Commission suspends cooperation with Russia on research and innovation

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Following the Russian invasion against Ukraine and in solidarity with the people of Ukraine, the Commission has decided to suspend the cooperation with Russian entities in research, science and innovation. The Commission will not conclude any new contracts nor any new agreements with Russian organisations under the Horizon Europe programme. Furthermore, the Commission is suspending payments to Russian entities under existing contracts. All ongoing projects, in which Russian research organisations are participating, are being reviewed – both under Horizon Europe and Horizon 2020, the previous EU programme for research and innovation.

Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President for a Europe fit for the Digital Age, said: “EU research cooperation is based on the respect for the freedoms and rights that underpin excellence and innovation. Russia’s heinous military aggression against Ukraine is an attack against those same values. It is therefore time to put an end to our research cooperation with Russia.”

Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, said: “Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine is an attack on freedom, democracy and self-determination, on which cultural expression, academic and scientific freedom and scientific cooperation are based. As a result, we have decided not to engage into further cooperation projects in research and innovation with Russian entities. At the same time, we are strongly committed to ensuring a continued successful participation of Ukraine in Horizon Europe and Euratom Research and Training programmes. Ukrainian scientists and researchers have been key participants in our EU Framework programmes for research and innovation for 20 years and have demonstrated excellence and innovation leadership. We have taken administrative steps to ensure that successful Ukrainian beneficiaries can receive funding from the EU research and innovation programmes.”

The full statement of Commissioner Gabriel is available here.

The assessment of the situation as regards Belarus is ongoing.

Background

Horizon Europe is the EU’s key funding programme for research and innovation with a budget of €95.5 billion. There no ongoing projects under Horizon Europe, in which Russian entities are participating. There have been preparations of grant agreement for four projects involving four Russian research organisations, which the Commission has decided to suspend. This means that signing of any new contracts will be put on hold until further notice.

Under Horizon 2020, which was the EU’s research and innovation funding programme from 2014-2020 with a budget of nearly €80 billion, there are still several ongoing projects. The Commission is suspending any payment to Russian entities under existing contracts. At present, there are 86 active projects under Horizon 2020, which involve 78 different Russian organisations. Out of these, 29 Russian organisations that are involved in 19 projects have been awarded €12.6 million of EU contributions.