With the year coming to an end, we must reflect on Europe’s largest funding machine “Horizon Europe”, the flagship programme that continues to push researchers to better our planet and lives through innovation and research. But who are the grant’s newest associates going to be?
Horizon Europe is the EU’s key funding programme for research and innovation, with a budget of €95.5 billion. So with Millions in funding at stake, creating a beneficial association agreement is a crucial step in joining Europe’s most coveted innovation funding programme.
Luckily for Switzerland, its university leaders have revealed the potential for an agreement as early as next year if talks are successful, as reported in Science|Business.
Having been shut out of Horizon Europe association since 2021, this announcement represents a greater collaboration between Brussels and Bern.
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“The excellent news […] is that those discussions on Horizon Europe will go in parallel with the political discussions (not in sequence),” said Luciana Vaccaro, president of the umbrella body swissuniversities.
Switzerland and Horizon Europe association: Payment concerns
Price: The deal is expected to be “pay as you go”, whereby Switzerland will have to pay more money to Brussels if its researchers do unexpectedly well, but on the flip side, Bern can recoup money if receipts from the Horizon Europe association are disappointing.
According to Science|Business, the thresholds at which the aforementioned “clawback” mechanisms kick in caused difficulty between the UK and EU before a deal was finally agreed on in September 2023.
We might expect to see a similar round of disputes when the Swiss make it to the negotiating table.
When will Swiss researchers be able to apply?
A current unknown in the negotiations is whether Swiss scientists will have to wait until the deal is fully signed off before applying, or will be able to start before that point.
“We still don’t know,” said Xavier Pilloud, head of office at Netzwerk Future, a grouping of Switzerland’s universities, research funders and MPs.
We still don’t know
A spokesperson for the Commission said the EU would be open to allowing applications before a deal is signed; however, we must wait and see.
Canadian Association: A future collaboration may be likely
After lengthy negotiations, the EU and Canada reached an agreement for Canadian researchers to join the Horizon Europe research programme from next year.
Announced at the EU-Canadian summit in St. John’s, Newfoundland on the 24 November, officials revealed that as part of a package of expanded trade cooperation that includes research, energy, digital, aerospace and other fields, Canada may see admittance to Horizon Europe.
The greatest research and innovation mechanism in the world right now
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said: “Canada’s joining Horizon Europe, which is the greatest research and innovation mechanism in the world right now.”
Ursula von der Leyen, European Commission president, was similarly enthusiastic, stating that “the innovative breakthroughs and transformative discoveries that will emerge from our joint projects.”
Administrative details have yet to be fully resolved, according to Science|Business. “We expect the agreement will be signed soon, before mid-next year.  And once this is done, researchers in Canada will be able to receive funding from Horizon,” explained Von der Leyen.
Canadian researchers will also have access to networks of researchers in the EU and 18 other countries associated to Horizon Europe.
“The EU is open to cooperation in research and innovation with countries that share our fundamental values and principles. I made it my personal priority to speed up association of third countries to Horizon Europe, and I am delighted negotiations with Canada were a success’ explained Iliana Ivanova, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth.
She went on to say “through this association, we will be able to intensify our cooperation and enable our brightest minds to tackle global challenges together.”
Intensify our cooperation and enable our brightest minds to tackle global challenges together
