Morocco, “associated country” of EU “Horizon Europe” funding program

Morocco has officially become an “associated country” of the European Union’s “Horizon Europe,” a key funding program for research and innovation within the framework of sustainable development.

 

“Horizon Europe” is part of the 2021-2027 EU’s program, and will have a total global budget of €95.5 billion (MAD 1 trillion).

According to the European Commission, the program tackles climate change, helps to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and boosts the EU’s competitiveness and growth.

The programme facilitates collaboration and strengthens the impact of research and innovation in developing, supporting and implementing EU policies while tackling global challenges. It supports creating and better dispersing of excellent knowledge and technologies, the Commission explains on its web page.

 

The association process will enable Moroccan researchers to access calls for projects of the “Horizon Europe” Program, open to researchers from EU Member States and other countries associated with the Framework Program, as partners or coordinators of the projects submitted, a joint press release issued by the ministry of National Education, Higher Education, Vocational Training and Scientific Research and the EU said.

 

Morocco is considered, from now on, as an “Associated Country” among the countries eligible for EU funding under the first calls for projects relating to health and research infrastructures, which have just been published on the European Commission website, the press release said.

The initiative is meant to facilitate collaboration, while also amplifying the impact of research and innovation, in line with EU policies for overcoming global challenges. It will also create jobs, boost economic growth, promotes industrial competitiveness, and optimize investment impact within a strengthened European Research Area.