Skip to main content
Research and innovation
News article21 April 2022Directorate-General for Research and Innovation

Conclusion of exploratory talks on the association of New Zealand and Canada to Horizon Europe: towards formal negotiations

The informal exploratory talks launched on 10 February 2022 between the European Commission, DG Research and Innovation, and New Zealand’s Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, and on 15 July 2021 between DG Research and Innovation and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), have reached a conclusion.

These exploratory talks have paved the way to move towards the next stage of the process, the formal negotiation of the association agreement. They provided all parties with the opportunity to discuss the technical aspects of the envisaged association, including the prospective terms and conditions for participation in Horizon Europe actions and in the Programme’s governance.

The Commission will now prepare recommendations to the Council to launch the two negotiation processes and seek negotiating directives. Once the Council adopts such directives, the formal negotiations could commence upon readiness of New Zealand and of Canada. All parties expressed the hope that New Zealand and Canada could be associated to Horizon Europe as from 2023.

With Horizon Europe, association, which offers the closest systemic form of international cooperation within the EU’s Research and Innovation Framework Programme, is a possibility open for the first time to countries with a good capacity in science, technology and innovation, and located beyond the EU’s geographic vicinity. Exploratory talks are also progressing with the Republic of Korea.

Details

Publication date
21 April 2022
Author
Directorate-General for Research and Innovation