12 Nov 2026
Australia joins Horizon Europe
On 12 November 2026, the European Union and Australia signed an association agreement to Horizon Europe. The agreement was signed by Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva and Australia's Minister for Industry and Innovation and Minister for Science, Tim Ayres.
Australia's association covers Horizon Europe's €52.4 billion Pillar II, which funds collaborative research projects in areas including health, climate, energy, and digital technologies.
The agreement will enable Australian researchers and organisations to join and lead international consortia and access funding on similar terms to their EU counterparts. Australian participants will also retain access to parts of Horizon Europe open to non-EU countries under its Excellent Science pillar, including the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, and the Innovative Europe pillar, subject to the conditions of each call.
From January 2027, transitional arrangements will allow Australian entities to apply to Pillar II calls and be evaluated as prospective beneficiaries. The association process is expected to be formally completed by mid-2027, following parliamentary scrutiny in Australia.
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