Most Horizon Europe calls are open to participants from non-EU countries, also called Third Countries. If they are not automatically eligible for funding, they can still get funding in certain circumstances.
If a third country is allowed to participate but is not eligible for Horizon funding, then the organisations can still participate with own funding, and be included in the project as Associated partners.
Specific third countries can also be excluded from participation to the programme or to a part of the programme and/or to specific call topics mainly in order to safeguard the EU’s strategic assets, interests, autonomy or security.
A third country can participate as an associated partner with own funding. Associated partners have the following characteristics:
Third countries can get exceptionally funding if
Be aware that some third countries have created co-funding mechanisms which provide funding for the participants from their country in a successful submitted Horizon Europe proposal. In this document you will find an overview of the complementary funding of some third countries. The organisations of these countries participate as Associated Partners with own funding.
All details regarding country eligibility is compiled in the infosheet “International cooperation".
The ATHENA project addresses emerging risks for the water sector in operational technology created by digitalisation. The project responds to Digital Europe call DIGITAL-ECCC-2022-CYBER-03-UPTAKE-CYBERSOLUTIONS – Uptake op Innovative Cybersecurity Solutions. The project started in September 2023 and will run until November 2026. De Vlaamse Waterweg - The Flemish Waterway participates in the project to enhance the resilience of the organisation by co-developing targeted training modules for operational technology environments.