Call: Shifting global geopolitics and Europe's preparedness for managing risks, mitigation actions and fostering peace

• Health, demographic change and wellbeing;
• Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine and maritime and inland water research, and the Bioeconomy;
• Secure, clean and efficient energy;
• Smart, green and integrated transport;
• Climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials;
• Europe in a changing world - inclusive, innovative and reflective societies;
• Secure societies - protecting freedom and security of Europe and its citizens.

This subprogramme will address social exclusion, discriminations and various forms of inequalities. It will explore new forms of innovation and strengthen the evidence base for the Innovation Union, the European Research Area and other relevant EU policies. It will promote coherent and effective cooperation with third countries. Finally, it will address the issues of memories, identities, tolerance and cultural heritage. The approach adopted in the present calls is in line with the Horizon 2020 Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) cross-cutting issue, engaging multiple actors including society, integrating the gender and ethical dimensions, ensuring the access to research outcomes. Some Topics deal specifically with formal and informal (science) education.

Europe's strategic and geopolitical environment is evolving rapidly, will always be an area of change, and in a manner that increasingly raises concerns. In recent years, violent conflicts have agitated the planet, many of them located in Europe's immediate neighbouring regions. These developments take place at a time when global geopolitics is undergoing long-term transformations challenging the traditional predominance of the West, while policies of economic austerity oblige EU Member States to manage scarce resources more effectively. These trends seriously challenge the Union's capacity for guaranteeing its citizens' security - one of its principal raisons d'être - while also jeopardizing its aspiration of promoting European values and interests abroad.

In order to evaluate and promote its preparedness for playing its role as an effective security provider, to prevent escalation, to manage and understand risks and mitigation strategies for peace beyond its borders, the EU needs to understand the implications of recent global developments and assess them against its own capacities and willingness to make synergetic use of them.

The research to address this challenge should focus on one or two dimensions that have to be comprehensively addressed:

• Recent global geopolitical developments and their implications for the European Union
• European Union's preparedness for managing risks and opportunities, fostering peace in a crisis-ridden context

At least 1 proposal per topic will be selected for funding provided it passes all evaluation thresholds.

At least three legal entities. Each of the three must be established in a different EU Member State or Horizon 2020 associated country. All three legal entities must be independent of each other.

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU in the order of 5 million € would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. This does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

EU funding rate: 100%.

Electronic submission here.