European Commission Spokesperson Thomas Regnier explains why Canada joining the Horizon Europe programme is an important step forward in the EU’s longstanding relationship with the country.
In July 2024, Canada officially joined Horizon Europe – the European Unions’ (EU) key funding programme for research and innovation.
The agreement, which was jointly signed by Iliana Ivanova, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, and François-Philippe Champagne, Canadian Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, offers Canadian researchers and organisations the chance to participate in the Horizon Europe programme on equal terms with their EU counterparts. This is another milestone in Canada’s longstanding strategic partnership with the EU, which dates back as far as the late 1950s.
Canada has joined the Horizon Europe Programme under Pillar II, ‘Global challenges and European industrial competitiveness’, which supports research relating to societal challenges and reinforces technological and industrial capacities through six clusters. It sets missions with ambitious goals to target some of the world’s biggest problems and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to enhance lives and safeguard the planet. It also includes activities pursued by the Joint Research Centre, which supports the EU and national policymakers with independent scientific evidence and technical support.
The Innovation Platform spoke to Thomas Regnier, European Commission Spokesperson, to find out why this agreement is an important step forward for global research and development.
Why is the Canada and Horizon Europe partnership so important?
Horizon Europe is the most open and by far the largest research and innovation programme globally. Association of non-EU countries to the programme is one of the key vehicles to ensure this openness.
With Canada’s association, we are strengthening the EU’s ties with a trusted partner that has a solid scientific base and a robust track record in research and innovation. The association makes it easier for Canadian and EU entities to work together and to fund joint projects.
What does this partnership mean for the EU?
The EU and Canada are linked by a vibrant and comprehensive strategic partnership founded on a common vision for a rules-based international order and a shared commitment to democratic values, peace and security, and free and fair trade. This longstanding and ever stronger friendship is shaped by extensive historical, cultural, political, and economic ties.
Canada’s association to Horizon Europe brings us even closer together and gives our research communities more possibilities to deliver solutions to global challenges together.
Moreover, the Canada-EU Summit on 24 November 2023, where European 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, also saw the announcement of the EU-Canada Green Alliance and the EU-Canada Digital Partnership, both of which have an important research and innovation dimension.
What are the key issues that you are hoping this partnership will help to address?
Thanks to Canada’s association to Horizon Europe, Canadian entities can now join and lead research consortia with some of the world’s best research organisations to tackle global challenges together, such as climate change.
The EU already has good co-operation with Canada on research and innovation (R&I) in a wide range of areas such as health, bioeconomy, marine and Arctic, transport, artificial intelligence (AI), quantum, environment, research infrastructures, and researcher mobility. We hope this can be further strengthened and expanded through Horizon Europe association.
Why is collaboration with non-EU countries within Horizon Europe important?
The association of third countries to Horizon Europe provides many benefits to the R&I communities of the EU and associated countries alike, such as providing access to top-level talents, knowledge, research institutions and infrastructures.
The association of third countries, and especially scientific powerhouses, increases the possibility for the entire EU research community to develop new partnerships with other centres of excellence and access different research infrastructures and ecosystems, also those located far away from the European continent.
Moreover, a key principle in the association agreements is the reciprocal openness of R&I funding programmes. Associated countries are encouraged to open their national R&I programmes that are equivalent to Horizon Europe to the participation of EU-based research entities. The association agreements then list the countries’ national research programmes which are open to the participation of EU-based entities. This further opens new research co-operation opportunities for EU-based entities.
Finally, at times when war has returned to the European continent, it is paramount to strengthen alliances with like-minded geopolitical partners, even if they are not in our neighbourhood.
Please note, this article will also appear in the 20th edition of our quarterly publication.
