EU and Japan launch negotiations for association to Horizon Europe
Today, the EU and Japan launched negotiations for Japan to join Horizon Europe, the EU’s research and innovation programme.
If successful, this would be the first time Japan takes part in the closest form of cooperation in the field of research and innovation that the EU can offer. With Horizon Europe, the EU expanded this opportunity to like-minded non-EU countries with a strong science, innovation and technology profile, which are not necessarily located in the geographic proximity of the EU – such as Canada, New Zealand or South Korea, which have successfully negotiated their association to the programme.
Iliana Ivanova, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, said: “The opening of the negotiations for the association of Japan to Horizon Europe marks a step change in our cooperation. For both EU and Japan, research and innovation are key to ensuring competitiveness and achieving the green and digital transitions. Together, we will be able to reach them faster, and find solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges.”
The negotiations concern association to Pillar II of Horizon Europe, which tackles societal challenges through multinational collaborative projects. If successful, Japanese researchers would be able to lead and coordinate their own research and innovation projects under the programme, seek deeper collaboration with partners in the EU as well as from the other associated countries, and get funded.
