rights are respected.
4. Solidarity and responsibility among Member States: fostering burden-sharing, with support measures for countries most exposed to migratory flows and the redistribution of asylum seekers to reduce pressure on certain Member States.

AMIF finances projects via calls published by the European Commission and by Member States, which manage part of the resources nationally through specific programmes. The programme has direct and indirect management.
Programme website https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/IT/TXT/?uri=LEGISSUM:2301_2

The Connecting Europe Facility – CEF is an EU funding programme that supports the development of infrastructure networks in transport, energy and digital, with the aim of improving connectivity and interoperability among Member States.

• In transport, it finances the construction and upgrading of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), promoting sustainable solutions, intermodality, and emissions reduction.
• In energy, it supports projects that improve security of supply, foster the integration of renewables, and enhance smart grids.
• In the digital sphere, it promotes high-speed connectivity, cross-border digital infrastructures, and improved cybersecurity.

CEF is divided into three main sub-programmes:

1. CEF Transport: supports TEN-T development, improves interoperability across transport systems, and promotes sustainable solutions (e-mobility, high-speed rail, multimodal transport).
2. CEF Energy: funds projects for the integration of EU energy markets, security of supply, and the transition to clean energy (e.g., smart grids, green hydrogen, energy efficiency).
3. CEF Digital: aims to strengthen EU digital infrastructures by financing 5G networks, fibre-optic cables, data centres, high-performance computing, and cybersecurity, to bolster connectivity and ensure an inclusive digital transformation.
   Programme website https://cinea.ec.europa.eu/programmes/connecting-europe-facility/about-connecting-europe-facility_en?prefLang=it&etrans=it

InvestEU is the EU’s flagship investment instrument to mobilise private resources in strategic sectors and support economic growth. It is built around an EU guarantee fund that facilitates access to finance for businesses, start-ups and innovative projects by reducing investor risk. Key areas include the green transition, SME support, sustainable infrastructure, digitalisation, and innovation. The programme also features the InvestEU Advisory Hub, providing technical assistance to help project promoters structure their initiatives and attract investment.

InvestEU comprises three main components:

1. InvestEU Fund: provides an EU budgetary guarantee—about EUR 26.2 billion—to support financing and investment operations aligned with EU policies, facilitating access to funding for high-value-added projects with challenging risk profiles.
2. InvestEU Advisory Hub: offers technical support and assistance to project developers to prepare, develop and structure initiatives to make them more attractive to investors.
3. InvestEU Portal: an online platform connecting project promoters and investors, showcasing investment opportunities across the EU.

The programme is structured around four policy windows:

• Sustainable infrastructure
• Research, innovation and digitalisation
• Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
• Social investment and skills
  Programme website https://investeu.europa.eu/index_en?prefLang=it&etrans=it

The Internal Security Fund (ISF) is the EU’s main financial instrument for strengthening internal security and border management. It funds actions to prevent and combat terrorism, organised crime and radicalisation, enhancing co-operation among police and judicial authorities in the Member States. It also supports the upgrade of border-surveillance systems, the strengthening of response capacities to emerging threats, the acquisition of new technologies, and improvements in cybersecurity. The programme is strategic to protect EU citizens and reinforce the resilience of critical infrastructures.
The ISF finances national and cross-border projects to improve security and co-operation among Member States and provides for both direct and indirect management.