The European Commission announced, on Friday 17 February, that researchers and research institutions based in New Zealand can now participate in calls and activities under Pillar II of the EU’s Horizon Europe research and innovation framework programme, with New Zealand’s association considered imminent.
In fact, negotiations between the European Commission and the New Zealand government for New Zealand’s association with the Horizon Europe programme had been successfully concluded at the end of 2022 (see EUROPE 13088/10). The Commission expects the Association Agreement to be signed during 2023.
The opening up of the participation of New Zealand researchers in Pillar II of the Framework Programme is done under a transitional arrangement as defined by the general annexes of the Horizon Europe work programme for 2023-2024.
Pillar II is designed to stimulate and strengthen international cooperation on global issues and European industrial competitiveness.
Link to the provisions of the work programme: https://aeur.eu/f/5ev (Original version in French by Emilie Vanderhulst)