The UK becomes fully associated to the Horizon Europe programme from January 2024
Due to Brexit, it has taken quite a while for the UK to associate with the Horizon Europe programme, which officially started in January 2024. For the remainder of the programme, ending in 2027, UK organisations can now participate in Horizon Europe on the same terms as institutions from other EU and Horizon Europe Associated Countries, including leading consortia and receiving EU funding.
On 1 January, Belgium officially commenced its six-month Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The main priorities in the area of Research and Innovation include reinforcing the role of research and innovation in society to enhance trust and engagement in science, and to better address societal and environmental challenges. UK researchers have always been leading contributors to EU scientific programmes.
Despite delays in association, according to the Horizon Dashboard (R&I Proposals - Summary | Sheet - Qlik Sense (europa.eu)), the United Kingdom is in 5th position (as of May 2024) on the list of top applying countries for Horizon Europe funding, with over 14,000 submitted applications and an overall success rate of around 19.5%. Of the top five countries, France and Germany have had slightly higher success rates, just over 21% and 20%, respectively. The top four countries on the list for Horizon Europe funding applications are Germany, Spain, Italy, and France
These were hectic times for professionals supporting UK applications to Horizon Europe, so I decided to reflect on the blogs I posted from early 2021 until the end of 2023. Below is a summary of the records, which gives an insight into how long and bumpy the association process was.
January 5, 2021 (BU Research Blog | UK participation in EU programmes for research, innovation, and higher education | Bournemouth University)
As part of the agreement reached between the UK and the EU, the UK announced that it will associate with Horizon Europe (2021-27). The association will provide UK scientists, researchers, and businesses with access to funding under the programme on equivalent terms as organisations in EU countries.
January 13, 2021 (BU Research Blog | UK’s participation in Horizon Europe | Bournemouth University).
Certain steps must be completed before the UK formally associates with the Horizon Europe Programme – the EU must ratify the Horizon Europe Regulation (expected in January/February) and finalise the Protocol between the UK and the EU, which sets out all terms of UK participation.
February 2, 2021 (BU Research Blog | Horizon Europe – Clusters for Collaborative Research Projects | Bournemouth University)
Similarly to the previous EU Framework Programme Horizon 2020, research activities in Horizon Europe are structured under three pillars. However, there are some differences. As they say – ‘no revolution, but evolution.’
March 1, 2021 (BU Research Blog | Horizon Europe: Early Information on the Proposal Template | Bournemouth University)
The Horizon Europe (HEU) proposal templates are currently under development and have not yet been published. The first version of the draft application form for Innovation Actions (IA) and Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) demonstrates strong continuity with Horizon 2020 proposals.
May 4, 2021 (BU Research Blog | Update on Horizon Europe | Bournemouth University)
The European Parliament has adopted the legal basis for Horizon Europe. MEPs voted overwhelmingly in favour of both the Horizon Europe Regulation and the Specific Programme last Tuesday night. This paves the way for the final adoption and publication of the legislation, followed by the publication of the first Horizon Europe Work Programme with calls for proposals, budgets, and deadlines.
June 8, 2021 (BU Research Blog | Update on Horizon Europe | Bournemouth University)
The Horizon Europe Regulation was published on 12 May, and we were expecting to see the first Work Programme published by the European Commission in the same week. However, since then, the publication has been delayed several times. While some calls have already opened and closed (ERC, emergency COVID-19, EIC), most of the main calls have not yet been published.
July 30, 2021 (BU Research Blog | Horizon Europe – July Update | Bournemouth University)
As of 30 July 2021, Switzerland is treated as a non-associated third country in Horizon Europe. Consequently, researchers based in Switzerland are currently only able to participate in Horizon Europe, the Euratom programme, and the Digital Europe Programme as associated partners from a third country.
March 15, 2022 (BU Research Blog | Good UK – Horizon Europe News | Bournemouth University)
On 15 March 2022, Science Minister George Freeman extended the guarantee to awards expected to be signed by the end of December 2022, while efforts continued to associate with the programme.
July 28, 2022 (BU Research Blog | July update on Horizon Europe | Bournemouth University)
According to the UK Research Office (UKRO), the UK Government has announced a new package of measures to support applicants to Horizon Europe affected by the delays in association. The measures aim to ensure stability for UK researchers and businesses, and their European partners.
September 5, 2022 (BU Research Blog | September update on Horizon Europe | Bournemouth University)
The UK Government has announced an extension of the financial support provided to successful UK Horizon Europe applicants, which will now cover all Horizon Europe calls that close by the end of this year.
According to the UK Research Office in Brussels (UKRO), this new announcement reiterates that association with EU programmes remains the UK’s preferred outcome and extends the scope of the guarantee to cover additional Horizon Europe calls for proposals while the delay to association continues.
September 29, 2022 (BU Research Blog | Horizon Europe Update – October 2022 | Bournemouth University)
There is no significant news, and the message from officials remains the same – UK researchers should continue to apply for Horizon Europe grants despite the uncertainty over association.
December 7, 2022 (BU Research Blog | Horizon Europe Update – December 2022 | Bournemouth University)
There is some good news this time; yesterday, on 6 December 2022, the European Commission adopted and published the final versions of Horizon Europe's individual Work Programmes for 2023 and 2024. Some of the 2023 calls for proposals have already been launched.
December 21, 2022 (BU Research Blog | Horizon Europe Update – End of 2022 | Bournemouth University)
According to Research Professional, the government has once again extended its “safety net” for UK-based winners of funding from the EU’s Horizon Europe R&D programme, amid continuing uncertainty over long-term UK participation.
January 16, 2023 (BU Research Blog | Horizon Europe Update – January 2023 | Bournemouth University)
According to Research Professional, the UK Science Minister has stated that the UK’s alternative plan for spending money ringfenced for European R&D programmes, the so-called ‘Plan B’, is being signed off by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
The Science Minister added that the government was “still pushing, and I’m still hopeful” for UK association, but that access to EU R&D programmes was “caught up in the high politics of the post-Brexit negotiation”.
June 13, 2023 (BU Research Blog | Update on Horizon Europe Guarantee | Bournemouth University)
The UK government remains in discussion on the UK’s involvement in EU research programmes and hopes that negotiations on Horizon Europe will be successful.
The UK government has announced an extension to the support provided to UK Horizon Europe applicants until the end of September 2023.
September 7, 2023 (BU Research Blog | Association to Horizon Europe – Agreement in Principle Reached | Bournemouth University)
The European Commission and the UK Government have reached an agreement in principle on the association of the UK to Horizon Europe.
This morning (7 September 2023), a Joint Statement by the European Commission and the UK Government on the UK’s association to Horizon Europe and Copernicus was published on the UK Government’s webpage.
October 3, 2023 (BU Research Blog | More Information on Horizon Europe Association | Bournemouth University)
UK researchers will be able to fully participate in Horizon Europe on the same terms as researchers from other associated countries from the 2024 Work Programmes and onwards – including any 2024 calls opening this year.
November 24, 2023 (BU Research Blog | Horizon Europe News – November 2023 | Bournemouth University)
From 1 January 2024, the UK will be fully associated with almost all parts of the Horizon Europe programme. In the meantime, Research Professional (RP) has published news regarding Switzerland’s association with Horizon Europe. According to the latest information, after blocking the country from joining for almost three years, the European Commission has announced that it is ready to start talks on Switzerland’s association with the EU’s research and innovation programme.
