Australia to begin treaty negotiations on association to Horizon Europe

To give Australian organisations access to the world’s largest pooled research fund in 2027, treaty negotiations on association to Horizon Europe have been announced by the Australian Government.

The European Union’s flagship research and innovation funding program, Horizon Europe, is worth AU$155 billion and once associated, Australian organisations can access the current round of Horizon Europe funding.

Access to this funding is to lead and participate in research projects with the brightest minds, the government said, including on climate and clean energy, health, critical technologies, advanced computing and critical minerals.

Countries including Canada, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea and the United Kingdom are among the more than 20 countries that have associated with Horizon Europe and have seen significant return on investment, the government said.

“Horizon Europe will ensure our researchers have the resources and the partnerships they need to tackle the biggest challenges of our time, from climate change to cutting-edge technology and the next generation of health care,” Australia’s Minister for Science Tim Ayres said.

“The independent Ambitious Australia report released last week laid out the importance of making every Aussie research dollar count. Collaborating through Horizon Europe has a multiplier effect and is good value for money.

“Association to Horizon Europe, supported by partners at Australia’s Group of Eight universities, will facilitate access to joint projects with the EU and other associated countries, while also allowing our industry, science and research sectors to lead projects in the Indo-Pacific.

“This is a great example of international research cooperation at a time when the world needs more constructive collaboration,” Ayres said. It is expected that, following the conclusion of the treaty process, Australian organisations will be able to apply for Horizon Europe research calls from early 2027.

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