Horizon Europe Research Fund

Horizon Europe and New Zealand

Horizon Europe is the European Union’s key funding programme for research and innovation, with a budget of more than €95 billion. It is built around three main pillars (New Zeland is an associated country of Pillar 2 only):

1. Excellent Science: Supports frontier research projects, fellowships, and exchanges for researchers.
2. Global Challenges and Industrial Competitiveness: Addresses societal challenges and promotes industrial competitiveness.
3. Innovative Europe: Focuses on innovation and technology development.

Horizon Europe – Pillar 2

Horizon Europe Pillar 2 focuses on science and technologies to address major global challenges, such as climate change, energy and health, and addressing the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. It has funding of €53.5 billion (approximately NZD$90 billion) over the 2021 to 2027 period.

Horizon Europe Pillar 2 actions are structured in 6 thematic 'Clusters', with each having a published Work Programme outlining topics to be addressed in the current period. The Work Programmes include details of the scope of the topics, the expected impacts and outcomes, the available budget, and any conditions relating to the call.

The details of each Cluster, including links to the current Work Programmes and details of the relevant New Zealand National Contact Point, are linked on the pages below.

• Cluster 1: Health
• Cluster 2: Culture, heritage and inclusive society
• Cluster 3: Civil security and society
• Cluster 4: Digital, technology and space
• Cluster 5: Climate, energy and mobility
• Cluster 6: Food, bioeconomy, natural resources, agriculture and environment

Who can apply

Proposals for most Pillar 2 actions are made by multinational research consortia with partners from a minimum of 3 EU Member States or Associated Countries (note that these are minimum criteria, and most proposals include additional partners).

The program is open to any legal entity, meaning that alongside researchers in traditional research organisations, partners can include businesses, local or regional authorities, non-government organisations, community groups and more.

How to get started

Pillar 2 has a strong focus on impact and implementation, so bringing the right mix of partners to deliver the expected outcomes is a key to being successful. It’s essential to find your partners early in the process.

Good ways to get started are:

• Browsing the work programme of the relevant Cluster for open and forthcoming calls by following the links above
• Reaching out to your networks in Europe as early as possible to find partners and build your consortium
• Speaking to one of the National Contact Points for advice

Further information on Horizon Europe for New Zealand entities

How to apply for Horizon Europe funding

All Horizon Europe proposal submission and contracting takes place through the European Commission’s Funding and Tenders Portal. The portal has all the documentation, guidance, and details of funding calls. Every project requires one participant to act as the coordinator, and the coordinator manages all of the inputs from the consortium partners.

EU Funding & Tenders Portal(external link) – European Commission

December 2024 Update on Horizon Europe Partnerships

New Zealand was invited by the European Union to consider joining the new partnerships being established under the 2nd Strategic Plan of Horizon Europe. The Government has elected to join two new co-fund partnerships

• Brain Health
  New Zealand leads: Professor Louise Parr-Brownlie, Departmental Science Advisor, MBIE and Dr Justin Dean, University of Auckland
• BE READY PLUS: pandemic preparedness
  New Zealand leads: Alex Semprini and Marina Dzhelali, Medical Research Institute of New Zealand (MIRNZ)

These partnerships are being designed through a process of negotiation between the partners (generally research funding agencies and other public authorities of EU member states and Associated Countries) and the European Commission. The outcome of these negotiations will determine the work programme & activities for the partnership, how the funding is allocated, and what opportunities there are for New Zealanders to get involved.

We will provide further updates as more information becomes available. You can sign up for Horizon Europe updates here. If you have any questions or want to get in touch with the New Zealand leads you can email nzncp@mbie.govt.nz 

Participating in other parts of Horizon Europe

Although New Zealand remains a non-associated third country participant in Pillar 1 and Pillar 3 of Horizon Europe, there are still many possibilities for New Zealand researchers to be involved. These will mostly fund New Zealand researchers to work internationally, although there are some cases where researchers can be supported to work in New Zealand.

If you’d like to know more see the additional information and guidance page.

Further information on Horizon Europe for New Zealand entities

Please note that the MBIE top-up scheme does not apply to actions outside of Pillar 2.

New Zealand’s National Contact Points (NCPs)

National Contact Points (NCPs) are a key source of information and advice on how to participate in Horizon Europe. New Zealand has 10 designated NCPs, including 6 specialist NCPs covering the six thematic Horizon Europe Clusters, and one Māori NCP to support Māori researchers and organisations to engage with the programme.

Please note that most of our NCPs are part-time in the NCP role, so please be aware that you may not always get an immediate response.

Mary Mulholland - NCP

• Science and Innovation Counsellor, Europe, New Zealand Mission to the European Union
• Brussels, Belgium
• Email: nzncp@mbie.govt.nz

Cécile Richardeau – NCP for Pillar I (ERC, MSCA)

• New Zealand Mission to the European Union
• Brussels, Belgium
• Email: nzncp@mbie.govt.nz

Prof. Rachael Taylor – NCP for Cluster 1 (Health)

• Director, Edgar Diabetes and Obesity Research Centre and Head of Department (Medicine), University of Otago
• Dunedin, New Zealand
• Email: Cluster1NCP@mbie.govt.nz

Prof. Nancy November – NCP for Cluster 2 (Culture, creativity and inclusive society)

• Professor of Musicology, University of Auckland
• Auckland, New Zealand
• Email: Cluster2NCP@mbie.govt.nz

Prof. Stephen MacDonell – NCP for Cluster 3 (Civil security for society)

• Professor and co-director for Te Whiri Kawe—Centre for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, Victoria University of Wellington
• Auckland, New Zealand
• Email: Cluster3NCP@mbie.govt.nz

Prof. John Cater – NCP for Cluster 4 (Digital, industry and space)

• Professor of Aerospace Engineering and Director of the Aerospace Research Institute, University of Canterbury
• Christchurch, New Zealand
• Email: Cluster4NCP@mbie.govt.nz

Prof. Iain White – NCP for Cluster 5 (Climate, energy and mobility)

• Professor of Environmental Planning, University of Waikato
• Hamilton, New Zealand
• Email: Cluster5NCP@mbie.govt.nz

Dr Cecile de Klein – NCP for Cluster 6 (Food, bioeconomy, natural resources, agriculture and environment)

• Principal Scientist – Environmental Science, Ethical Agriculture Group, AgResearch
• Mosgiel, New Zealand
• Email: Cluster6NCP@mbie.govt.nz

 Andrew Sporle – Māori NCP

• Managing Director, iNZight Analytics; Deputy Director, Healthier Lives National Science Challenge; Associate Professor (Honorary) of Statistics, University of Auckland
• Auckland, New Zealand
• Email: MaoriNCP@mbie.govt.nz

Further information

MBIE support

For more information or advice, contact our Horizon Europe secretariat by emailing:

nzncp@mbie.govt.nz

You can also reach out to our National Contact Points

New Zealand's Horizon Europe National Contact Points

Or see the following page for more detailed information from MBIE on participation of New Zealand entities in Horizon Europe.

Further information on Horizon Europe for New Zealand entities

To receive occasional updates and information by email, please follow the link below and select the topics of interest.

Receive updates(external link)

European Commission guidance

Horizon Europe guidance and reference documents are available through the EU Funding and Tenders Portal.

Horizon Europe reference documents and guidance(external link) — European Commission

Other useful resources are available from EURAXESS Australia and New Zealand, an initiative of the European Commission providing free information about European research, career opportunities, international collaboration & networking possibilities.

EURAXESS Australia and New Zealand(external link) — European Commission

Documents on the House of Representatives website

Parliamentary Treaty Examination: Report of the EDSI Select Committee [PDF, 528KB](external link) — House of Representatives NZ