The European Partnerships Consultation for Horizon Europe 2028-2034
The European Commission has opened a public consultation on the future Single Basic Act (SBA) for Joint Undertakings (JUs), Article 185 initiatives, and thematic priorities for the European Partnership portfolio under Horizon Europe 2028-2034. The consultation runs until 16 October 2026 and is open to everyone, with responses accepted in any of the 24 official EU languages. Its results feed directly into the Commission's impact assessment and the legislative proposal expected at the end of 2026 or early 2027, according to the Commission's Directorate-General for Research and Innovation announcement published on 10 July 2026.
A European Partnership is a strategic instrument in Horizon Europe that brings the European Commission together with private and/or public partners to pool resources and expertise around shared research and innovation objectives. This consultation matters because the next Framework Programme will reshape how those partnerships are governed, which strategic areas justify a dedicated structure, and how EU research funding connects to industrialisation and market uptake through the new European Competitiveness Fund (ECF).
If you coordinate a co-funded partnership, join a Joint Undertaking call, or plan consortia around Treaty-based initiatives, the design decisions under consultation now will define your operating environment for 2028-2034. It is a rare chance to shape the rules before they are drafted.
What Is the Second Consultation on European Partnerships About?
The consultation gathers evidence and stakeholder views on how Treaty-based partnerships can strengthen EU competitiveness, mobilise public and private investment, and support the full innovation journey from basic research to market uptake. It covers three connected topics: the future Single Basic Act for Joint Undertakings, Article 185 initiatives, and thematic priorities for the wider European Partnership portfolio under Horizon Europe 2028-2034.
The exercise sits within preparations for the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) and the EU research and innovation programme for 2028-2034, according to the Commission's consultation announcement. It appears on the Commission's Have your say portal, where the questionnaire is available in all EU official languages.
The future 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. A central objective is to align JUs with the European Competitiveness Fund, so that EU R&I investment covers the entire pipeline from basic research through to industrialisation and market uptake.
Beyond the Treaty-based instruments, the questionnaire asks which societal and environmental challenges genuinely require the scale, continuity, and cross-sector cooperation that European Partnerships provide, according to a stakeholder note from Biodiversa+. In practice, the Commission wants concrete examples of where sustained transnational cooperation delivers what no single actor or short project could achieve alone.
What Are the Three Types of European Partnerships in Horizon Europe?
Horizon Europe uses three implementation modes for European Partnerships: institutionalised partnerships (Article 185 and Article 187), co-funded partnerships, and co-programmed partnerships. Each differs in its legal basis, governance, and how the EU contribution flows to beneficiaries, according to the Commission's page on European Partnerships in Horizon Europe.
These modes are worth understanding before you read the consultation, because the reform targets the institutionalised end of the spectrum most directly.
| Type | Legal basis | How the EU contribution is implemented |
|---|---|---|
| Institutionalised (Art. 185 / Art. 187) | Requires dedicated legislation and dedicated implementing structures (Joint Undertakings) | Through the dedicated body created for that purpose |
| Co-funded | Horizon Europe Grant Agreement signed by the Commission and a consortium of funders | Joint transnational calls and additional activities, with either 30% or 50% co-funding from Horizon Europe |
| Co-programmed | Memorandum of Understanding between the Commission and industry associations | Through Horizon Europe work programme calls; partner contributions implemented under their own responsibility |
Article 185 initiatives are institutionalised European Partnerships that let the EU participate in research programmes run jointly by several Member States, requiring a co-decision act of the European Parliament and Council. Article 187 partnerships are the Joint Undertakings themselves, established as dedicated EU bodies. Co-funded partnerships replaced the former Joint Programming Initiatives (JPIs), ERA-NETs, and European Joint Programmes (EJPs) Cofund actions used in Horizon 2020 (HE AGA, Article 44, p.417).
How Will European Partnerships Change Under Horizon Europe 2028-2034?
Under the Commission's proposal for Horizon Europe 2028-2034, European Partnerships would become tripartite by default, bringing together the EU, Member States/Associated Countries, and industry around shared strategic priorities. Joint Undertakings and Article 185 initiatives would be reserved for exceptional cases where the scale, complexity, and strategic importance of the objectives justify a dedicated governance structure.
This is a significant departure from the current portfolio. The Commission intends to consolidate the existing partnerships into a smaller number of strategic initiatives, according to consultancy analysis by Zabala Innovation. In parallel, partnerships are expected to work synergistically with the European Competitiveness Fund so that investment spans basic research through to industrialisation, as summarised by the UK Research Office.
Several proposed changes stand out for coordinators:
- Partnerships remain a key instrument of the programme, not a peripheral one.
- The default tripartite model formalises industry participation alongside the EU and national administrations.
- Treaty-based instruments become the exception, applied only where a dedicated body is clearly warranted.
- Stronger support is expected across the whole innovation cycle rather than being concentrated in early-stage research.
Uncertainty is the real difficulty here. The legislative proposal is not expected until the end of 2026 or early 2027, and the new Joint Undertakings would begin operating only under the next Framework Programme in 2028. Until the SBA text is published, treat the current design as directional rather than final when you plan long-term consortia.
What Rules Currently Govern Co-funded Partnerships?
Co-funded partnerships operate under specific rules in the Horizon Europe Model Grant Agreement (MGA) whenever beneficiaries provide financial support to third parties (FSTP) through so-called co-funded calls. For transnational projects that beneficiaries implement themselves as part of the action, the standard Grant Agreement rules apply instead (HE AGA, Article 44, p.417).
These rules shape how you run joint transnational calls, and they are the practical baseline the consultation seeks to improve. When implementing FSTP in a co-funded partnership, beneficiaries must avoid conflicts of interest and comply with the principles of transparency, non-discrimination, and sound financial management (HE AGA, Article 44, p.1).
The core conditions include:
- Transnationality. For multi-beneficiary projects, supported projects must involve at least two independent legal entities from two different EU Member States or Horizon Europe associated countries as recipients of the financial support (HE AGA, Article 44, p.346).
- Open calls. Beneficiaries must publish open calls widely, including on the Funding & Tenders Portal and their own websites, and keep each call open for at least two months (HE AGA, Article 44, p.1).
- Standard award criteria. Evaluation must use the same Horizon Europe award criteria: excellence, impact, and quality and efficiency of the implementation (HE AGA, Article 44, p.346).
- Two-step selection. Selection follows a review at national or transnational level (Step 1), then a single international peer review (Step 2) with at least three independent experts and an independent expert observer who produces a report (HE AGA, Article 44, p.346).
Beneficiaries must also ensure that bodies such as the granting authority, the European Court of Auditors (ECA), and the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) can carry out checks, reviews, audits, and investigations, including on associated partners (HE AGA, Article 9, p.160).
Who Can Respond to the Consultation and How?
The consultation is open to everyone. The Commission specifically encourages input from national and regional administrations, academia, research institutions, industry associations, technology centres, SMEs, start-ups, and civil society. You submit responses through the Have your say portal before the deadline of 16 October 2026.
Replies may be submitted in any of the 24 official EU languages, and a factual summary report will be published eight weeks after the consultation closes, according to the Commission announcement. National contact point networks such as NCP Flanders and monitoring platforms like ERA-LEARN have also amplified the call, a sign of how relevant the outcome is across the partnership community.
Practical steps to prepare a strong response:
- Read the questionnaire on the Have your say portal in full before drafting, noting the separate blocks on JUs, Article 185 initiatives, and the wider thematic portfolio.
- Gather concrete evidence from your own partnership: leverage ratios, private co-investment mobilised, and outcomes that a single project could not have delivered.
- Identify which societal or environmental challenges in your field genuinely need the scale and continuity of a partnership, and say so with specifics.
- If you argue for a Treaty-based structure, justify it against the proposed default: explain why scale, complexity, and strategic importance warrant a dedicated body.
- Coordinate with your consortium and your national administration so your evidence reinforces rather than duplicates other submissions.
What Should Coordinators and Proposal Writers Do Now?
Respond to the consultation before 16 October 2026 and, in parallel, start stress-testing your partnership plans against the proposed tripartite default and the shift toward the innovation-to-investment pipeline. The decisions taken now will shape call rules, governance, and funding rates from 2028 onward.
Consider a concrete scenario. Suppose you coordinate a co-funded partnership currently running joint transnational calls with 30% Horizon Europe co-funding. Under the proposed model, your successor initiative may need a clearer industry pillar and a tighter link to downstream deployment through the European Competitiveness Fund. Document, during your current project, exactly how each joint call mobilised national and private contributions, and map which activities sit closest to industrialisation. That evidence strengthens both your consultation response and any future application.
Specific, actionable moves:
- Build an evidence file this quarter: record co-funding leverage, transnational reach (number of Member States and associated countries per call), and outcomes attributable to sustained cooperation. Use the two-step selection and standard award criteria (excellence, impact, implementation) as your reporting frame, since these already govern co-funded calls (HE AGA, Article 44, p.346).
- Review the Performance of European Partnerships Biennial Monitoring Report 2024 to benchmark your partnership against the portfolio before you argue for its continuation.
- If your field is a candidate for a Joint Undertaking, prepare the justification against the exceptional-case test now, not after the legislative proposal lands.
- Track the timeline: legislative proposal expected end 2026 or early 2027, with new Joint Undertakings operating from 2028, according to Zabala Innovation.
Despite the Commission's stated aim to make JUs more open and accessible, consolidating a diverse portfolio into fewer strategic initiatives will create winners and losers. Communities whose challenge does not map cleanly onto a Treaty-based structure will need to make the case for continued support through the tripartite model. Data makes that argument far more persuasive than assertions.
Conclusion and Outlook
The second consultation on Joint Undertakings, Article 185 initiatives, and thematic priorities for European Partnerships is a genuine opportunity to influence the architecture of EU research and innovation collaboration for 2028-2034. With the default shifting toward tripartite partnerships and Treaty-based instruments reserved for exceptional cases, the community's evidence on what works, and where sustained cooperation is indispensable, will carry real weight in the Commission's impact assessment.
Submit your response through the Have your say portal before 16 October 2026, watch for the factual summary report eight weeks after closing, and prepare for the legislative proposal expected around the turn of 2026-2027. Coordinators who document their partnership's leverage and outcomes now will be best placed both to shape the reform and to compete for funding under the future Single Basic Act and the European Competitiveness Fund.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the European Partnerships consultation close?
The public consultation on Joint Undertakings, Article 185 initiatives, and thematic priorities for European Partnerships closes on 16 October 2026. Responses are submitted through the Commission's Have your say portal in any of the 24 official EU languages. A factual summary report will be published eight weeks after the consultation closes.
What is the Single Basic Act for Joint Undertakings?
The Single Basic Act (SBA) is the future legal framework the Commission is designing to govern Joint Undertakings and Article 185 initiatives under Horizon Europe 2028-2034. It aims to make JUs more open and accessible, leverage private R&I investment, build critical mass, and align them with the European Competitiveness Fund across the full innovation-to-investment journey.
How will European Partnerships change under Horizon Europe 2028-2034?
Under the Commission's proposal, European Partnerships will by default become tripartite, bringing together the EU, Member States/Associated Countries, and industry. Joint Undertakings and Article 185 initiatives will be reserved for exceptional cases where scale, complexity, and strategic importance justify a dedicated governance structure. The legislative proposal is expected at the end of 2026 or early 2027.
What is the difference between Article 185 and Article 187 partnerships?
Both are institutionalised European Partnerships requiring dedicated legislation. Article 185 initiatives allow the EU to participate in research programmes undertaken jointly by several Member States, while Article 187 establishes Joint Undertakings as dedicated EU bodies. Both are implemented through structures created specifically for that purpose, unlike co-funded or co-programmed partnerships.
What co-funding rate applies to co-funded European Partnerships?
Co-funded partnerships receive either 30% or 50% co-funding from Horizon Europe, according to the Commission's European Partnerships pages. They are implemented through Horizon Europe Grant Agreements signed by the Commission and a consortium of funders, who run joint transnational calls and additional activities. When providing financial support to third parties, beneficiaries must keep open calls open for at least two months.
