EU and China forge closer ties through Horizon 2020

European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism, Sport, Media and Youth Androulla Vassiliou has said that engaging in long term culture and education sharing programmes could be key to strengthening the relationship between the EU and China.

The EU and China are currently holding their second round of talks on an EU-China investment agreement in Brussels. Vasilliou will travel to China later this year to take part in talks complementing the current round of discussions.

In an article for The Parliament magazine, Vassiliou said that bilateral dialogue will promote Erasmus+ and Horizon 2020, as well as focus on the Marie Skłodowska Curie Actions, which will promote researcher mobility, in particular. The Commissioner said that in order to implement the plans for closer ties with China, support and advice from EU member states would be needed.

The second Higher Education Platform for Co-operation and Exchange between the EU and China will focus on the new framework programme and Erasmus+.