The European Commission announced on Tuesday 20 December the successful conclusion of negotiations for New Zealand’s association with the European Union’s Horizon Europe research framework programme. An agreement was reached between the parties in Wellington.
The Commission stated that the signing of the New Zealand Association Agreement to Horizon Europe is expected to take place in 2023.
The Agreement will allow New Zealand-based researchers to participate, via calls, in Pillar II of the Horizon Europe programme. Entitled ‘Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness’, this pillar covers support for innovative technologies and solutions related to European policies and the Sustainable Development Goals. Research communities and researchers based in the European Union will have the opportunity to develop international projects in cooperation with their counterparts based in New Zealand.
This will be the first Horizon Europe Association Agreement concluded outside Europe with a highly industrialised country.
The two sides already cooperate in the field of research, having signed the agreement on scientific and technological cooperation in 2009.
On 21 April, the European Commission announced the conclusion of the exploratory negotiations opened on 10 February with the competent New Zealand authorities. On 14 September, the Member States’ approval to open negotiations was formally published (see EUROPE 13022/34). (Original version in French by Emilie Vanderhulst)