In 2015 Ukraine became an associate member of the European Union Research and Innovation Framework Program – “Horizon 2020”. This membership provided the Ukrainian participants with an equal status with their European partners, as well as opened up opportunities for influencing the content of the Program.

“Horizon 2020”, designed for 2014-2020, is the largest Framework program of the European Union (with total budget of around 80 billion euros) financing science and innovation.

The program focuses on three main objectives:
• to make Europe an attractive place for top-notch scientists;
• to promote the development of innovation and competitiveness of European industry and business;
• to promote the development of innovation and competitiveness of European industry and business;

In accordance with these tasks, The “Horizon 2020” program is divided into three main areas:
1. Frontier science - is open to high-quality individual and team research projects in all areas of knowledge, including humanities;
2. Leadership in industry with funding for the development of new technologies and materials, including ICT and space exploration. In addition, within this area, there are available financial instruments for introducing innovations in small and mid-sized businesses;
3. Public needs with a wide range of research projects: from improving quality of transport, food, health and safety systems to issues of European identity and cultural heritage.

Every year various Ukrainian institutions and organizations are increasingly involved in the “Horizon 2020” program. According to the results of 446 competitions for 117 Ukrainian organizations, which have taken part in the “Horizon 2020” program since 2014, 90 projects are funded by the amount of 17,232 million euros and 9 of which are coordinated by Ukrainian organizations. During this time 1,990 Ukrainian institutions and organizations prepared and submitted for consideration 915 project proposals. The total cost of projects involving 117 Ukrainian organizations is equal to 465.851.011 euros.

Every two years the European Commission prepares and publishes Work Programs for each individual direction. On October 27, 2017, the European Commission presented a new Work Program “Horizon 2020”, covering 2018, 2019 and 2020 fiscal years. The budget of this Work Program should be at least 30 billion euros.

Detailed information on the “Horizon 2020” Work Program for 2018 – 2020.

Work Programs програми for 2018 – 2020 activity-specific

Main conditions of participation in “Horizon 2020” projects are: a challenging research topic, at least two partners from European countries (EU Member States or States - associated members of the “Horizon 2020” program), and an application in English of 10-15 pages depending on the type of project.

Detailed conditions of participation, information on deadlines and open contests as well as electronic submission system are available on the Participants Portal CORDIS. To submit entry each organization must be registered on the Portal and get an appropriate identification number - PIC code.

Contests announced within the Work Program for 2018-2020

NATIONAL CONTACT POINTS

The Ministry of Education and Science set up a network of national contact points (NCPs) and regional contact points (RCP) to provide the information about the program's capabilities, consultations for potential participants in the way from an idea to project implementation, and assistance in finding partners. These points were approved by the order of MES of Ukraine of March 13, 2015. No 285. They act mainly on the university and research institutions basis and are distributed according to different contest directions of the “Horizon 2020” program. All the consultations are free of charge.

In order to bring the NKP activities to European standards, MES ratified Regulation on the national contact point of the EC Framework Programme “Horizon 2020” on research-and-innovations by the order of MES of Ukraine of December 08, 2016. No 1469.

• The list of national contact points of the EU Framework Program “Horizon 2020” according to thematic directions
• The list of regional contact points of the EU Framework Program “Horizon 2020” according to thematic directions

USEFUL LINKS

• National “Horizon 2020” Program Portal
• Official site of the project «RI-LINKS2UA: Strengthening Research and Innovation Links towards Ukraine
• Сторінка «Горизонт 2020» на офіційному сайті Європейської Комісії
• The page of “Horizon 2020” on the official website of the European Commission
• Угода про участь України у Програмі «Горизонт 2020»
• The Portal of participants of the EU Framework Programs on Research and Innovation CORDIS
• Agreement on participation of Ukraine in the “Horizon 2020”