Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society - 2027

The rule of law, respect for human rights and democracy are foundational values of the EU laid down in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union. These values provide the Union with principled orientations to meet the inevitable geopolitical economic, social and demographic changes that could not be foreseen at the time the Treaties were drafted. This includes how the digital transformation would affect how the debate and political processes would be shaped.

Democracy is cultural practice as much as it is a political system. It is a key strength of European societies, helping ensure respect for equality, the rule of law, fundamental rights and liberty. Actors with anti-democratic tendencies attack democracies and their institutions because democracy is a safeguard against them[[The 2025 report of the V-Dem Institute (“25 years of Autocratization-Democracy Trumped?”) confirms the appalling signs, indicators and tendencies captured over previous years of measurement: “The trend of the ‘third wave of autocratization’ is deepening and spreading. That includes weakening of democracy in some established liberal democracies, breakdown of democracy in countries that were democratic for most of the 21st century, as well as deepening of autocracy in already autocratic states […] The global democratic decline deepens, regardless of how we slice the data and whichever measure we use” (pp. 9 and 10)]]. Even traditionally well-functioning democracies face many challenges, which means that they also continuously need to adapt as conditions change. Social sciences and humanities (SSH) research plays a crucial role in understanding current challenges and threats and mapping future pathways for innovative solutions. Building on historical, cultural, social, legal and philosophical perspectives, research will foster the further development of democracy with a view to enhancing citizen participation and inclusive policymaking, promoting equality and inclusiveness, addressing the impact of AI and the digital transformation of democracy. It will also reinforce democratic resilience and civic preparedness, and preserve the role of free, independent and plural media as key tenets of democracy, among other objectives.

Expected impact:

Proposals for topics under this destination should set out a credible pathway to contributing to the following expected impact of the Horizon Europe Strategic Plan:

• Reinvigorating democratic governance by improving the independence, accountability, transparency, effectiveness and trustworthiness of institutions and policies based on rule of law, and through the expansion of active and inclusive citizens’ participation and engagement empowered by the safeguarding of fundamental rights.

The aim of the research investment supporting this impact is to develop a robust evidence base that can inform the establishment of effective, relevant and sensible policies, which bolster the resilience of democratic systems and protect them from threats. At the same time, it seeks to foster critical thinking while also reinforcing citizens’ trust in democracy, its institutions, and the sense of political participation in its widest possible sense.

The destination seeks synergies with other relevant EU programmes, in particular for the uptake of research results and innovative solutions developed under Horizon Europe. Interaction – among others – with the following programmes is encouraged: Digital Europe (DIGITAL), Technical Support Instrument, CERV (Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values), Erasmus+, ESF+ and Global Europe: Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument.

Applicants are encouraged to consider, where relevant, the services offered by the current and future EU-funded European Research Infrastructures, particularly those in the social sciences and humanities domain^[1]. Where applicable, proposals should leverage the data and services available through European Research Infrastructures federated under the European Open Science Cloud, as well as data from relevant Data Spaces.

As the destination aims directly at citizen engagement and at producing lasting change, it is of particular importance that the research and innovation actions promote the highest standards of transparency and openness. Particular efforts should be made to ensure that the data produced in the context of this destination is FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Re-usable). When applicable, it is encouraged to open up the process, criteria, methodologies and data to civil society in the course of the research.

To maximise the impacts of R&I under this Destination in line with EU priorities, international cooperation is encouraged whenever relevant in the proposed topics.

[1] For a full list see https://ri-portfolio.esfri.eu/ri-portfolio/table. In the social sciences domain, see for example: CESSDA - Consortium of European Social Science Data Archives (https://www.cessda.eu/), ESS – European Social Survey (https://www.europeansocialsurvey.org/), SHARE - Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (https://www.share-eric.eu/) or the European Holocaust Research Infrastructure (https://ehri-project.eu/)

Expected Outcome:

Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:

• EU and national policymakers have a better understanding of corporate influence on democratic processes and outcomes, including activities through service providers in the EU internal market, enabling them to develop strategies to mitigate negative effects and promote a more just and inclusive society.
• EU and national policymakers have access to evidence-based recommendations and develop more effective policies and regulations for promoting responsible corporate behaviour, rules on integrity and transparency, preventing corruption and protecting democratic values.
• Civil society organizations and citizens have a greater understanding of the complex relationships between private companies and democratic governance, enabling them to hold corporations and policymakers accountable for their actions.

Scope:

The relationship between private companies^[1] and democratic governance is becoming increasingly complex and contentious. As corporate interests continue to grow in influence, this raises concerns about the potential risks and benefits of private sector involvement, particularly in policymaking on contentious topics such as climate change adaptation, environmental protection, data protection, privacy, civil rights, and the rights of minorities. Thus, there is a pressing need to investigate the impact of private sector involvement on democratic processes and outcomes, as well as its long-term effects on political inequalities and shifts in power dynamics.

Large corporations and lobbying groups can inform policymaking with valuable evidence and expertise, but also potentially exert undue influence that may compromise the public interest. The implications of corporate power for democratic values, human rights, and the public good are far-reaching and require careful examination.

Moreover, external private actors, such as foreign investors and multinational companies, together with influence activities within the EU internal market through service providers (for instance lobbying or political advertising) can shape democratic processes and outcomes, and, if not conducted responsibly, risk undermining the integrity of democratic debate.

To address these challenges, research is needed (including by SSH disciplines) to explore the complex relationships between private companies, lobbying groups and democratic processes, to develop tools to assess democratic impact of corporate practices, and to identify strategies to promote responsible corporate behaviour, to uphold transparency and democratic accountability of business practices and to ensure that private companies serve the needs of democracy and the public good.

Proposals should investigate the influence of large corporations, business lobbying groups, and external actors on democratic processes, exploring the implications of corporate power on democratic values, diversity, equality (including age equality), inclusion, human rights, and the public interest. This examination should also extend to the impact of private companies on multilateral decision-making, including at the EU level, and analyse how corporate interests shape decision-making processes at the transnational level.

Particular attention should be given to the role of corporate lobbying, public-private partnerships, the role of corruption, perceived corruption, and undue influence originating from the private sector in undermining democratic governance and the public interest. This includes examining the potential for corrupt practices to emerge, such as bribery, revolving doors, and other forms of undue influence, which can erode trust in institutions and perpetuate inequalities. Furthermore, it is essential to investigate direct interferences by corporations that go beyond legitimate ways of involvement in public sector decision-making. These interferences can take many forms, including artificially spreading or amplifying disinformation in order to, influence public opinions, and steering behaviours, contributing to the normalization of extremist or polarizing actors and discourses, which can have far-reaching consequences.

Proposals are encouraged to critically examine the structural power of capital in shaping policy agendas and public discourse, and to consider how this power contrasts with that of labour and civil society. Proposals could encourage structured and sustained dialogue among business actors, citizens, regulators, and watchdog organizations, with the aim of developing inclusive and accountable governance frameworks that reflect diverse interests and promote transparency.

Proposals are encouraged to investigate the influence of private companies on democratic governance, such as – but not limited to – the potential risks and benefits of private sector involvement in sortition-based citizens' panels and other forms of participatory and deliberative democracy processes.

Proposals should use a gender-sensitive and intersectional approach in their research to analyse how the actions of private companies in a democracy impact individuals’ rights differently based on their identities.

Proposals are encouraged to identify other relevant EU-funded projects exploring the role of private companies in democracy and consider exploring potential collaboration opportunities with them^[2].

[1] In this context, when referring to private companies, we specifically mean large undertakings, namely multinational and global corporations, including industry and tech platforms, as opposed to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

[2] For instance, but not limited to: HORIZON-CL2-2023-DEMOCRACY-01-03: New approaches for combatting corruption and other undue influences on political decision-making.