Policy background
With extensive autonomy under the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Denmark, the Faroe Islands decided not to become a part of the European Communities when Denmark joined in 1973. Thus, the Treaties do not apply to the Faroe Islands and formal relations between the European Union (EU) and the Faroe Islands are based on three separate bilateral agreements dealing with fisheries, trade in goods and scientific and technological cooperation.
The Faroe Islands became formally associated to FP7 in 2010, and the Horizon 2020 association agreement was signed on 17 December 2014. The Faroe Islands’ best performance in Horizon 2020 was in the fields of sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine and maritime and inland water research and the bioeconomy, climate action, environment, food security, resource efficiency and raw materials.
Negotiations for the association of the Faroe Islands to Horizon Europe have been concluded in October 2021. On 24 May, 2022 the agreement on the participation of the Faroe Islands to Union programmes, with a specific protocol on its association to Horizon Europe, was signed in Brussels and entered into application. This association brings value for the research community in the Faroe Islands and constitutes a major pillar of the bilateral relations between the Faroe Islands and the EU.
Funding opportunities
Horizon Europe
Horizon Europe is the EU’s key funding programme for research and innovation with a budget of €95.5 billion available over 7 years (2021 to 2027).
Projects and results
Research project database (CORDIS)
The Commission's primary portal for results of EU-funded research projects. Here you can find International cooperation projects related to the Faroe Islands.
Project success stories
Stories of particularly successful EU-funded research projects involving Faroe Islands.
Examples of international cooperation projects
- PrimeFish (2015-2019) analyses the European seafood market in general and specific seafood supply-chains with the overall aim to enhance the economic sustainability and competitiveness of European fisheries and aquaculture sectors. The Faroese participant is Syntesa.
- MACRO CASCADE (2016-2020) is an industry-driven project including the Faroese partner Ocean Rainforest. It works towards the vision of a production platform that covers the entire technological chain for processing sustainable cultivated seaweed into highly processed value added products.
Contact
National Contact Points
The National Contact Points (NCPs) provide guidance, practical information and assistance on all aspects of participation in Horizon Europe.
European Commission
RTD-03-ASSIST
ec [dot] europa [dot] eu (DG Research and Innovation unit 03: International cooperation)
Latest
On 14 March 2024, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Enhanced Cooperation between the EU and the Government of the Faroe Islands was signed.
The second EU-Faroe Islands Joint Committee meeting under the Agreement on the participation of the Faroe Islands in EU programmes took place in Brussels, Belgium, on 27 November 2023.