Georgia joins EU research, innovation program Horizon 2020

The European Commission here on Friday said that researchers and innovators from Georgia will now be able to participate in Horizon 2020, the European Union (EU)'s framework program for research and innovation.

The agreement associating Georgia to Horizon 2020 was signed on Friday on behalf of the European Commission by Carlos Moedas, European commissioner for research, science and innovation, and Tamar Sanikidze, Georgian minister for education and science.

According to the Commission, Georgian research institutes, universities and individual researchers will now have access to all opportunities offered by Horizon 2020 that funds diverse scientific areas.

Georgian SMEs and businesses will also be able to benefit from increased support to develop new ideas and bring products and services to the market.

Johannes Hahn, Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations said that "Georgia is an important partner for the EU and a frontrunner of the Eastern Partnership: extending Horizon 2020 to Georgia is a further, concrete sign of our commitment to closer political association and economic integration with the country."

With a budget of 77 billion euros (88 billion U.S. dollars) for 2014-2020, Horizon 2020 is the largest multinational program dedicated to research and innovation.

Until now, Georgia participated in Horizon 2020 as a third country. The new association agreement covers the years 2016-2020 and opens up new opportunities to the country's universities, research institutions and enterprises. Endit