Pillar II of the Horizon Europe project (see the programme structure here) is dedicated to “Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness” with the goal of strengthening the impact of research and innovation in the development, support and implementation of European Union policies that tackle global issues. The research activity and innovation is organised within the following six Clusters, which substitute the “Societal Challenges” of the Horizon 2020 programme:

Cluster 1 - Health

Cluster I (Health) is aimed mainly at contributing to the four areas of impact of the strategic plan: good health and high-quality affordable healthcare; a resilient European Union prepared for emerging threats; high-quality digital services for all, and a competitive and safe data economy.

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​​​​Cluster 2 - Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society

Cluster 2, “Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society” is aimed at achieving EU goals and priorities on the reinforcement of democratic governance and participation of citizens, safeguarding and promotion of cultural heritage, and the multifaceted response and form of social, economic, technological and cultural transformations.

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Cluster 3 - Civil Security for Society

Cluster 3 is designed to contribute, via R&I actions, to the achievement of EU safety and stability standards, supporting the implementation of key European safety policies. Many issues are tackled in this area of the Horizon Europe programme, including those linked to the fight against crime and terrorism, natural disasters and the effects of climate change or man-made damage, border protection, data security management and digital networks, and protection of European infrastructures against possible physical or cyber-attacks.

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Cluster 4 - Digital, Industry and Space

The investments in research and innovation in the Digital, Industry and Space cluster are aimed at supporting key enabling technologies that are strategically important for Europe’s future in terms of industrial and digitalisation technologies (including technologies in space).

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Cluster 5 - Climate, Energy and Mobility

The European goal to understand the causes of climate change, its evolution, impact, risks and opportunities are closedly linked to the demand to make energy and mobility systems more sustainable, smart, safe, resilient, inclusive, competitive and efficient. Energy and transport sectors are key in the European economy, guaranteeing the mobility of goods and people as well as energy supply to all citizens. However, these can also be attributed the responsibility of much of the EU greenhouse gas emissions. In the light of such a significant environmental impact, the Union proposes a project of decarbonisation and digitalisation, both of which can transform the fields into more eco-friendly fields, within the vast context of European commitment to tackling the issue of climate change.

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Cluster 6 - Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment

The goal of Cluster 6 is to create opportunities to improve and balance environmental, social and economic objectives and to establish the human economic activity in a sustainable approach. Cluster 6 thus revolves around the need for transformative change of the EU economy and society, aimed at reducing environmental harm, arresting and inverting the decline of biodiversity and better manage natural resources, in order to support the EU climate goals and guarantee safe water and food.

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