Norway to participate in Horizon 2020

Norway has announced its formal participation in Horizon 2020. Oslo said it wants to be a ‘full member’ of the EU’s replacement for FP7.

In a press statement, the Norwegian Minister of Education and Research, Kristin Halvorsen, said “European collaboration on research and innovation is important because it enhances the quality of Norwegian research, it enables us to contribute ourselves and it gives us better access to international knowledge development. This in turn leads to innovation.”

The Research Council of Norway welcomed the country’s announcement of close co-operation with the EU, describing it as “essential to Norwegian research,” allowing them to collaborate in “important international networks.”

Commenting on the decision, Arvid Hallén, director general of the research council, said: “The [Framework] Programme will make it possible for Norwegian researchers to establish co-operation with the best international actors, both in projects aimed at solving the Grand Challenges and in projects aimed at developing innovative capacity within industry.

“But the breadth and scope of the Framework Programme also poses major challenges to the Norwegian research sector. While many Norwegian researchers are already well -established in European co-operative networks, our participation is still too narrow. We need to learn how to take even better advantage of the opportunities inherent in EU co-operation. I am quite certain that Norwegian research groups will redouble their efforts and seek to expand their participation under Horizon 2020.”

The research council has begun planning how to organise activities to promote greater participation of Norwegian research groups and companies in Horizon 2020. It is estimated that Norway’s overall contribution to Horizon 2020 will be in the region of NOK 16bn (~€2bn) over a period which could extend to 2025.