Scoping papers are working documents, sent to the Programme Committee for the Horizon 2020 Specific Programme for discussion in the context of the preparation of the Horizon 2020 Work Programme 2016-2017. As such, information and descriptions of activities indicated in this document may not appear in the adopted Work Programme 2016-2017, and likewise, new elements may be introduced.

The scoping papers released so far set out in more detail the coming main priorities for each part of the Horizon 2020 Work Programme. Member States, European stakeholders and initiatives from society and industry, as well as Horizon 2020 Advisory Groups have been consulted throughout 2014, and their input has been taken into account for strategic programming and drafting the scoping papers. After another round of Advisory Groups consultations on developing the Work Programme contents, the adoption of the Work Programme for 2016-2017 is planned in the third quarter of 2015.

The Horizon 2020 Strategic Programming Document which gives guidance for the development of the Work Programme 2016-2017 defines the key priorities for the framework program 2016/17 and the Focus Areas which are relevant to Pillar 2 (Industrial Leadership) and 3 (Societal Challenges). Compared to the current programme where 12 Focus Areas had been identified, the draft specifies 9 candidate areas whereof 3 are new ones: Internet of Things, Automated road transport and Industry 2020 and Circular Economy. Personalizing health and care which has been a focus area of the last strategic programme, does not longer appear, but will still have its anchoring within the Societal Challenges Pillar as one individual Call on Promoting healthy ageing and personalised healthcare. 5 subareas are specified in the scoping paper on “Health, demographic change and well-being”:

1. Ageing: from early development to the elderly
2. Translational research
3. Population health and health promotion & sustainable health and care systems
4. Infectious diseases
5. ICT for health

The scoping papers are, although they are confidential documents, available at certain websites and through the national Research Councils. You can look at them here.