Press Release: Research and Innovation: Commission widens search for expert advisors for Horizon 2020

The European Commission launched a call on 24 January 2013 asking experts from all fields to participate in shaping the agenda of Horizon 2020, the European Union's future funding programme for research and innovation. This marks the first time that the Commission has launched such a call for its research programme.

Advisory groups will provide high quality and timely advice for the preparation of the Horizon 2020 calls for project proposals. Groups will be set up on topics of major concern for European citizens, such as climate change, making renewable energy more affordable, ensuring safe food or coping with the challenges of ageing.

The groups will encourage dialogue between all levels of government, civil society and business from all EU Member States, and influence the direction of EU research and innovation funding from now until 2020.

The expert advisory groups will start their work during spring of this year to provide advice in time for the first Horizon 2020 calls, which are expected to be launched by the end of 2013.