Exploring how EU-funded veterinary research from FP7 to Horizon 2020 transformed animal health science, created new tools to fight diseases, and built networks protecting animals and people.
When African swine fever began spreading across continents, threatening pig populations and devastating farmers' livelihoods, it wasn't just a veterinary problem—it was a socio-economic crisis in the making. The race to understand, contain, and prevent such diseases represents one of the most critical challenges in modern science, where animal health directly impacts human economies, ecosystems, and food security. This is precisely the type of complex challenge that European Union research funding has sought to address through its ambitious framework programmes.
For decades, the EU has recognized that animal health research isn't a niche interest but a cornerstone of public health, economic stability, and scientific progress. From 2007 to 2020, this vision was pursued through two major initiatives: the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) and its successor, Horizon 2020. Together, these programmes mobilized approximately €128 billion in funding, transforming how Europe approaches diseases that cross borders, species, and even the boundary between animals and humans 1 .
Total funding across FP7 and Horizon 2020
Years of transformative research
Countries involved in collaborations
The transition from FP7 (2007-2013) to Horizon 2020 (2014-2020) marked a significant evolution in how the European Union approached research funding. While FP7 had already established scientific excellence as its cornerstone, Horizon 2020 expanded this vision by demanding that research deliver tangible societal benefits and drive economic growth 1 . This shift proved particularly transformative for veterinary science, which often operates at the intersection of multiple disciplines and societal needs.
| Programme | Dates | Total Budget | Primary Veterinary Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| FP7 | 2007-2013 | €50.5 billion | Building research capacity, fundamental disease mechanisms |
| Horizon 2020 | 2014-2020 | €77 billion | Translation to applications, One Health integration |
The budget increase from FP7 to Horizon 2020—approximately 53% growth—signaled the EU's strengthened commitment to research and innovation 1 . For veterinary scientists, this meant not only more funding but different types of funding opportunities, specifically designed to bring discoveries out of the laboratory and into practice.
FP7 organized veterinary and related life science research primarily through the "Cooperation" programme, which fostered collaboration between institutions across national borders. Key funding instruments included:
Horizon 2020 revolutionized this structure by organizing research around three distinct pillars:
Among the most compelling examples of Horizon 2020's impact on veterinary science is the VetBioNet initiative (Veterinary Biocontained Facility Network for Excellence in Animal Infectious Disease Research). This project exemplifies the programme's emphasis on research infrastructure, collaboration, and practical application in tackling diseases that threaten both animal and human health 2 .
VetBioNet established a comprehensive network of high-containment (BSL3) research facilities, academic institutes, international organizations, and industry partners dedicated to advancing research on epizootic (animal epidemic) and zoonotic diseases 2 . With €10 million in funding from Horizon 2020, this infrastructure project created a coordinated European defense system against infectious diseases that could devastate livestock, wildlife, and potentially spread to human populations.
| Activity Type | Description | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Transnational Access | Provided free access to BSL3 facilities and technical resources | Enabled research that individual institutions could not support |
| Networking Activities | Fostered cooperation between project partners and stakeholders | Built a cohesive European research community |
| Joint Research Activities | Improved scientific and technological standards of services | Enhanced capabilities across the network |
The value of infrastructures like VetBioNet becomes particularly clear when examining specific disease threats. Consider African swine fever (ASF), a highly contagious and often fatal disease that has been spreading globally. While the United States hasn't experienced an outbreak, the threat prompted researchers to model what would be needed to respond effectively 3 .
Their findings were sobering: in a severe outbreak scenario in a densely populated swine region, effective detection and control could require up to 3,115 sample collectors and tens of thousands of daily samples 3 . This staggering resource requirement highlights why networks like VetBioNet are so essential—they provide the specialized facilities and coordinated expertise needed to develop more efficient response strategies before crises occur.
The research also identified strategies that could dramatically reduce these resource demands, such as using oral fluid instead of blood samples, implementing downtime after visiting infected farms, and pooling samples for testing 3 . These practical insights emerge precisely from the type of coordinated research that VetBioNet enables.
In a severe outbreak scenario:
The true measure of the framework programmes' success lies not in their budgets or structures, but in the concrete scientific advances they enabled. From fundamental understanding of disease mechanisms to practical applications in clinical settings, FP7 and Horizon 2020 supported research that has transformed veterinary practice.
At the most basic level, EU-funded research has dramatically advanced our understanding of how diseases work at molecular and cellular levels. For instance, research on the ferret immune system—fundamentally important because ferrets serve as crucial models for human respiratory diseases—has revealed how their B cells and T cells recognize and fight infections 3 .
Using advanced gene sequencing technology, an international team analyzed more than 120,000 immune cells from ferret tissues, mapping the genes that make up B cell and T cell receptors 3 . This work, supported by the collaborative frameworks established under EU programmes, created a reference guide that helps researchers understand how ferrets respond to diseases and vaccines, making them even more valuable models for both animal and human health research.
The progression from fundamental understanding to clinical application represents the complete research pathway that Horizon 2020 particularly emphasized. A compelling example comes from the development and real-world validation of bedinvetmab (brand name Librela™), a novel treatment for canine osteoarthritis 3 .
This monthly injectable treatment targets nerve growth factor, a key player in osteoarthritis pain. Approved in the European Union in 2020 after rigorous testing, the treatment subsequently underwent post-approval safety monitoring—exactly the type of comprehensive approach that framework programmes encourage. The results were impressive: out of more than 18 million doses administered, only about 9.5 adverse events were reported per 10,000 doses, with most side effects being rare or very rare 3 .
African swine fever resource modeling
Improved outbreak preparedness through detailed modeling of resource requirements and response strategies 3 .
Ferret immune system mapping
Enhanced disease model for human and animal health through detailed analysis of immune cell receptors 3 .
Bedinvetmab for canine osteoarthritis
New treatment option with strong safety profile based on nerve growth factor targeting 3 .
Footprint-free induced pluripotent stem cells in felines
New research tools for understanding disease mechanisms and developing therapies 4 .
The advances enabled by FP7 and Horizon 2020 depended on sophisticated research tools and materials. These resources, often developed through the collaborative projects themselves, form the essential toolkit for modern veterinary research.
Essential for safe study of dangerous pathogens, these facilities were shared across the VetBioNet consortium, allowing researchers to work with diseases that couldn't be studied in conventional labs 2 .
Advanced sequencing platforms enabled the detailed analysis of immune cells in species like ferrets, providing insights that weren't previously possible 3 .
Recent developments in creating "footprint-free" induced pluripotent stem cells in feline models represent cutting-edge tools for understanding disease mechanisms and developing new therapies 4 .
Targeted therapies like bedinvetmab demonstrate how specific biological agents can be developed into effective treatments for chronic conditions such as osteoarthritis 3 .
"The collaborative infrastructure established through EU framework programmes has provided veterinary researchers with tools and resources that would be impossible to develop in isolation, accelerating progress in animal health and disease prevention."
As Horizon 2020 concluded in 2020, its legacy continues through Horizon Europe (2021-2027), with an increased budget of €95.5 billion 1 . The foundational work established under FP7 and Horizon 2020 continues to shape veterinary research priorities, particularly in areas like big data applications and artificial intelligence in regulatory science 5 .
The 5th Veterinary Big Data Stakeholder Forum scheduled for November 2025 exemplifies how the research priorities established during the Horizon 2020 era continue to evolve, focusing on real-world applications of big data and AI in veterinary medicinal regulation 5 . This event, organized by the European Medicines Agency, represents precisely the type of stakeholder engagement and knowledge sharing that the framework programmes were designed to foster.
From confronting devastating diseases like African swine fever to improving quality of life for companion animals with osteoarthritis, European veterinary research has been transformed by the strategic vision and substantial investment of FP7 and Horizon 2020. By building networks, sharing resources, and focusing on both excellence and application, these programmes have created a research ecosystem that continues to protect animals, people, and the economies that depend on them.
Budget (2021-2027)
As we face new challenges from climate change, antimicrobial resistance, and emerging zoonotic diseases, this integrated approach to veterinary science—bridging fundamental research, practical application, and policy implementation—has never been more critical. The foundation laid during these framework programmes positions European veterinary research to meet these challenges with expertise, coordination, and innovation.