At the Canada-EU Summit 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, the EU’s key funding programme for research and innovation. It marks a significant milestone in our commitment to foster mutual collaboration in research and innovation.
Ursula von der Leyen, European Commission President, said: “We warmly welcome Canada into the Horizon Europe family, and we eagerly anticipate the innovative breakthroughs and transformative discoveries that will emerge from our joint projects. Together, we will chart new frontiers, push the boundaries of knowledge, and build a more resilient and prosperous world for generations to come.”
The signing of the Association Agreement is expected to take place in 2024, pending the completion of all necessary validations on both sides. Once signed, researchers and organisations in Canada will be able to receive funding under Pillar II of the Horizon Europe. Pillar II is the largest collaborative part of the programme that is primarily focused on shared global challenges: climate, energy, digital economy and health, with a budget of €53.5 billion.
Association to Horizon Europe is the deepest form of collaboration offered by the EU in research and innovation. It will enable researchers and organisations in Canada to collaborate in calls under Pillar II of the programme on equal terms with entities from the EU Member States. They will also have access to networks of researchers in the EU and 18 other countries associated to Horizon Europe as of 2024.
Source: European Commission | Press Corner (https://shorturl.at/wJNVY)