Georgia joins Horizon Europe, EU’s research and innovation programme

08.12.2021

Mariya Gabriel, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, receives Mikheil Chkhenkeli, Georgian Minister for Education and Science to sign an agreement on Horizon Europe.

The European Commission and Georgia have signed the agreement granting Georgia the association status to Horizon Europe, the EU’s research and innovation programme (2021-2027). Georgian researchers, innovators and research entities can now participate in the €95.5 billion programme, under the same conditions as entities from the EU Member States. The Horizon Europe Association Agreement starts producing legal effect and becomes provisionally applicable as of today.

Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, said:

I congratulate Georgia for successfully concluding the negotiations that will enable Georgian researchers, innovators and research entities to participate in Horizon Europe. This association does not only benefit Georgian research, education and innovation organisations but also the EU and other associated countries, who are willing to cooperate with a dynamic and resourceful partner country.

The association agreement was signed in Brussels by Commissioner Gabriel and Mikhail Chkhenkeli, the Minister for Science and Education of Georgia. The signature ceremony took place physically in the presence of Ms. Signe Ratso, the Horizon Europe Chief Negotiator and Deputy Director-General of the Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation and Mr. Vakhtang Makharoblishvili, Ambassador of Georgia to the Kingdom of Belgium and Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and Head of Mission of Georgia to the EU.

The association supports the ’Global Approach to Research and Innovation’ and reconfirms Europe's commitment to a level of global openness needed to drive excellence, pool resources for faster scientific progress and develop vibrant innovation ecosystems in a set of common priorities, such as the twin green and digital transition.

Background

Georgia was since 2016 fully associated to Horizon 2020, the previous EU research and innovation programme (2014-2020). Georgia’s top Horizon 2020 participation was in the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, Health, Societies and research infrastructures.

Multiple success stories result from this previous successful cooperation. They cover a variety of scientific areas such as: E-FIX, a project which focuses on improving energy efficiency and financing sustainable energy projects in Central and South Eastern Europe or the Black Sea Horizon project, which aims to sustainably enhance bi-regional Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) cooperation between the EU and the Black Sea region. Both projects also involved a number of other international partners.