EU and Australia open negotiations on association to multibillion European research programme
Today, the European Union and Australia took a major step forward in their research and innovation partnership by formally launching negotiations for Australia’s association to Horizon Europe, the EU’s €93.5 billion flagship programme for scientific excellence and innovation.
The announcement follows Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s recent visit to Australia and marks a new chapter in EU-Australia relations by deepening cooperation in cutting-edge technologies, climate solutions, health research and resilient supply chains. By pooling expertise and resources, the EU and Australia aim to turn scientific excellence into real-world impact, driving progress that will benefit people, businesses, and the planet.
Australia already plays an active role in Horizon Europe, with researchers and organisations contributing to over 200 projects across fields like critical raw materials, clean energy, digital innovation, and health. On top of this, full association would allow Australian entities to access EU funding directly, participate on similar terms with EU members, and engage in long-term, large-scale collaborations with reduced administrative hurdles.
Ekaterina Zaharieva, Commissioner for Startups, Research, and Innovation, said: “With the EU–Australia agreements last week, we are moving quickly to bring our innovation ecosystems closer together. This will add to the growing list of likeminded countries that have chosen to join Horizon Europe, the world’s largest and most prestigious research programme.”
To date, there are 22 countries associated to Horizon: Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Egypt, the Faroe Islands, Georgia, Iceland, Israel, Korea, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland, Türkiye, Tunisia, Ukraine and the United Kingdom. For the next long-term EU budget (2028-2034), the Commission is proposing to double Horizon’s budget to €175 billion.