Lisbon, Feb. 2, 2021 (Lusa) - Portugal aims to double national participation in the Horizon Europe programme for 2021-2027 compared to the Horizon 2020 programme and attract €2 billion for research and innovation activities, according to a press release issued on Tuesday.

According to a statement issued by the Portuguese presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU), Portugal's objectives are "to double national participation in the 'Horizon Europe, 2021-27' programme compared to the 'Horizon 2020' programme (2014-2020)" and "to attract around €2 billion for research and innovation activities on a competitive basis by the public and private sectors," which includes small and medium-sized enterprises.

Compared to approximately €1.1 billion attracted between 2014 and 2020 through support under the Horizon 2020 programme, also in competitive terms, Portugal now aims to attract an additional €900 million with Horizon Europe.

Portugal wants to "compete, as always, with the best in Europe," said today the minister for science, technology and higher education, who was speaking to journalists at a joint press conference with European commissioner Mariya Gabriel after the presentation of Horizon Europe.

"Working with the best, always competing in terms of merit and quality and seeking excellence in research and innovation capacity. This has always been the formula that Portugal and the Portuguese institutions follow," Manuel Heitor said.

Asked about possible delays in the signing of Horizon Europe legislation raised by the European Parliament (EP), the Portuguese minister said that "the work between the Portuguese presidency, the European Commission and the EP has been very efficient[...] to ensure that there is no delay".

The European commissioner for innovation, research, culture and education, Mariya Gabriel, said that the procedures were being followed "as soon as possible" to ensure no delay in implementing the programme.

With a planned budget of €95.5 billion, to be implemented over 2021 to 2027, Horizon Europe is the EU's new multi-annual framework programme to support research and innovation.

Based on three pillars - scientific excellence, global challenges and European industrial competitiveness, and innovative Europe - it aims to promote links with the national recovery and resilience programmes of the 27 Member States.

The coordination and dissemination of the strategy for strengthening national participation in the Horizon Europe programme will be carried out through the 'Portugal in Europe Research and Innovation Network' (PERIN), which includes the main funding and promoting agencies, namely the Foundation for Science and Technology, the National Innovation Agency, the Agency for Clinical Research and Biomedical Innovation, the Portuguese Space Agency, the ERASMUS Agency and the Directorate General for Higher Education.

These entities will work together with the offices promoting European programmes in academic and research institutions and companies, business associations and business incubation centres and interface institutions.

JAYG/ADB // ADB.

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