Research and innovation cooperation

The Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Framework Program (2014-2020) was launched by the EU in 2014 to strengthen scientific excellence, address major challenges facing European society and promote economic growth. With its "international" component, the Horizon 2020 program offers the possibility for third countries (outside the EU) to participate either as "associated countries" in return for an entry ticket subject to the same rules as those applied to the Member States of the EU, or as "partner countries" eligible for certain projects, including Algeria.

Endowed with nearly 80 billion euros, over 7 years, the Horizon 2020 program focuses on three main pillars, namely:

– scientific excellence, with the European Research Council (ERC), future and emerging technologies (FET), mobility of researchers (Marie Sk?odowska-Curie actions) and European research infrastructures;

– industrial primacy, which highlights the competitiveness of European industry with particular attention to the financing of SMEs; And

– societal challenges related in particular to the health and well-being of populations.

The last Horizon 2020 work program for the period 2018-2020 (with funding of €30 billion) continued its activities in 2019 and 2020, including for the benefit of third countries although their participation in Horizon 2020 projects has decreased since 2017 compared to the previous program.

Calls for proposals are regularly launched by the European Commission in the different (thematic) pillars covered by Horizon 2020. New opportunities are also offered through the successor to this program, called “Horizon Europe” covering the period 2021-2027.

Thus, to support and promote Algerian participation in the Horizon 2020 framework programme, a national (intersectoral) information, communication and support network has been set up by Algeria. This national platform brings together a set of national and sectoral focal points mobilized for this purpose.