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The Netherlands in the EU Framework Programmes

data publication
Science in Figures
08 March 2022
Europe Horizon2020
The Netherlands financially contributes to the European framework programs, but also receives money from the framework programs. In this data publication, we discuss the expenditure and revenues of the Netherlands in the various framework programs, and the distribution of Horizon 2020 expenditure to the Top 10 recipient countries.

In short

  • The Netherlands receives 1.5 times more funding from the European Framework Program H2020 than it contributes.
  • The Netherlands is in sixth place in Europe in terms of absolute revenues from H2020.
  • Per fte research, Dutch researchers receive more funding from H2020 than researchers from any other country.

Contribution versus income from the EU Framework Programmes

Source: Evaluations of the fifth and sixth Framework Programme by Senter (2003) and SenterNovem (2006), TWIN database, Government budget 2021, for H2020: CORDIS (July 2021) and EC expenditure tables
Notes: The figure compares the revenue share of the Netherlands from the EU Framework Programmes with the Dutch contribution to the Framework Programmes. Receiving the Framework's share is called juste retour. The figures for FP6 and FP7 are based on an analysis of the proposals database dated September 30, 2016, by the Dutch Enterprise Agency. The figures for H2020 are based on the H2020 dashboard and the expenditure tables of the European Commission. It is assumed that the Dutch contribution to H2020 is similar to its contribution to the total budget.

The Netherlands takes in 1.5 times more than it spends
The financial return Dutch researchers receive from the different EU Framework Programs exceeds the financial contribution of the Netherlands to the EU budget in each framework program (through the Multiannual Financial Frameworks). The share that the Netherlands receives from H2020 is 1.5 times greater than the Dutch investment. The upper figure also shows a decreasing proportion of the Netherlands to the EU Framework Programme budget, mainly due to the growth in the number of EU Member States. 

Top 10 recipient countries in Horizon 2020

Source: Horizon Europe (HEU) dashboard, 2023
Notes: Het gaat om het percentage dat aan een land toegekend is ten opzichte van het totaal. Voor de top-10 zijn alleen landen uit de EU meegenomen. Het Verenigd Koninkrijk en Zwitserland zijn niet opgenomen in de lijst, omdat beide landen niet bij de EU horen. Het HEU-programma heeft een doorlooptijd tot 2027. De cijfers kunnen in de doorlooptijd veranderen. 
Source: CORDIS (juli 2021)
Notes: Het gaat om het percentage dat aan een land toegekend is ten opzichte van het totaal. Voor de top-10 zijn alleen landen uit de EU meegenomen. Het Verenigd Koninkrijk is nog wel opgenomen, al hoort het land sinds 1 februari 2020 niet meer bij de EU. Zwitserland staat niet in de lijst, omdat het niet bij de EU hoort. 

The Netherlands in sixth place of recipient countries
The second graph shows the Top 10 recipient countries of the recent EU programme H2020. The Netherlands received EUR 5 billion (7.8%). In absolute terms, the Netherlands is the sixth largest recipient. Our country comes after major countries such as Germany (14.6%), the United Kingdom (11.6%), France (10.9%), Spain (9.4%) and Italy (8.2%). The entire top 10 receives 76% of the funds.
 

Source: Eurostat (researchers) and CORDIS (July 2021, H2020-funding). Adapted by Rathenau Instituut.
Notes: it concerns funding received between the start of the program and July 2021. Researchers concern those researchers working in the public sector (higher education and public research institutes) in 2019. 

Dutch researchers receive, per fte, the highest amount of funding from H2020

When we correct for the number of researchers working in a country, expressed through fte, Dutch researchers are the most successful recipients of H2020-funding. Per fte research in the public sector they received 170,758 euros. 

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