While Horizon Europe is almost approaching the end of its first year, association to the new programme is still delayed for longstanding partners.
October saw a mix of progress and delays on various research and innovation (R&I) topics at the EU level. The final set up of Horizon Europe instruments continues to take shape: After the official launch of Missions in late September (see SwissCore article), also the legal basis of ten institutionalised European Partnerships continues to move along as the European Parliament (EP), in a resolution, provided its opinion in the consultation on nine Joint Undertakings under the Single Basic Act. It is planned that research ministers will adopt this legislative basis on 26 November 2021 (see SwissCore article). The EP also reached a deal with the Council on the Metrology European Partnership, which needs the final consent of both institutions.
While the Horizon Europe programme will most likely be completed later this year, association of third countries is still in the works. Almost all countries that were associated to Horizon 2020 have concluded negotiations with the European Commission (EC) and work towards ratification of the new agreements (see SwissCore article). Norway and Iceland are the first countries already formally associated to the new Framework Programme. While also the Faroe Islands and Israel reached deals with the EC in October, progress on association looks more challenging for Switzerland and also for the United Kingdom at the moment. In an interview with Science|Business in mid-October, Commissioner Mariya Gabriel (Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth) linked the association of the UK and Switzerland to solutions for larger political issues.
In the case of the UK, the association to Horizon Europe is part of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement of December 2020. The UK’s association agreement only needs to be formalised by the EC and the UK government to become applicable, a step for which the UK is still waiting for the EC. Given the small step necessary to formalise association, the European University Association (EUA) Council, representing 34 European national university associations and national rectors’ conferences urged the EC already earlier in October to finalise the process: “It is time to commit to a continued, common research and innovation community encompassing the UK and the rest of Europe.” Meanwhile, the delay is starting to directly affect researchers as they are at risk not to receive funding for 2021. This will first impact researchers that are part of projects of the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT), which backs consortia of universities, research institutes, and companies. The EIT informed that also other countries with negotiated but not yet formalised association agreements will only be eligible for EIT funding once agreements are operational.
In the case of Switzerland (see SwissCore article), the EC currently considers the process towards association as “suspended”, according to Commissioner Gabriel. In the interview mentioned above, she listed the following steps that are needed for progress on association: “There are three stages: payments for the cohesion funds, a global accord, and concrete ways of participation [in Horizon Europe].” She continued, “it’s an ongoing process which, for now, remains suspended.” Switzerland currently participates as a non-associated country in Horizon Europe and collaboration with Swiss entities is still possible in many parts of the Framework Programme. Switzerland remains committed to its goal of a full association to Horizon Europe and other related programmes and initiatives for the period 2021-2027 as soon as possible. The Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) is regularly updating relevant information on their website: www.horizon-europe.ch
In preparation for the upcoming Council meeting of research ministers on 26 November, which will focus on setting up the new ERA objectives, governance and policy cycle (see SwissCore article), the Slovenian Council Presidency organised on 26-27 October a ‘New ERA Presidency Conference’ in Brdo pri Kranju, Slovenia, with European research and innovation stakeholders, in an effort to put their “needs at the heart of the new ERA”. The conference sought input in particular on four focus areas: Research infrastructures, research careers, open science and achieving a societal and economic impact. The European R&I community has long asked for closer involvement into the creation of the new ERA. On 4 October, 16 European R&I organisations sent an open letter to the Slovenian Minister for education and research, Simona Kustec, and to Commissioner Mariya Gabriel.
In the standoff between the Council and the European Parliament on the EU’s 2022 budget, and in particular the budget for education, research and innovation, the EP continues to resist cuts. The EP is supported by R&I organisations like EUA. Also linked to funding, although in this case to the recovery efforts under Next Generation EU, the EUA analysed the support offered by national recovery and resilience plans to universities (see SwissCore article).
Last but not least, on 19 October, the EC presented its 2022 Work Programme, with a range of developments foreseen for education, research, and innovation (see annexes).