Foresight services to support strategic programming within Horizon 2020 : foresight report (D3)

This report explores how aspects of the EU's Horizon 2020 programme (H2020) could be shaped to support development of European research and innovation capacity in ten key areas related to digital technology. It was undertaken from a foresight perspective and seeks to explore links between long-term, forward-looking approaches and funding priorities. The project on which this report is based consists of an analysis of current and emerging trends within these themes; a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis for European innovation in the context of societal grand challenges; and a suite of scenarios that bring together the theme trends with critical uncertainties and policy implications. The outputs and recommendations are relevant for H2020 and for policy and innovation more broadly. The scenarios create a stable framework for thinking through potential impacts of policy interventions. The analyses and scenarios can serve as a coordinating device, a starting point for modification and co-creation of new themes, and a platform for business case and policy development.