Interim evaluation of the Horizon 2020 Secure Societies Challenge REF: 931
RPA, in association with CSES, was commissioned by the European Commission (DG HOME – Migration and Home Affairs) to perform the interim evaluation of activities under the Horizon 2020 Secure Societies Challenge.
In June 2013, the European Council adopted ‘Horizon 2020’ as the EU’s overarching framework programme for funding research and innovation. Following the Commission’s Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7), which was the EU’s main instrument for funding research in Europe for 2007-2013, Horizon 2020 provides up to €70.2 billion (2011 prices) in funding for research and innovation between 2014 and 2020. Regulation (EU) No 1291/2013, which established Horizon 2020, requires an interim evaluation of Horizon 2020 by the end of 2017.
Secure Societies ‘Protecting Freedom and Security of Europe and its Citizens’ is one of seven Societal Challenges recognised under Horizon 2020. It concerns the protection of citizens, society and the economy as well as Europe’s assets, infrastructures and services, its prosperity, political stability and well-being. The Secure Societies theme benefited from €1.4 billion between 2007 and 2013 under FP7 and is allocated €1.7 billion under Horizon 2020 for the period 2014 to 2020.
The evaluation was based upon data from the Commission’s CORDIS database, an online survey of project coordinators and interviews with project coordinators, Commission officials and other stakeholders. The Secure Societies theme has four main topics:
- border security and external security
- fighting against crime and terrorism
- disaster-resilience
- digital security
The final report starts by describing the current situation. Then, in line with the EU’s Better Regulation Guidelines, analyses the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, coherence and added value of the Secure Societies activities to October 2016. It finishes with conclusions and recommendations for improvements, which may be applied to the future Framework Programme 9 (FP9).