The European Commission presented a call asking experts from all fields to participate in shaping the agenda of Horizon 2020, the European Union's future funding programme for research and innovation. The groups will encourage dialogue between all levels of government, civil society and business from all EU Member States, and influence the direction of EU research and innovation funding from now until 2020.

The European Commission presented a call for experts from all fields to participate in shaping the agenda of Horizon 2020, the European Union's future funding programme for research and innovation. According to the Commission, advisory groups will provide high quality and timely advice for the preparation of the Horizon 2020 calls for project proposals.

This marks the first time that the Commission has launched such a call for its research programme. These groups will be set up on topics of major concern for European citizens, such as climate change, making renewable energy more affordable, ensuring safe food or coping with the challenges of ageing. The Commission highlights that the groups will encourage dialogue between all levels of government, civil society and business from all EU Member States, and influence the direction of EU research and innovation funding from now until 2020.

Horizon 2020 aims to foster ideas, growth and jobs for Europe's future. The programme as it has been proposed brings together all existing support for research and innovation, including the innovation-related activities of the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme and the activities of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), into one single funding programme.