- The European Commission has launched a public consultation on future European research partnerships under Horizon Europe 2028-2034; it closes on 16 October 2026.
- The consultation results will underpin a Single Basic Act establishing joint undertakings; the legislative proposal is expected at the end of 2026 or in early 2027.
- IHI industry members and contributing partners had committed over EUR 660 million as of end 2025, exceeding the EU's own commitment to the programme.
- The current IHI programme continues unchanged and will launch its final calls for proposals in 2027.
- The future SBA aims to make joint undertakings more accessible, leverage private R&I investment, and align with the European Competitiveness Fund.
European Commission opens consultation on future EU research partnerships
The European Commission is working on the portfolio and design of European partnerships – including joint undertakings such as the Innovative Health Initiative (IHI) – for the next Horizon Europe programme, which will run from 2028 to 2034. As part of this process, a public consultation has been launched, closing on 16 October 2026.
The consultation aims to gather stakeholders' evidence, experience and views on how European partnerships can be strengthened in the future. The results will feed into the Commission's wider impact assessment on European partnerships and ultimately into a legislative proposal for a Single Basic Act (SBA) setting up joint undertakings under the next Horizon Europe programme. The Commission expects to publish the legislative proposal at the end of 2026 or in early 2027.
IHI urges health stakeholders to participate
IHI strongly encourages all stakeholders in the health field to share their experience and views on how European partnerships can continue addressing the complex, multistakeholder and system-level shifts required to support the healthcare of tomorrow. Organisations and individuals who already submitted responses to the call for evidence held earlier this year are also encouraged to respond to this consultation.
In a context where all funding instruments are under close scrutiny, the consultation is important because the results will contribute to shaping the design of the future European partnership landscape in the health field, and how joint undertakings will work in practice.
What happens next
The process will unfold as follows:
- The consultation closes on 16 October 2026
- Results feed into the Commission's impact assessment on European partnerships
- The legislative proposal for the Single Basic Act is expected at the end of 2026 or in early 2027
- The SBA aims to make joint undertakings more accessible and open, leverage private R&I investment, increase critical mass, and target coordinated efforts at EU strategic priorities
The future SBA also seeks to align joint undertakings with the European Competitiveness Fund (ECF), ensuring that EU R&I investment covers the full journey from basic research to industrialisation and market uptake.
Current IHI programme unaffected
The consultation has no impact on the existing IHI programme. It is based on existing EU legislation and will continue as planned, launching the final calls for proposals in 2027.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| IHI programme period | 2021–2027 |
| Final calls for proposals | 2027 |
| Private commitment from industry members and contributing partners (as of end 2025) | over EUR 660 million |
| Total IHI budget | EUR 2.4 billion |
As IHI's latest annual report shows, the programme is delivering exciting results that amply demonstrate the added value of a cross-sector, public-private European partnership in health. As of the end of 2025, IHI industry members and contributing partners had committed over EUR 660 million, more than matching the EU commitment to the programme.
Alignment with EU priorities
IHI's portfolio and project results reveal the partnership's close alignment with EU priorities:
- Clinical trials: Projects deliver tools and resources to improve clinical trials, directly contributing to the EU Clinical Trials Regulation and strengthening Europe's attractiveness as a location for clinical research
- Cardiovascular disease, cancer, and brain health: Strong project portfolios addressing the biggest challenges affecting the resilience of Europe's health systems
- AI in healthcare, regulatory science, and implementation of innovations: Cross-cutting projects tackling the major challenges facing Europe's health systems today