Ukraine joins Horizon 2020 to work with EU in science and research

Brussels, 20 March 2015

Researchers, businesses and innovators from Ukraine will now be able to fully participate in Horizon 2020, the European Union's research and innovation funding programme, on equal terms with EU Member States and other associated countries. This is thanks to the Agreement for the Association of Ukraine to Horizon 2020, signed today in Kyiv by Carlos Moedas, European Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation, and Serhiy Kvit, Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine.

Commissioner Moedas said: "I am very pleased to welcome Ukraine into our EU research funding programme Horizon 2020. Ukraine has chosen to invest in its knowledge and in its people. Chosen to contribute to the common goals of the wider science and technology community. Ukraine's great research and innovation potential offers promising partnerships for Europe. And Ukraine will now have access to the full spectrum of activities funded under Horizon 2020, helping spur its economy. I hope Ukraine will make the most of these opportunities."

Horizon 2020 is the first EU programme in which Ukraine has chosen to participate following the beginning of provisional application of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement. This association to Horizon 2020 highlights that both the EU and Ukraine consider research and innovation crucial for economic growth and the creation of jobs.

The agreement opens a wide range of new opportunities to Ukrainian research institutions, universities and businesses across the whole research and innovation value chain, from fundamental research up to close-to-market activities. For instance, Ukraine will now be able to host European Research Council (ERC) grants, apply for financial support to innovative SMEs, benefit from support for scientific excellence and other research policies and participate in the governance structures of the programme.

Background:

With a budget of almost € 80 billion for 2014-2020, Horizon 2020 is the largest multinational programme dedicated to research and innovation. In its predecessor, FP7, Ukraine was one of the top ten most performing third countries, with a total number of 274 successful participations in a total of 207 retained proposals. The top five priority areas with retained participation from Ukraine have been environment (including Climate Change); transport (including aeronautics); nanosciences, nanotechnologies, materials and new production technologies; food, agriculture and fisheries, biotechnologies; and space.

Today's agreement will need to be ratified by the Ukrainian Parliament to enter into force, but Ukrainian legal entities can already participate in all Horizon 2020 actions funded under the 2015 budget, as this association covers the years 2015-2020. Ukraine has also requested association to the Euratom Research and Training Programme but negotiations need to follow a separate track.

European Commission