Work Programme 2026
As part of its Work programme, the ANR maintains a substantial share of funding granted on an "investigator-driven" approach via the Generic Call for Projects (AAPG). The objective of the AAPG is to take into account the diversity of the needs of the disciplines and projects (particularly in terms of resources and duration), while maintaining strong support for young researchers.
The Work programme allows researchers in different scientific fields to finance their research projects on a large number of themes, finalized or not, in a disciplinary as well as interdisciplinary framework.
Download the 2026 Work programme
The Generic Call for Projects (AAPG), the ANR's main call
The AAPG mobilizes 5 instruments to finance:
- individual research projects carried out by a young researcher within the framework of the "Young Researchers" (JCJC) instrument;
- ambitious and innovative research projects carried out by a team within the framework of the "Single-Team Research Project" (PRME) instrument;
- Collaborative research projects:
- between laboratories or national public partners within the framework of the "Collaborative Research Project" (PRC) instrument,
- between laboratory or public partner and companies in a national context within the framework of the "Collaborative Research Project-Enterprise" (PRCE) instrument or between French and foreign laboratories or public partners in an international bilateral context within the framework of the "Collaborative Research Project - International" (PRCI) instrument.
The AAPG is structured into 57 research axes, of which 38 axes are presented within 7 disciplinary fields and 19 axes correspond to transversal issues. Each axis has a scientific evaluation committee.
Whatever the AAPG instrument, all types of projects are possible: projects with original, disruptive or exploratory objectives or concepts; projects aimed at removing scientific barriers identified in the community; projects exploiting the data generated by research infrastructures; projects that follow on from previous projects and allow for new objectives.
Consult the AAPG 2026 generic call for projects
The specific programmes and calls for projects of the 2026 Work Programme
In order to lower the barriers for the submission of European projects and to support the risk-taking of French research teams, three new measures are put in place in the 2026 Work programme:
- opening of the "Tremplin ERC" funding instrument to applicants to the European Research Council's Advanced Grants call for projects (launch of a T-ERC AdG call);
- Launch of a "JCJC breakthrough" initiative: from two years before the end of their project, and up to 1 year after, the leader of an ANR JCJC project can apply for dedicated financial support conditional on submission to the next ERC call sessions;
- Launch of the "MRSEI Token" (J-MRSEI) in the pilot phase, for PRCI projects: from two years before the end of their project, and until 1 year after, the French coordinator of an ANR PRCI project can request to benefit, or have one of their French partners in the project, benefit from MRSEI-type support which will be automatically granted to them (under the current conditions of the instrument).
The 2026 Work programme also introduces concrete measures to facilitate collaborations with companies:
- Collaborative projects with companies (PRCEs) will have direct access to stage 2 of the AAPG, thus reducing the time between submission of the scientific document and contracting to less than six months.
- The rate of ANR aid for SMEs has been increased from 45% to 60%, in order to stimulate their participation.
- The threshold for companies to commit to the Industrial Chairs call has been lowered from €500,000 to €400,000, to encourage more applications.
These adjustments aim to make partnership research more attractive, faster and more accessible.
Check out the current and upcoming calls page (content updated continuously)
The strategic priorities of the Work programme 2026
The ANR's 2026 Work programme renews the strategic priorities defined by the State by accompanying their evolution and introduces a new one:
- Artificial intelligence;
- Humanities and Social Sciences at the interfaces (evolution);
- Quantum technologies;
- Neurodevelopmental disorders (evolution);
- Therapeutic proofs of concept in rare diseases (evolution);
- Mathematics;
- Exploitation of the data produced by the IR, IR* and OSI (evolution).
- Mental health (new priority), a Great National Cause, designated in 2025 on this major public health issue.
The priorities set out in Work programme 2026 are detailed within the science axes described in the AAPG 2026. They will be articulated, where appropriate, with the "France 2030 Investment Plan", and in particular with the "Priority Research Programmes and Equipment" (PEPR) of France 2030.
The ANR's commitments in the 2026 Work programme
The ANR reaffirms its commitments to:
- Respect for the principles of ethics and scientific integrity,
- The development of a policy to reduce gender inequalities in Higher Education and Research (MORE),
- Open science,
- The Sustainable Development Goals,
- The promotion of scientific, technical and industrial culture (STIC) and science-society dialogue,
- Compliance with the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge,
- The implementation of the measures of the National Scientific and Technical Heritage Protection System (PPST) aimed at protecting, within public and private institutions, access to their strategic knowledge and know-how as well as their sensitive technologies.
The implementation of these commitments is specified in the 2026 Work programme.
An work programme developed in consultation
The ANR relied on the Programming Steering Committees (CPPs) meeting from March to April 2025 to develop its 2026 Work programme in consultation with the scientific communities and institutional research stakeholders.
These committees bring together representatives of the ANR, the Ministry of Higher Education and Research, other ministries, the CNRS, France Universités, representatives of other major research players, and private research players. They correspond to the following fields: Life Sciences, Energy and Materials, Digital Technology, Environment, Humanities and Social Sciences, Mathematics and Interactions, Physics of Matter and Sciences of the Universe. Specific CPPs are also held to deal with cross-cutting areas, in conjunction with the programme agencies.
The “ANR Rendez-vous“: webinars to learn more about the ANR's actions and calls for projects
From September 2025, and then throughout the year, the ANR invites researchers, managers and institutional research actors to webinars to provide information and exchange information on the ANR's calls, the specificities of the 2026 Work programme financial regulation, consortium agreements, France 2030, the open science policy, etc.
Find the full program and replays of the webinars (continuously updated content)
Learn more:
Download the ANR's 2026 Work programme
