An essential aspect of European integration is the cooperation of its member states on research projects. This form of cooperation has been taking place since the 1980s in the form of community Framework Programmes that support projects of international research teams. Our paper deals with an analysis of approx.. 6000 projects funded under the second pillar of Horizon 2020 focused on industrial leadership. This priority seeks to build global leadership through research and innovation in enabling technologies across a range of existing and emerging industries and sectors. The aim of our paper is to identify the innovation leaders in the European industry. The research focuses on the comparison of EU member states in terms of their participation in the scheme, their role in projects and the support received.