If successful, Japan will join other non-EU countries equivalent to Canada and South Korea in the program.
The European Union (EU) and Japan began negotiations today (29 November) on Japan’s accession to Horizon Europe, the EU’s research and innovation program.
In particular, the negotiations announced by the European Commission concern Japan’s potential association with Pillar II of the Horizon Europe program, which addresses societal challenges through international projects.
If successful, Japan will join non-EU countries equivalent to New Zealand, Canada and South Korea, as Horizon Europe allows non-EU countries to join the program. Last September, the UK re-joined Horizon Europe, giving its scientists access to a €95.5 billion research funding program.
Iliana Ivanova, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, added that negotiations on Japan’s association with Horizon Europe “mark a step change in our cooperation.”
She also said that for each the EU and Japan, research and innovation are “key to ensuring competitiveness” and not only to achieving the green transition.
“Together we will be able to reach them faster and find solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges,” Ivanova said.
If the project is successful, Japanese scientists will have the option to coordinate their very own research and innovation projects under the program and cooperate with partners in the EU.
Under the program, they may also receive funding for his or her projects.
Relations between the EU and Japan
The EU and Japan have a notable history of cooperation on science and technology issues, especially over the past two years.
In January 2023, the EU and Japan strengthened their ties in space research by agreeing to exchange Earth commentary data.
The European Commission has agreed to provide the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry with access to data and services from Copernicus, the Earth commentary component of the EU space program. Japan, in turn, agreed to provide the European Commission with free and open access to data from its non-commercial Earth commentary satellites.
Then, in April this yr, the EU and Japan sought to further strengthen their research relationship by launching an enhanced dialogue on advanced materials.
Under this agreement, the EU and Japan are working to develop recent materials to be used in key economic sectors equivalent to renewable energy, batteries, zero-emission buildings and semiconductors. It goals to provide a platform for sharing information on policy developments and exploring opportunities for research collaboration.
Earlier this month, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) announced an agreement that strengthened cooperation between ESA and JAXA on missions to explore asteroids, the Moon, Mars and beyond.
Under the collaboration, ESA and JAXA will work together on lunar exploration, including contributions from each agency to NASA’s Artemis program: ESA’s Argonaut lunar cargo lander and JAXA’s pressurized lunar rover.
