Plant health

The European Commission's Horizon 2020 is a framework document. The proposal is divided into three priority areas: Excellent Science; Industrial Leadership; Societal Challenges. In addition the roles of the JRC and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) are specified.

 

In 2011 the European Commission drafted proposals for a Regulation to establish the development of the next Framework Programme to replace the Framework Programme 7 (FP7) which was coming to an end. This was entitled Horizon 2020. The European Commission has agreed the proposals and it is expected that final agreement of the European Parliament will be reached in 2013, with the launch of the first calls expected in 2014.

 

The continuation of identifying research priorities and communicating these priorities to DG Research and Innovation, the Joint Research Centre (JRC) as well as the Member States is an aspect of European Food Safety Authority's Science Strategy relating to the strengthening the scientific evidence for risk assessment and risk monitoring. Contributing to the developing Horizon 2020 programme will be integral in meeting the objectives in this area.

 

Within the proposal Part III, Societal Challenges relates directly to the policy priorities and societal challenges identified in the Europe 2020 Strategy. One of the main objectives in this part focuses on “Food security, sustainable agriculture, marine and maritime research, and the bio economy” with the specific objective “to secure sufficient supplies of safe and high quality food and other bio-based products, by developing productive and resource-efficient primary production systems, fostering related ecosystem services, along side competitive and low carbon supply chains.” Plant health with research on harmful organisms fits to this safe food reference in the proposal. The broad lines of activities under this part include „sustainable and competitive agri-food sector for a safe and healthy diet‟.