Canada´s association to Horizon Europe: formal negotiations concluded

On 24 November 2023, Canada and European Commission concluded formal negotiations on Canada´s association to Pillar II of Horizon Europe.

The signing of the Association Agreement is envisaged to take place in mid-2024, pending the completion of all necessary validations on both sides. As a result, 18 countries will be associated to HE by 2024. Since it is presumed that the agreement will be validated prior to the signature of potential grant agreements, Canadian research entities can apply for funding already now (it is explained in the Transitional Arrangement for Pillar II until signature of Association Agreement)

The commencement of the EU-Canada Green Alliance and the EU-Canada Digital Partnership was also announced at the same Canada-EU summit. Both the EU and Canada share the aim of becoming climate-neutral by 2050, and intend to scale up climate action in this critical decade to 2030. They also agreed to work together in crucial areas such as artificial intelligence, secure international connectivity, cyber security, online platforms, digital identity and digital skills.

History of the cooperation

Both entities started to collaborate in 1996 with the signature of the Agreement on cooperation in scientific and technological cooperation. That Agreement has provided the general framework for cooperation and acted as a forum for regular discussions about research priorities and areas of common interest.

Interestingly, Canadian couterparts have already participated in 46 projects so far, receiving €2.4 million in funding from the EU. "In special cases where Canadian universities are thought to be indispensable to a project, Brussels pays for participation out of its own pocket." In Horizon 2020, "Canadian institutions joined 159 projects in Pillar II, 57 of which are still ongoing." (source: Science Business)

Of course, the biggest partner for Canada has been France, which has cooperated with partners from Quebec in particular. Out of the Widening countries, only Portugal has been active in collaboration with Canada.

As the Science Business analysts further point to, Canada and its European counterparts mostly collaborate on research topics of ecosystems and climate change, governance and databases, as well as fisheries, genomes and aircraft.

The most active Canadian entities are Canadian Institutes of Health Research, McGill University, and Laval University.

As for Pillar I of Horizon Europe: Canadian researchers can apply to come to work in a European group and Canadian institutions can host European Post-Doctoral fellows through the Marie Sklodowska Curie Post-Doctoral Fellowships scheme. Canadian researchers can apply for European Research Council grants to establish a research group in Europe.

As for Pillar III of Horizon Europe: Canadian start-ups or SMEs that relocate to Europe are eligible to apply for the European Innovation Council Accelerator programme.

Other forms of cooperation

Canada and the EU also cooperate through multilateral fora including:

• Mission Innovation to make clean energy affordable, attractive and accessible for all.
• All Atlantic Ocean Research and Innovation Alliance to advance the shared vision of an Atlantic Ocean that is healthy, resilient, clean, safe (NOTE: Canada will host the 2024 edition of the AORIA Forum).
• GloPID-R:  the Global Research Alliance for Infections Disease Preparedness
• Multilateral Dialogue on Principles and Values

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