Research infrastructures as accelerators of the integration of Ukraine in the European Research Area

This summary outlines the Horizon Europe call titled "Research infrastructures as accelerators of the integration of Ukraine in the European Research Area," specifically identified as HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-05. The call aims to support the integration of Ukraine into the European Research Area (ERA) through the utilization of advanced research infrastructures and is expected to facilitate collaboration between Ukrainian and European research institutions.

The total funding amount for this call is €8,000,000, with an anticipated single grant awarded. The application process is a single-stage submission with a planned opening date of 10 March 2026 and a submission deadline of 16 June 2026.

Eligible applicants are required to form a consortium consisting of at least three legal entities from different EU Member States or Associated Countries, including at least one entity established in the government-controlled territories of Ukraine. This reflects the call’s focus on fostering strong multinational partnerships to rebuild and enhance Ukraine's research capacities.

The funding structure is a lump sum grant, allowing beneficiaries to receive a fixed amount rather than reimbursement based on actual costs incurred. Beneficiaries may also provide financial support to third parties, with a maximum of €60,000 allocated to each third party involved.

The call specifically targets the sector of research infrastructures, emphasizing efforts to reconstruct and upgrade these entities in Ukraine. Projects will focus on developing early-phase implementation plans for infrastructure, establishing remote fellowships, and enabling remote access to European research facilities for Ukrainian researchers. This approach seeks to enhance collaboration, knowledge exchange, and access to advanced technological resources.

Project outputs are expected to include solid frameworks for Ukrainian-European collaboration, operational remote fellowship programs, and effective mechanisms for monitoring integration progress. The application evaluation process will involve internationally recognized peer review panels assessing proposals based on excellence, impact, and implementation.

While success rates for this particular call have not been explicitly disclosed, given the high level of competition typically associated with Horizon Europe funding, success rates are estimated to be below 10 percent based on expected proposal volume.

The initiative is critical in supporting Ukraine's scientific resilience and fostering long-term partnerships necessary for the country's stability and integration into European research and innovation frameworks. It reflects the European Union's commitment to aiding Ukraine in its recovery and alignment with international research standards during challenging times.

This is a summary of the Horizon Europe (HORIZON) Call Research Infrastructures 2026 (HORIZON-INFRA-2026-01), specifically focusing on the topic "Research infrastructures as accelerators of the integration of Ukraine in the European Research Area" under topic ID HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-05. This call aims to integrate Ukraine into the European Research Area (ERA) by leveraging Europe's research infrastructure landscape. The action type is HORIZON-RIA (Research and Innovation Actions) with a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS] Model Grant Agreement (MGA). The call is forthcoming with a single-stage deadline model. The planned opening date is 10 March 2026, and the deadline is 16 June 2026, at 17:00:00 Brussels time. The topic budget for 2026 is EUR 8,000,000, with an indicative number of 1 grant.

Expected outcomes of the projects funded under this call include:

 Strong and sustainable collaboration frameworks between Ukrainian and European research infrastructures, supporting joint research initiatives.
 An early phase implementation plan for the reconstruction and upgrade of Ukrainian research infrastructures, aligning with the priorities of the ERA Policy Agenda.
 Remote access of Ukrainian researchers and innovators to European research infrastructures, allowing them to participate in scientifically excellent projects across various fields and enhancing their integration into the ERA.
 Remote fellowships for researchers based in Ukraine for research activities related to scientific instrumentation and advanced methods in collaboration with European research infrastructures.
 Effective systems for monitoring and evaluating the progress and impact of integration efforts, ensuring objectives are met and supporting continuous improvement and adaptation.

The scope of the call involves utilizing Europe’s research infrastructure to integrate Ukraine into the ERA. Proposals should build upon the Coordination and Support Action assessing the state of research infrastructure in Ukraine resulting from the 2024 topic. They should also include remote fellowships for researchers based in Ukraine to collaborate on technology development with European research infrastructures, following the EURIZON project model. Financial support to third parties may be used for this purpose.

Proposals should address the following aspects:

 Support the design of an early phase implementation plan for the roadmap of the development, reconstruction, and reorientation of Ukraine’s RI capacity, based on the 2024 Coordination and Support Action and the recommendations of the EURIZON project.
 Foster collaboration and networking with Ukrainian research infrastructures, enabling joint research initiatives via remote fellowships, shared use of facilities (including possible short-term researcher exchanges), and the co-development of scientific methodologies, while supporting initiatives of European research infrastructures donating equipment to Ukrainian research institutions.
 Offer remote access for Ukrainian researchers to European RIs, supporting their participation in scientifically excellent projects across various fields, thereby enhancing their research capabilities and integration into the European scientific community.
 Identify and align investment opportunities, leveraging EU funding mechanisms to prioritize the development and reconstruction of Ukrainian research infrastructures.

Proposals could consider including the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) research infrastructure, which offers transnational access to external users to a portfolio of 18 facilities in the nuclear and non-nuclear area. The JRC may collaborate with successful proposals, with the collaboration established after the proposal’s approval.

The integration of the gender dimension (sex and gender analysis) in research and innovation content is not a mandatory requirement for this topic.

General conditions for admissibility include adherence to proposal page limits and layout as described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes and Part B of the Application Form. Eligible countries are described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes, with specific provisions for non-EU/non-Associated Countries detailed in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

Other eligibility conditions specify that the Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate as a member of the consortium with zero funding or as an associated partner, but will not participate in proposal preparation and submission. An additional eligibility criterion requires the application to include at least three legal entities as beneficiaries established in different Member States/Associated Countries, including at least one legal entity established in the government-controlled territories of Ukraine.

Financial and operational capacity and exclusion criteria are described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes. Evaluation and award criteria, scoring, and thresholds are detailed in Annex D, while submission and evaluation processes are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual. The indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement is also described in Annex F.

Regarding the legal and financial setup of the grants, beneficiaries may provide financial support to third parties in the form of grants, with a maximum amount of EUR 60,000 per third party. Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021, and further details are available in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes. Specific conditions are described in the specific topic of the Work Programme.

Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreements (MGA) are available in the Submission System. Application form templates include the Standard application form (HE RIA, IA) and Standard application form (HE CSA). Evaluation form templates include the Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA) and Standard evaluation form (HE CSA). Guidance documents include the HE Programme Guide, HE MGA, Lump Sum MGA, Framework Partnership Agreement FPA, Detailed budget table (HE LS), Information on financial support to third parties (HE), Information on clinical studies (HE), and Guidance: "Lump sums - what do I need to know?".

Additional documents include the HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 (General Introduction, Research Infrastructures, and General Annexes), HE Programme Guide, HE Framework Programme 2021/695, HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764, EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme, Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment, EU Grants AGA Annotated Model Grant Agreement, Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions, and Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement.

The budget overview lists several topics under the Research Infrastructures 2026 call, including:

 HORIZON-INFRA-2026-01-EOSC-01 (HORIZON-RIA): EUR 40,000,000
 HORIZON-INFRA-2026-01-EOSC-02 (HORIZON-CSA): EUR 10,000,000
 HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-01 (HORIZON-RIA): EUR 10,000,000
 HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-02 (HORIZON-RIA): EUR 40,000,000
 HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-03 (HORIZON-RIA): EUR 9,900,000
 HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-04 (HORIZON-CSA): EUR 2,000,000
 HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-05 (HORIZON-RIA): EUR 8,000,000
 HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-06 (HORIZON-CSA): EUR 8,000,000
 HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-07 (HORIZON-RIA): EUR 10,000,000
 HORIZON-INFRA-2026-SERV-01-01 (HORIZON-RIA): EUR 32,000,000
 HORIZON-INFRA-2026-TECH-01-01 (HORIZON-RIA): EUR 110,000,000
 HORIZON-INFRA-2026-TECH-01-02 (HORIZON-RIA): EUR 15,000,000

Partner search announcements can be viewed and edited by LEARs, Account Administrators, or self-registrants after logging into the portal. The submission system is planned to open on the date stated on the topic header.

For support, applicants are encouraged to read the provisions carefully, consult the Online Manual and Horizon Europe Programme Guide, check the Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ, and contact the Research Enquiry Service, National Contact Points (NCPs), Enterprise Europe Network, IT Helpdesk, European IPR Helpdesk, and CEN-CENELEC/ETSI Research Helpdesks. Applicants are also advised to consult the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for their recruitment and use the Partner Search tool.

In summary, this Horizon Europe call aims to integrate Ukraine's research infrastructure with that of Europe by providing funding for collaborative projects, remote fellowships, and access to European research infrastructures. The call encourages the development of an implementation plan for upgrading Ukrainian research facilities and fostering long-term partnerships. The funding is provided as a lump sum, and consortia must include at least three legal entities from different Member States/Associated Countries, including one from the government-controlled territories of Ukraine. The call provides a framework for strengthening research collaboration and supporting the reconstruction of Ukraine's research capabilities within the broader European Research Area.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are legal entities established in different Member States/Associated Countries, including at least one legal entity established in the government controlled territories of Ukraine. The Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate as member of the consortium selected for funding as a beneficiary with zero funding, or as an associated partner.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Research and Innovation Action (HORIZON-RIA) or HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA) under the Horizon Europe Programme. Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum. Beneficiaries may provide financial support to third parties in the form of grants, with a maximum amount of EUR 60 000 to be granted to each third party.

Consortium Requirement: A consortium of multiple applicants is required. The application must include at least three legal entities as beneficiaries established in different Member States/Associated Countries, including at least one legal entity established in the government controlled territories of Ukraine.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU Member States, Associated Countries, and Ukraine (government controlled territories). A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects.

Target Sector: The target sector is research infrastructures, with a focus on facilitating the integration of Ukraine in the European Research Area. This includes technology development, scientific instrumentation, and advanced methods. The European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) research infrastructure offering transnational access to external users to a portfolio of 18 facilities in the nuclear and non-nuclear area.

Mentioned Countries: Ukraine, EU Member States, Associated Countries.

Project Stage: The project stage appears to be focused on development, reconstruction, and reorientation of research infrastructure capacity, as well as fostering collaboration and providing access to existing infrastructures. It also includes early phase implementation planning.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic within the call, ranging from EUR 2,000,000 to EUR 40,000,000 for HORIZON-RIA actions and EUR 1,000,000 to EUR 5,000,000 for HORIZON-CSA actions. There are also specific topics with budgets of EUR 8,000,000, EUR 9,900,000, EUR 15,000,000, EUR 32,000,000 and EUR 110,000,000.

Application Type: The application type is a single-stage call.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of grants. They may also provide financial support to third parties in the form of grants. Non-monetary services include access to research infrastructures, remote fellowships, and networking opportunities.

Application Stages: The application process is a single-stage process.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly stated, but the indicative number of grants is provided for each topic, allowing for an estimation of the potential success rate based on the number of expected proposals.

Co-funding Requirement: The information does not explicitly state a co-funding requirement.

Summary: This Horizon Europe call focuses on integrating Ukraine into the European Research Area by utilizing Europe's research infrastructure landscape. The call aims to foster collaboration between Ukrainian and European research institutions, support the development and reconstruction of Ukrainian research infrastructure, and provide remote access and fellowships for Ukrainian researchers. The call includes various topics with different scopes and funding levels, covering research and innovation actions as well as coordination and support actions. Eligible applicants must form a consortium of at least three legal entities from different Member States/Associated Countries, including at least one from the government controlled territories of Ukraine. The funding will be provided as a lump sum grant, and beneficiaries can further distribute grants to third parties up to EUR 60,000 per party. The call emphasizes the importance of collaboration, networking, and aligning investment opportunities to support the long-term integration of Ukraine into the European scientific community. The call aims to create strong and sustainable collaboration frameworks, develop an early phase implementation plan for Ukrainian research infrastructure, and enhance the research capabilities of Ukrainian researchers through remote access and fellowships.