This document discusses the European Union's Horizon 2020 program for research and innovation funding from 2014 to 2020. Horizon 2020 aims to drive economic growth and jobs by consolidating previous EU funding programs and increasing funding to €78.6 billion. It focuses on tackling societal challenges through research in areas like health, energy, and climate change. Horizon 2020 also supports industrial leadership and excellent science. The program simplifies access to funding and aims to reduce bureaucracy for researchers. International cooperation is encouraged to foster synergies and capacity building across countries. Personal experiences with previous EU projects demonstrate their benefits in knowledge transfer, networking, and addressing local policy issues.