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UK joins the list of countries associated to Horizon Europe

In a welcome announcement made on 7th September 2023, the UK Prime Minister declared a UK-EU agreement regarding the UK’s association with Horizon Europe and Copernicus. With this agreement, the UK joins the list of countries associated to Horizon Europe. This declaration underscores the enduring collaborative spirit between the UK and EU.

What role can the UK play in Horizon Europe projects? 

With this agreement, the UK is not just a participant but can take on collaborative roles and even position itself as a project coordinator. 

The UK will be associated with nearly the entire Horizon Europe programme, excluding the equity instrument of the EIC. While UK institutions can apply for grants under the Accelerator programme, they can't avail of loans or equity. Nevertheless, they can engage in the EIC’s Pathfinder component on par with entities from EU Member States and other associated nations. 

Shedding light on the financial aspects of this collaboration, the EU/UK Joint Statement specifies that all calls within the Horizon Europe work programme for 2024 and beyond will be funded by the UK’s association to Horizon Europe. Moreover, the UK government's Horizon Europe guarantee has been broadened, ensuring that all residual Horizon Europe grant calls under the work programme 2023 are covered, regardless of when the call concludes or when the grant is signed. 

What does this mean for Irish researchers and institutions? 

UK researchers will be able to fully participate in the Horizon Europe programme on the same terms as researchers from other associated countries, including leading consortia, from the 2024 Work Programmes and onwards – including any 2024 calls opening this year.  

What this essentially implies is that the UK now stands as a collaborator and a potential project coordinator for Irish researchers, entities, and institutions to partner with for initiatives under Horizon Europe work programme 2023, 2024 and EIC Pathfinder. 

It would be advantageous for Irish entities to keep abreast of the evolving guidelines and opportunities presented by this association, as detailed in the UK-EU agreement explainer. 

Where can one find more detailed information on this topic? 

For those wishing to learn more, comprehensive information is available on the UK government's official platforms: 

Horizon Europe Funding Support 

List of FAQs related to the UK association to Horizon Europe 

More information on how to participate in Horizon Europe and the list of countries associated to Horizon Europe are as given below: 

Under Horizon Europe, most EU support is allocated to collaborative research projects carried out by consortia of organisations working together on specific research areas. Researchers and organisations established anywhere in the world can participate in Horizon Europe, but the consortia must include at least one organisation established in an EU Member State and at least two other organisations established in different EU Member States or countries associated to Horizon Europe. 

The list of countries associated to Horizon Europe include: list-3rd-country-participation_horizon-euratom_en.pdf (europa.eu)

More information on participating in Horizon Europe: Why and how to participate to Horizon Europe for international researchers.pdf (europa.eu)