Research, Innovation and Science Commissioner Máire Geoghegan-Quinn announced on June 21st the outcome of the competition "You Name it" launched to name the future EU funding programme for research and innovation. This name was suggested both by a Czech student, Marcela Endlova and a Polish teacher, Beata Zyngier.

As a result of the proposals made in response to the "You Name it" contest launched by the Commission in March 2011 in order to find a name for the new EU Research and Innovation Programme, the new legislative proposal to be put forward by the end of the year will therefore be called "Horizon 2020 - the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation".

As highlighted by Commissioner  Geoghegan-Quinn, this new name evokes the optimism lying behind the opportunities brought by the new programme. It puts forward a new vision, new possibilities and an ambitious view of what EU-funded research and innovation can achieve. The enormous European capacity in research and innovation is to be one of the pillars to boost recovery and face the serious economic challenges.

In the Commission's point of view, only through EU Funding, European researchers and innovators can join forces and work together across national borders, as well as organise continent-wide competition to stimulate these researchers towards greater excellence.

For the next funding period, all different types of EU funding will be brought together in a coherent and flexible manner. Therefore, the new name will not only designate the new EU Framework Programme, but will apply to a new, integrated funding system covering all research and innovation funding currently provided through the Framework Programme for Research and Technical Development, the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP) and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT).

With this new approach, the Commission aims to further boost excellence and to help ensure that good ideas reach the market and generate sustainable economic growth and new jobs, being a smarter way to support researchers and innovators in Europe. For this new funding period, unnecessary red tape burden will be cut out and simpler participation procedures will be applied.