International collaboration opportunities in Horizon Europe: new Associated Countries

By Marine Hurard, European Project Manager – GO

Horizon Europe continues to expand its global reach for 2025 onwards, with several important updates regarding Associated Countries—where research organisations can apply for funding—and wider international partnerships:  

• Canada is now fully Associated with Horizon Europe’s Pillar II, allowing Canadian institutions to participate with the same rights and funding eligibility as EU Member States. This opens major new opportunities for projects in health and other global challenges. In this context, a delegation from Canadian universities visited Institut Pasteur a few months ago to explore and strengthen potential collaborations with our campus.  

• New Zealand remains an Associated Country, mainly for Pillar II, fostering further partnerships with institutions from the Pacific and Asia regions in upcoming calls. 

• South Korea: Under transitional arrangement, the European Union welcomes researchers and organisations from the Republic of Korea to participate in the calls and activities of Pillar II of the Horizon Europe programme from Work Programme 2025 onwards. The signing of the Association Agreement is expected to take place in 2025, pending the completion of all necessary validations on both sides. 

• United Kingdom (UK) has secured its association status for the full duration of Horizon Europe (except EIC and ERC); UK partners are a reliable option in all 2025 calls. 

• Switzerland has finalized its negotiation with the EU in January 2025 and will become an Associated Country with retroactive effect as of 1 January 2025, once the agreement is signed. Until the signature of the agreement, transitional arrangements are granted to Swiss applicants for all pillars of Horizon Europe. Applicants established in Switzerland can apply as if Switzerland was already associated, but will only receive funding if the Association Agreement is signed by the time of awards. More information here. 

• United States: While not an Associated Country, the United States is considered a third country (high-income/industrialized) and substantial collaboration is encouraged (eg. as Associated Partner, without receiving EU funding). US institutions can join consortia in nearly all parts of Horizon Europe as Associated Partner without EU funding. US entities may be entitled to funding when this possibility is mentioned in the relevant calls for proposals or in cases where the US partner is essential to the project. This is typically the case in calls for collaborative research projects under “Global challenges cluster 1 – Health”. More information here.

• Negotiations & Prospects: Discussions are advancing with Japan for possible association in the future.  

For the full and regularly updated list of Associated Countries, consult the official European Commission page.  

Furthermore, many low- and middle-income countries included in the 'List of Participating Countries in Horizon Europe' are automatically eligible for funding. Research teams are strongly encouraged to include collaborators from Associated Countries to Horizon Europe to enhance their consortia with international collaborations. 

For support and up-to-date information, please contact us at goeurope[@)pasteur.fr.