Tunisia becomes Associated Country in Horizon 2020

16 December 2015

In May 2015 the Prime Minister of Tunisia confirmed that Tunisia was entering negotiations with the European Commission to be formally recognised as an Associated Country in Horizon 2020.

Tunisia is already recognised as one of the International Cooperation Partner Countries (ICPC) as all African Member States are and can be included as a partner in most proposals submitted under Horizon 2020 after the minimum requirement of three independent entities from 3 different EU Member States is fulfilled.

Under FP7 Tunisian research organisations were involved in more than 87 projects with research funding in excess of €13.4 million. As at December 2016 Tunisian research organisations were involved in 2 running Horizon 2020 projects.

In early December 2015 it was announced that Tunisia had been awarded associated country status in Horizon 2020. This allows Tunisian research organisations to be included in all programmes under Horizon 2020 on the same basis as other Associated Countries such as Norway, Turkey, Iceland. The agreement covers the period from 2016 - 2020.