UK Association to Horizon Europe and Copernicus programmes: explainer
Updated 4 December 2023
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Explainer for applicants and grant holders about the UK Association to Horizon Europe from Work Programme 24, Horizon Europe UK Guarantee extension, UK participation in Copernicus.
Updated 4 December 2023. We will continue to update this document with further guidance.
On the 4 December 2023 the UK and EU signed our bespoke new agreement finalising the UK’s association to Horizon Europe and Copernicus.
Applying to Horizon Europe funding calls
UK applicants are eligible to apply to Horizon Europe calls, now and in the future. The government strongly encourage you to do so.
Our association to Horizon Europe means that UK researchers and businesses, and their international partners can now be certain that all successful UK applicants will be funded through either the UK’s association, or through the UK government’s existing guarantee for Horizon Europe grants, for the rest of the programme.
As set out in the EU/UK Joint Statement, all calls within Horizon Europe work programme 2024 and beyond will be funded by the UK’s association to Horizon Europe.
The UK and EU have agreed that this includes any Work Programme 2024 calls opening this year for which successful applicants will receive their funding directly from the EU.
Our association to Horizon Europe means that this includes any Work Programme 2024 calls opening this year for which successful applicants will receive their funding directly from the EU.
There are vast opportunities to bid, secure EU funding for, and crucially lead projects under Work Programme 24, starting now.
The UK government Horizon Europe guarantee has been extended to cover all remaining Horizon Europe grant calls that are funded under Work Programme 2023 irrespective of the call closing or grant signature date.
Work Programme 2023 grant calls which does not close until during 2024 will still be covered by the guarantee.
| Successful applicant to 2021, 2022 or 2023 Work Programme grant calls | Successful applicant to 2024 (or later) Work Programme |
|---|---|
| Project will be funded by the UK guarantee | Project will be funded by the European Commission |
Identifying which Work Programme your call belongs to
Every Horizon funding call has a call identification (ID) number, which sets out which programme year it belongs to. This number is set out clearly for each call in the Work Programme and on the EU’s Funding and Tenders portal website.
If the call ID includes ‘2023,’ the call is part of the 2023 Work Programme and be covered by the UK government guarantee. If the call ID includes ‘2024,’ the call is part of the 2024 Work Programme.
What Associated Country status means for UK entities
Our Associated Country status gives UK applicants to calls in the Horizon Europe Work Programme 2024 onwards the same rights as EU participants, with very limited exceptions (see below). UK entities are eligible for funding at the same rates and under the same conditions. They are able to lead project consortia and will count towards the minimum number of countries required to meet eligibility rules for applications for transnational projects.
UK Applicants to calls in the 2021, 2022 and 2023 Work Programmes remain fully eligible for evaluation by the EU and, if successful, will receive their funding through the UK guarantee in line with existing eligibility rules. These applicants will not be able to lead consortia or count towards the minimum number of countries required to meet eligibility rules for applications for transnational projects.
The future of the UK government Horizon Guarantee scheme
The UK government Horizon Europe guarantee remains active and covers all Horizon Europe grant calls up to and including Work Programme 2023 irrespective of the call closing or grant signature date.
For these, UK applicants should continue to apply directly to the EU as beneficiaries, and successful UK applicants will be funded under the UK guarantee scheme. Existing eligibility rules for the guarantee will continue to apply.
The guarantee will also continue to support grant projects under Work Programmes 2021 and 2022.
Projects already funded by the guarantee
Projects that are already being funded through the UKRI Horizon Europe guarantee, will continue to be funded by the guarantee for the duration of the project.
UK eligibility to lead Horizon project consortia
UK applicants to Work Programme 2024 onwards will be funded as beneficiaries. This means that they will be able to lead project consortia and will count towards the minimum number of countries required in applications for transnational projects.
UK Applicants to grant calls in the 2021, 2022, and 2023 Work Programmes remain fully eligible for evaluation by the EU and, if successful, for funding through the UK guarantee. Applicants for remaining 2023 Work Programme grant calls should continue to apply to the EU directly as beneficiaries and will receive funding from the UK government through the guarantee if successful.
These applicants will not be able to lead consortia or count towards the minimum number of countries required to meet eligibility rules for applications for transnational projects.
Where Work Programme 2024 funding calls close before 1 January 2024
UK researchers are able to fully participate in all Work Programme 2024 calls on the same terms as researchers from other associated countries and lead consortia – including any 2024 calls open in 2023.
Areas of Horizon Europe that the UK cannot participate in
UK applicants will be able to participate in the full Horizon Europe programme. The only exceptions to this are:
1. the European Innovation Council (EIC) Fund – which provides equity finance support to EIC Accelerator projects; and
2. limited exceptional cases where the eligibility for individual funding calls is limited to member states or certain other countries under current Work Programmes. Going forward the EU will assess UK participants’ access to these parts of the Horizon Europe programme on equal terms with other associated countries.
The Copernicus component of the EU Space programme
What participating in Copernicus means for UK entities
The UK will now be a third-country participant in Copernicus. From the 1 January 2024 the UK will be eligible to benefit from Copernicus services and products in the same way as other participating countries. UK entities will have the same rights as EU entities to bid for EU Copernicus contracts and join consortia bids with some limited exceptions. The UK is committing to participate in Copernicus for the remainder of the multi-annual financial framework (MFF) (2021-2027).
We will be working closely with the European Commission and the European Space Agency to set out clearly how UK entities can access the many new opportunities available as a result of our participation.
Forming consortia to bid for Copernicus contracts now
UK companies can start to speak to their European counterparts now about forming consortia. Copernicus is delivered by a range of Entrusted Entities and there are opportunities for UK organisations to deliver services and technologies to each of them. More information on contract eligibility will follow shortly as our discussions with the European Commission proceed.