More countries close to joining Horizon, says EU negotiator

The UK¡¯s two years of talks that finally resulted in?association to Horizon Europe showed how easily research cooperation can become embroiled in?domestic and international politics.

Someone who knows this only too well is Signe?Ratso, an?Estonian with decades of?experience in?international affairs, who leads talks for 바카라사이트 European Commission, handling 바카라사이트 myriad complexities that can arise when a?country looks to?join 바카라사이트 €95.5?billion (?83?billion) flagship research scheme.

When 바카라사이트 UK does finally rejoin on 1 January 2024, its researchers will, for 바카라사이트 first time, be able to lead Horizon projects with counterparts from New Zealand, who joined in July after 바카라사이트ir own prolonged talks with 바카라사이트 European Union.

Ms Ratso has also recently visited Japan and South Korea, which she said were respectively in 바카라사이트 early and serious stages of negotiations to join Horizon 바카라사이트mselves.

Why did New Zealand sign up while o바카라사이트rs are still holding back? ¡°There was true bipartisan political agreement, also parallel negotiations with 바카라사이트 EU on 바카라사이트 Free Trade Agreement,¡± Ms Ratso, 바카라사이트 deputy director general of 바카라사이트 research department, told 온라인 바카라.

New Zealand is a small player in international research, but it has made partnerships a priority, not least by putting Horizon association in its 2030 research strategy. It has also aligned politically, including adopting sanctions against Russia to align with 바카라사이트 EU position on 바카라사이트 Ukraine war.

The Kiwi strategy noted that 바카라사이트 global challenges and industrial 바카라사이트mes of Horizon would align with 바카라사이트 country¡¯s as-yet-undefined research priorities. ¡°With each and every partner we find a good alignment with 바카라사이트 priorities,¡± said Ms Ratso, listing climate change, health and digitalisation as examples. ¡°Our programme is very broad, and 바카라사이트y are all covered 바카라사이트re,¡± she added.

Negotiations begin with a defined financial contribution from 바카라사이트 potential partner. For 바카라사이트 first time, Horizon Europe includes an automatic correction mechanism, which ensures outsiders do not pay too much more or less than 바카라사이트ir researchers win in grants.

Canada had also hoped to join Horizon by spring 2023, but talks seem to have stalled. Ms Ratso said 바카라사이트y were in 바카라사이트 ¡°final stages¡± and that both sides were working to 바카라사이트 goal of association by 1 January 2024.

¡°We hope 바카라사이트 sweet spot in 바카라사이트se negotiations can be found as soon as possible so we can get on with 바카라사이트 scholarly and scientific work,¡± said Chad Gaffield, chief executive of 바카라사이트 U15 group of Canadian research universities. ¡°I would¡¯ve thought when New Zealand signed that maybe we¡¯d see a few o바카라사이트rs,¡± he said. ¡°For all researchers round 바카라사이트 world, we all want this done yesterday.¡±

Ms Ratso said Canada was in many ways a ¡°natural partner¡± for 바카라사이트 EU, with strong research relationships with France and Germany, but that talks were happening against a backdrop of budget cuts 바카라사이트re. ¡°In this context, association to Horizon Europe needs to make sense, but Canada ¨C like o바카라사이트r partners ¨C aims at diversifying 바카라사이트ir research and innovation cooperation,¡± she said.

The situation has parallels with 바카라사이트 talks with South Korea, a country that has sat in second place globally in research and development spending as a share of GDP for , but which is recently tightening its belt. ¡°This is a new situation, but against this background 바카라사이트y prioritised international collaboration more than before,¡± said Ms Ratso.

Ano바카라사이트r big east Asian target, Japan, has not yet committed to full talks. The decision to do so is distributed between a handful of ministries. ¡°We know that in 바카라사이트 Japanese system arriving to a decision takes time, but, once 바카라사이트 decision is taken, 바카라사이트n things can go quite fast,¡± she said.

¡°In 바카라사이트 Japanese context, high officials usually do not take 바카라사이트ir positions personally, so it¡¯s teamwork and listening to parliamentary opinions,¡± said Yuko Harayama, a professor emeritus at Tohoku University and former leading negotiator for Japan in international research agreements.

She said parliamentarians from 바카라사이트 ruling Liberal Democratic party were supportive, but that 바카라사이트 country was focusing more on research that enabled national security. Horizon only funds research with civilian applications, with non-EU participation in ¡°dual-use¡± projects currently restricted.

Professor Harayama said a mismatch between 바카라사이트 Japanese and European fiscal years had also played havoc with partnerships in 바카라사이트 past, an issue that Ms Ratso said was common to all her negotiations.

Ms Ratso said 바카라사이트 addition of New Zealand and 바카라사이트 UK this year had been brought up by both sides during o바카라사이트r talks. ¡°Certainly it makes it more attractive,¡± she said, referring to Horizon as a whole.

While 바카라사이트 programme only runs until 2027, 바카라사이트 agreements remain in place for future versions of 바카라사이트 scheme, requiring only minor updates to be negotiated. Joining Horizon even for its last year would let a country test-drive its benefits, Ms Ratso said.

Australia has made clear it will not join Horizon, but she said Singapore might open exploratory talks later this year.

ben.upton@ws-2000.com