03 Nov 2025
EC and Armenia discuss implementation of Horizon Europe Association Agreement
The European Commission and the Republic of Armenia held the fourth meeting of the EU-Armenia Joint Research and Innovation (R&I) Committee under the agreement associating Armenia to Horizon Europe in Yerevan, Armenia, on 23 October 2025. The meeting was co-chaired by Artur Martirosyan, Deputy Minister for Education, Science, Culture and Sports of the Republic of Armenia, and Carole Mancel-Blanchard, Head of the "International Cooperation - Europe and Americas" Unit, Directorate-General for R&I of the European Commission.
The EU Co-Chair referred to recent policy developments on the EU side and elaborated on the new EU-Armenia Partnership Agenda, praised the ongoing reform process in Armenia aiming to strengthen the R&I capacity of the Armenia ecosystem, and highlighted the positive trend of participation of Armenia in Horizon Europe when it comes to EU budget contribution to Armenian entities of €8.11 million, compared to a total of €7.00 million in 2024 and € 4.2 million in Horizon 2020.
The Armenian Co-Chair drew attention to the Armenia's vibrant startup ecosystem, reinforced by the EU €270 million Resilience and Growth Plan for Armenia for 2024-2027. He referred to initiatives in the field of digital innovation supported by the EU Delegation in recent years and highlighted the importance of further deepening their synergies with Horizon Europe. Deputy Minister Martirosyan presented recent developments in research and higher education in the Republic of Armenia, and reported on engagement within the European Research Area (ERA), in particular in the areas of research assessment, infrastructure investments, and attracting young talent.
The two sides took the opportunity to discuss the implementation of the Horizon Europe Association Agreement, including measures to enhance the participation and success rate of Armenian entities through a more effective use of funding opportunities available under Horizon Europe, such as Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA), European Research Council (ERC), European Innovation Council (EIC), and all thematic clusters of Pillar II. They also reviewed the next steps concerning the implementation of the reciprocity principle.
The discussions further addressed opportunities for strengthening collaboration within the Eastern Partnership Informal Working Group on Research and Innovation, as well as progress in implementing the recommendations of the Horizon 2020 Policy Support Facility report. Both sides reaffirmed their shared commitment to deepening cooperation in research and innovation.
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