EU industrial research and innovation: priorities, funding and tools

EU research and innovation support the transformation of European industry, helping companies stay competitive, create jobs and operate within the planet’s resource limits. Here is an overview of the main priorities, funding sources and tools.

What the EU wants to achieve

Industrial research and innovation supports three Commission priorities: the European Green Deal, an economy that works for people, and a Europe fit for the digital age. Public funding is meant to trigger private investment, which the EU tracks every year in its Industrial R&D Investment Scoreboard.

The Commission and the Member States are also developing an EU valorisation policy, so that research results circulate and benefit society. Read more in our article on knowledge valorisation.

Policy focus areas

Where to find funding

• Horizon Europe, Cluster 4 (Digital, Industry and Space): the main source of EU funding for industrial research, with calls published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.
• Partner search: the portal helps applicants find partners for consortia in open calls.
• Research Fund for Coal and Steel: reformed by two Council Decisions adopted on 29 June 2026.

Tools for finding results and partners

• CORDIS: results of EU-funded projects.
• Horizon Dashboard: real-time data on the programme, with filters.
• Innovation Radar: innovations from EU-funded projects with high market potential.
• EU Open Data Portal and OpenAIRE: open data and publications from Horizon Europe and Horizon 2020.

Recent news and publications

• 29 June 2026: the Council adopted two Decisions reforming the Research Fund for Coal and Steel.
• 8 May 2026: technical update of the ERA Living Guidelines on the responsible use of generative AI in research.
• 24 February 2026: factsheet on the path of the EU aluminium industry to carbon neutrality, covering emissions, decarbonisation pathways and CO₂ abatement costs.

In autumn 2026, the Commission held Horizon Europe info days on Cluster 4 (14–15 October), events on the EU advanced materials ecosystem and on access for industry to research and technology infrastructures, and the 4th Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) Boot Camp in Athens.

Why it matters for companies

Industrial research projects often bring together companies, universities and research organisations from several countries. Clear rules on intellectual property, standards and cooperation agreements decide who can use the results and how they reach the market. See also our articles on the management of intellectual assets and standardisation and the new EU Standardisation Regulation.