Horizon Europe’s 2023-2024 widening calls are now open for applications. With “Horizon Europe Widening”, the European Commission aims at strengthening and widening participation in the programme from countries at a disadvantage in R&I, for instance, lacking infrastructure, funding and the possibility to create strong networks and retain talents. 

The list of widening countries is comprised of 15 member states (Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia) and all outermost regions, as well as all associated countries with equivalent characteristics in terms of R&I performance (Albania, Armenia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, the Faroe Islands, Georgia, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, and Morocco). 

Creating a more integrated and cohesive R&I ecosystem across Europe and beyond is essential to successfully accomplish the Clean Energy Transition (CET), as widening countries often face larger challenges in terms of decarbonisation, while not being able to harness all the resources necessary.  

Horizon Europe’s 2023-2024 Work Programme counts three different series of calls to Improve access to excellence, Attract and mobilise the best talents, and Reform and enhance the EU research and innovation system. The current open calls encompass the following opportunities:  

• Twinning 

Twinning aims at enhancing networking between widening countries’ research institutions and counterparts at the EU level.  
Submit proposals before 28 September 2023. 

• Pathways to Synergies 

This action will support beneficiaries of regional funding to increase cross-border collaborations and reduce access barriers to different funding systems.  
Submit proposals before 28 September 2023

• Dissemination and Exploitation Support Facility 

This call aims at helping beneficiaries to improve the impact of their dissemination and exploitation, valorise their knowledge and unlock new funding.  
Submit proposals before 28 September 2023. 

• Hop-on Facility 

This action aims to facilitate Widening countries’ research institutions joining already ongoing Horizon R&I projects.  
Submit proposals before 28 September 2023. 

• ERA Fellowships 

Building on the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2023, the ERA Fellowships are open to researchers moving to the EU from a third country or moving within the EU to a widening country.  
Submit proposals before 13 September 2023. 

More information on the Widening Programme and next calls to open.