In 2018, the European Commission proposed a €100 billion research and innovation programme to succeed its 8th Framework Programme (FP) for Research and Innovation (Horizon 2020) that ran between 2014-2020.The European Union (EU) Institutions reached an agreement on 11 December 2020, which set the budget for the 9th FP (Horizon Europe) at €95.5 billion. This paper examines the transition from FP8 to FP9, as well as providing a brief historical account covering from FP1 to the present day, and discusses the specific European Union legal acts that allowed for the establishment of Horizon Europe. Further, the paper examines some of the key contentious points found before, during and after the establishment of Horizon Europe. These include the budget, the status of the United Kingdom’s membership following Brexit, issues in the deployment of technology, the creation of Public-Private-Partnerships known as Joint Undertakings, and the participation of third-country members in these Public-Private-Partnerships. The paper ends with a call for participation, whereby it prompts stakeholders to apply for funding and to also shape future possible future funding opportunities, as the scientific community has a fundamental role in the development and success of Horizon Europe.
