Ukraine expected to join H2020 in March

It is anticipated that Ukraine will join the EU’s research and innovation framework programme next month after the country signs an association agreement with the European Commission.

The arrangement will allow Ukrainian institutions to participate in Horizon 2020 on a par with EU member states and permit scientists in the country to submit research proposals to the work programmes.

Yet according to Commission documents, the association agreement will only enter into force after it has been ratified by Kiev and the government has informed officials in Brussels. Consequently, if Ukrainian-based researchers are successful in securing funding, grant agreements will only be signed after the Horizon 2020 deal has entered into force.

Furthermore, researchers located in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea or the city of Sevastopol will not be able to take part in Horizon 2020. The Commission says the EU does not recognise their “illegal” annexation, but should the situation change, the arrangement “will be revised accordingly”.

When signed, Ukraine will join 12 countries that are already associated to Horizon 2020, with the Faroe Islands becoming the latest country to join in December. Whereas Liechtenstein took part in FP7, it is not expected the country will sign an association deal to participate in Horizon 2020.