Ukraine to fully participate in Horizon 2020
Ukraine will now be able to fully participate in Horizon 2020 following an association deal between the European Commission and the Kiev administration.
The agreement is being signed today by the European Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation, Carlos Moedas, and Ukrainian Minister of Education and Science, Serhiy Kvit, in the Ukrainian capital. The deal will allow the country’s research institutions, businesses and innovators to participate in Horizon 2020 on equal terms with their counterparts in EU member states and other associated countries.
Commenting on the agreement, 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 and 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. According to the Commission, 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. Ukraine will now be able to host European Research Council 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.
The country follows the Faroe Islands in signing an association agreement with the European Commission to participate in Horizon 2020; 13 countries are now associated to the research and innovation framework programme.
