Canada joins EU's Horizon Europe research programme
Champagne - Ivanova - Photo © European Union 2024
(BRUSSELS) - Canada became the latest non-EU country associated to the EU's research and innovation programme Horizon Europe Wednesday, and will now be able to work jointly on large-scale research projects.
Horizon Europe is the EU's key funding programme for research and innovation with a budget of €93.5 billion for 2021-27. It tackles climate change, helps to achieve the UN's Sustainable Development Goals and boosts the EU's competitiveness and growth. Pillar II is the largest collaborative part of the programme with a budget of €52.4 billion that is focused on shared global challenges: climate, energy, digital economy and health.
The agreement was signed by the EU's Research Commissioner Iliana Ivanova and Francois-Philippe Champagne, Canada's Science and Innovation.
Ms Ivanova welcomed Canada to the Horizon Europe programme. "With this step, we are strengthening the EU's ties with trusted partners that have a solid scientific base and a robust track record in research and innovation. Now we can enable our brightest minds to come together and work on joint solutions for our future," she said.
The agreement gives Canadian researchers and organisations the opportunity to participate in the programme on equal terms with their EU counterparts.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the conclusion of negotiations for Canada's association to Pillar II of Horizon Europe at the EU-Canada Summit on 24 November 2023. They have both welcomed the announcement through a joint statement.
Canadian entities currently participate in 155 Projects under Horizon Europe. Canadian institutions have received over €6 million from Horizon Europe so far. Of this, €2.3 million consists of European Research Council grants. Furthermore, €1.9 million has been granted to Canadian partners in projects under Pillar II and €1.8 million has been granted under Research Infrastructures.
Canada associates to the Pillar II of Horizon Europe, which funds collaborative research projects across a wide range of domains. Canadian entities can now join and lead research consortia with some of the world's best research organisations to tackle global challenges together. They will get the opportunity to be funded directly from the programme, while Canada will contribute to its budget.
While awaiting the signature, a transitional arrangement had been in place for Canadian entities. This means that they were able to apply and be evaluated as prospective beneficiaries in Horizon Europe proposals for all calls implementing Pillar II already in the budget 2024 onwards.