On January 18, 2012, The European Institute welcomed back Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, European Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation. With characteristic candor and clarity, Commissioner Geoghegan-Quinn presented the European Commission’s bold, new Horizon 2020 proposal, that is focused on improving Europe’s science base and research infrastructure, strengthening Europe’s leadership in key industrial technologies, and facilitating research and innovation that address societal challenges. Horizon 2020 carries an €80 billion budget for 2014-2020, renews emphasis on pooling and sharing across member states, and proposes major simplification and harmonization to ensure effective implementation of its policy objectives. Dr. Alan Leshner, Chief Executive Officer for the American Association for the Advancement of Science introduced the Commissioner and Kathryn Karol, Vice President for International Government Affairs at Amgen Inc. moderated the discussion.