Please note that this article was updated, following the UK Government’s announcement on 7 September 2023 that the UK will associate to the Horizon Europe and Copernicus programmes.
On 7 September 2023, the European Commission and the UK Government announced that they have reached agreement on the association of the UK to Horizon Europe and Copernicus from 1 January 2024.
UK organisations will be able participate in Horizon Europe calls for proposals on the same terms as institutions from other Associated Countries, including leading consortia and receiving EU funding, from the 2024 Work Programme and onwards. This includes any 2024 calls opening this year.
Participation in Copernicus, the EU Earth Observation programme, will enable the UK’s access to a state-of-the art capacity to monitor the Earth and to its services, as well as provide the UK research community with access to unique data, which is often required on Horizon Europe projects.
The UK Government has published a helpful explainer document, which includes clarifications on many issues related to UK association to both programmes.
Further information about UK association to these programmes can be found on our dedicated web page.
UK participation in other EU programmes
The UK is considered a non-associated third country in all other EU programmes.
This includes Erasmus+, Euratom, Digital Europe, the Single Market Programme, LIFE, Creative Europe, EU4Health, the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme, the Justice Programme, the European Defence Fund and many others. The full list of EU funding programmes is available here.
UK organisations may participate in calls for proposals under these programmes only if the relevant programme’s legal basis allows for this. The call documents will normally list the countries, which are eligible to participate in projects (and to receive funding).
In most cases, under the so-called ‘corporate approach’ to managing EU programmes, organisations from third countries such as the UK can participate in EU projects as Associated Partners without receiving EU funding, which means they would need to cover their own costs. Furthermore, it is also normally possible for such organisations to participate as other types of third parties such as subcontractors, subject to the standard rules of the programme.
Participation of UK organisations in projects funded by these programmes can vary from call to call, so it is important to always consult the relevant call documents, as some calls under Digital Europe, the European Defence Fund and other programmes can be restricted.
Please note that there are currently no dedicated funding mechanisms in the UK to support UK-based organisations participating in these EU programmes as Associated Partners (except for Euratom).