COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS on the Global Approach to Research and Innovation Europe's strategy for international cooperation in a changing world
Date: 2021-05-18
Institutions: Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, European Commission
Subjects: EU environmental policy, EU research policy, EU strategy, digital technology, health policy, innovation, international cooperation, research and development, scientific cooperation, scientific research

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 18.5.2021  COM(2021) 252 final  COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS on the Global Approach to Research and Innovation             Europe's strategy for international cooperation in a changing world  
 
 
The Global Approach to Research and Innovation 
Europe’s strategy for international cooperation in a changing world 

1. 

INTRODUCTION 

The mobilisation of the world’s researchers and innovators will be crucial to the well-being of 
citizens and of future generations. We need to cooperate across borders on a scale never seen 
before to develop innovative solutions to deliver just green and digital transitions in line with 
the  sustainable  development  goals1  and  to  promote  Europe’s  resilience,  prosperity, 
competitiveness, and economic and social well-being.  

Through  its  policies  and  programmes,  the  EU  is  a  major  catalyst  for  internationalisation  in 
research and innovation2. Reciprocal openness, the free exchange of ideas and the co-creation 
of solutions are essential to the pursuit and advancement of fundamental knowledge and are 
key components of a vibrant innovation ecosystem. 

Yet the openness in cooperation that characterises EU action is taking place in a transformed 
global environment. Other major science powers are now spending more on science than the 
EU  as  a  percentage  of  gross  domestic  product,  geopolitical  tensions  are  rising  and  human 
rights  and  fundamental  values  such  as  academic  freedom  are  being  challenged.  Some 
countries are increasingly seeking technological leadership through discriminatory measures, 
and  are  often  instrumentalising  research  and  innovation  for  global  influence  and  social 
control.  The  EU’s  prosperity  and  economic  competitiveness,  but  also  its  ability  to 
autonomously source and provide its citizens with crucial technologies and services that are 
safe and secure need to be reinforced. 

In response to current  global trends, the EU should lead by example, promoting rules-based 
multilateralism3,  pursuing  reciprocal  openness  in  research  and  innovation  cooperation  to 
facilitate  global  responses  to  global  challenges  and  exchanging  best  practices.  It  should 
support  its  objectives  of  open  strategic  autonomy4  by,  in  parallel,  modulating  its  bilateral 
cooperation with non-EU countries in certain areas. 

With this Communication, the Commission therefore presents a new strategy that: 

o  reaffirms the EU commitment to lead by example to preserve openness in international 
research  and  innovation  cooperation,  while  promoting  a  level  playing  field  and 
reciprocity underpinned by fundamental values;  

1 https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/sustainable-development-goals.html  
2 Enhancing and focusing EU international cooperation in research and innovation: A strategic approach 
(COM/2012/497); see also 2014 (COM(2014) 567), 2016 (COM(2016) 657)  and 2018 (SWD(2018) 307, Annex 
10), reports on the implementation of the strategy for international cooperation in R&I. 
3 Strengthening the EU’s contribution to rules-based multilateralism (JOIN(2021)3). 
4 A long-term and cross-cutting perspective on strengthening Europe’s open strategic autonomy will also be 
provided by the Commission’s 2021 Strategic Foresight Report. 

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o  strengthens  the  EU’s  leading  role  in  supporting  multilateral  research  and  innovation 
partnerships  to  deliver  new  solutions  to  green,  digital,  health,  social  and  innovation 
challenges. 

This global approach should be implemented through: 

o  modulating EU bilateral cooperation in research and innovation to make it compatible 

with European interests and values and to strengthen the EU’s open strategic 
autonomy; 

o  mobilising science, technology and innovation to accelerate sustainable and inclusive 
development, and the transition to resilient, knowledge-based societies and economies 
in low and middle-income countries; and 
initiatives modelled on a Team Europe approach, which combine actions by the EU, 
financial institutions and Member States to maximise the effectiveness and impact of 
the actions. 

o 

It  will  also  serve  as  a  guide  in  implementing  the  international  dimension  of  the  new  EU 
programme  for  civil  research  and  innovation,  Horizon  Europe,  and  its  synergies  with  other 
EU  programmes, 
the  Neighbourhood,  Development  and  International 
Cooperation Instrument - Global Europe. 

in  particular 

2.  REAFFIRMING EU COMMITMENT TO INTERNATIONAL OPENNESS AND FUNDAMENTAL 

VALUES IN RESEARCH AND INNOVATION 

To promote global openness and scientific exchange, the EU should boost its attractiveness as 
a  high-quality,  high-intensity  centre  of  research  and  innovation.  Scientific  research  thrives 
thanks  to  freedom  of  thought,  the  development  of  a  critical  mind,  argumentation  based  on 
evidence and the rejection of the argument of authority. The EU should therefore continue to 
offer researchers and innovators a democratic, inclusive and supportive environment, devoid 
of political interference, defending academic freedom and the opportunity for curiosity-driven 
research, under the respect and protection of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.  

It should ensure that technology is developed for the benefit of individuals and societies, free 
from authoritarianism and respecting high ethical standards and human rights. Moreover, the 
EU  should  lead  by  example  in  offering  a  rules-based  innovation  ecosystem,  protecting 
intellectual  property  rights  enforced  by  an  independent  judicial  system.  The  protection  and 
enforcement  of  intellectual  property  rights  should  contribute  to  the  transfer,  promotion  and 
dissemination  of  technological  innovation  in  a  manner  conducive  to  social  and  economic 
welfare. 

At the same time, to strengthen the EU’s long-term research and innovation value chains, the 
EU should encourage its researchers and innovators to contribute to and benefit from global 
innovation  ecosystems.  It  should  also  further  promote  cooperation  in  human  capital 

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development,  through  researchers’  training  and  mobility,  in  particular  through  the  Marie 
Skłodowska Curie Actions5. 

To maintain this leadership, the EU research and innovation programme will remain open to 
the world.  This means that  participants from  all over the world, regardless  of their place of 
establishment  or  residence,  will  be  able  to  participate  in  most  of  the  Horizon  Europe 
programme. The EU will  fund in  most cases the participation in  Horizon Europe  actions of 
legal entities established in low and middle-income countries to support the development of 
their  research  and  innovation  capacities,  in  synergy  with  the  Neighbourhood,  Development 
and International Cooperation Instrument.  

The  association  of  non-EU  countries  to  Horizon  Europe  allows  their  citizens  and 
organisations  to  participate  in  the  activities  in  generally  the  same  way  as  those  from  EU 
Member  States6.  Association  to  Horizon  Europe  enables  the  EU  and  its  partners  to  align 
research and innovation policy goals, pool resources, share costs and gain reciprocal access to 
knowledge  and  know-how,  talents  and  expertise,  to  research  infrastructure  and  to  new 
markets for innovators. As an expression of the EU’s commitment to international openness, 
Horizon  Europe  now  offers  to  the  possibility  to  associate  countries,    which  share  European 
values and with a strong science, technology and innovation profile, located anywhere in the 
world, to be associated to the programme.  

In  parallel,  and  to  strengthen  the  EU’s  role  for  a  rules  and  value-based  cooperation  by 
ensuring  consistency  among  EU  and  Member  States’  external  research  and  innovation 
policies,  the  values  and  principles  underlying  international  cooperation  in  research  and 
innovation will be discussed with international partners. These discussions will notably take 
place in the ERA Forum for Transition, part of the strengthened European Research Area7 and 
guided by a European Pact for Research and Innovation, presented in 2021. 

The EU should work towards a common understanding and implementation of the following 
issues with its international partners: 

Academic  freedom.  Academic  freedom,  integrity  and  institutional  autonomy  form  the 
backbone of universities and higher education institutions in the EU. The EU and its Member 
States  should  promote  and  protect  these  common  fundamental  values  internationally  and 
uphold  the  principles  of  the  Bonn  Declaration  on  Freedom  of  Scientific  Research8  vis-à-vis 
third countries. 

5 https://ec.europa.eu/research/mariecurieactions/node_en  
6  Countries  previously  associated  to  Horizon  2020  and  having  expressed  interest  in  associating  to  Horizon 
Europe are: Norway, Iceland, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey, 
Georgia,  Armenia,  Ukraine,  Moldova,  Tunisia,  Israel,  Faroe  Islands,  Switzerland.  In  addition,  the  UK  will  be 
associated under the TCA, and Morocco and Kosovo* have expressed interest in association. 
7 A new ERA for Research and Innovation (COM(2020) 628). 
8 https://www.bmbf.de/files/10_2_2_Bonn_Declaration_en_final.pdf  

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Research  ethics  and  integrity.  The  rapid  development  of  new  technologies  necessitates  a 
continuous evaluation of current approaches to address ethical challenges and ensure human-
centred  technological  innovation.  The  EU  should  continue  to  promote  internationally  the 
European  Code  of  Conduct  for  Research  Integrity  and  the  Global  Code  of  Conduct  for 
Research  in  Resource-Poor  Settings.  It  will  expand  its  international  dialogues  through 
European networks on  ethics and integrity  and support  the World  Conferences on Research 
Integrity9. 

Gender  equality,  diversity  and  inclusiveness.  In  line  with  the  Commission’s  Gender 
Equality  Strategy  2020-202510  and  the  EU  agenda  for  gender  equality  and  women’s 
empowerment  in  EU  external  action11,  the  EU  should  mainstream  and  integrate  the  gender 
dimension  in  international  cooperation.  Through  dialogue  with  non-EU  countries,  it  should 
also foster gender balance and equality, youth empowerment, inclusiveness, and diversity in 
the broader sense12, in research and innovation at global level.  

Open data and open science. Making research data as open, standardised and interoperable 
as possible benefits both the EU and the world when other countries and regions do the same. 
The EU should continue to support bodies and platforms such as the Research Data Alliance 
and  the  Committee  on  Data  of  the  International  Science  Council,  as  well  as  efforts  by  the 
OECD, the UN and the  G7. The  global  aim is  to make datasets  FAIR:  findable, accessible, 
interoperable,  and  reusable.  The  EU  will  also  support  the  international  outreach  of  the 
European Open Science Cloud. 

Standards.  The  EU’s  leading  role  as  a  setter  of  global  standards  should  also  be  advanced 
through  an  increased  role  in  international  cooperation  in  pre-normative  and  standardisation 
research. 

Evidence-informed policymaking. The EU and its Member States have emerged as leading 
practitioners  of  evidence-informed  policymaking.  They  should  share  their  own  science  for 
policy insights and experiences and engage with global networks. 

In  addition,  a  stronger  focus  on  science  and  technology  in  the  EU’s  foreign  and  security 
policies in terms of ‘Science Diplomacy’ would help the EU to project soft power and pursue 
our economic interests and values more effectively, meeting demand and interest from partner 
countries and playing to the EU’s strengths as a research and innovation powerhouse. 

9 With the involvement of international organisations such as the World Health Organization and the United 
Nations Educational Science and Cultural Organization. 
10 A Union of Equality: Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025 (COM/2020/152 final). 
11 https://ec.europa.eu/international-partnerships/system/files/swd_2020_284_en_final.pdf   
12 The EU’s Union of Equality policy agenda beyond gender equality is set out in the following strategies and 
frameworks: EU anti-racism action plan 2020-2025 (COM(2020) 565 final); LGBTIQ Equality Strategy 2020-
2025 (COM(2020) 698 final); EU Roma strategic framework for equality, inclusion and participation 
(COM(2020) 620 final); Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030 (COM(2021) 101 final) 

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The  EU  should,  in  2021,  in  coordination  with  Member  States  in  the  ERA  Forum  for 
Transition13, develop principles for international cooperation in research and innovation, and 
then promote the principles in a multilateral dialogue with partner countries and international 
fora 

3.  REBALANCING THE EU’S GLOBAL APPROACH TO RESEARCH AND INNOVATION: 

TOWARDS A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD AND RECIPROCITY 

EU efforts to promote reciprocal openness at global level can be jeopardised by geopolitical 
tensions  at  a  time  of  economic  transformation.  Competition  for  technological  leadership 
drives certain non-EU countries to adopt restrictive or discriminatory measures that are unfair 
to  EU  innovators,  companies  and  in  particular  start-ups.  At  the  same  time,  foreign 
interference  can  compromise  the  integrity  and  autonomy  on  which  research  and  innovation 
systems in the EU are built. 

For  these  reasons,  the  EU  approach  requires  rebalancing  to  better  safeguard  its  interests, 
values and expertise, boost its resilience, while maintaining wide openness to cooperation. 

The  EU  should  more  assertively  promote  a  level  playing  field  and  reciprocity  to  respect 
fundamental values and principles, to protect the use of intellectual property rights, to ensure 
the  security  of  supply,  and  to  encourage  fair  innovation  ecosystems  not  distorted  by  undue 
rules or foreign subsidies, in line with the recently proposed regulation to address distortion 
by  foreign  subsidies  and  the  updated  Industrial  Strategy14.  Measures  should  focus  on  open 
standard setting, non-discriminatory state subsidies and the absence of protectionist laws.  

The EU should pursue these points in international fora such as the World Trade Organization 
and  the  World  Intellectual  Property  Organization.  It  should  also  deal  directly  with  non-EU 
countries  when  necessary,  through  the  various  dialogues  and  negotiations  that  take  place 
under relevant agreements, such as association agreements under the framework programme, 
EU  science  and  technology  agreements15  with  non-EU  countries,  and  EU  trade  and 
investment agreements, including the WTO TRIPS agreement16.  

In addition, the Commission intends to negotiate, on behalf of the EU, targeted roadmaps for 
research  and  innovation  cooperation  with  non-EU  countries  with  a  strong  research  and 
innovation base. These roadmaps, which will be non-binding instruments, should clearly set 
out the framework conditions, which both sides are expected to meet, and identify milestones 
and  implementation  timelines.  The  EU  should  condition  any  future  continuation  and 
expansion  of  bilateral  cooperation  on  concrete  progress,  monitored  on  the  ground,  towards 
objectives set out in the roadmaps. 

13 A new ERA for Research and Innovation (COM(2020) 628). 
14 COM (2021) 223 final; COM (2021) 350 final. 
15 Science and technology agreements currently exist between the European Union and Algeria, Argentina, 
Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Egypt, India, Japan, Jordan, Korea, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, 
Russia, South Africa, Switzerland, Tunisia, Ukraine and the United States of America. 
16 https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/trips_e/trips_e.htm  

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Furthermore,  Article  22(5)  of  the  Horizon  Europe  Regulation  provides  that  the  work 
programme  may  limit  participation  in  actions  under  the  Horizon  Europe  programme  when 
there  is  a  justified  need  to  safeguard  the  EU’s  strategic  assets17,  interests18,  autonomy19  or 
security20.  In  these  exceptional  and  justified  circumstances,  the  EU  could  limit  programme 
participation  to  legal  entities  established  only  in  Member  States,  or  to  legal  entities 
established in specified associated or other non-EU countries. The work programme may also 
exclude the participation of legal entities established in the Union or in associated countries 
directly or indirectly controlled by non-associated third countries. 

Any  limitations  should  always  be  applied  in  accordance  with  the  procedure  set  out  by  EU 
legislation and respecting the EU’s commitments under international agreements. They should 
be exceptional and duly justified, allowing the programmes to remain open as a rule. 

To ensure that the EU and its Member States align their approach to pursuing open strategic 
autonomy  in  given  fields  of  research  and  innovation  by  tailoring  their  international 
cooperation to the specific policy interests, the Commission proposes to consult the Member 
States in the appropriate fora. 

In  parallel,  as  preventive  measures,  the  Commission  proposes  to  make  appropriate  use  of 
provisions under the Horizon Europe Regulation to further mitigate risks to EU interests, such 
as  those  on  exploitation  of  results  in  non-associated  non-EU  countries  (Art.  39(6)),  on  the 
transfer of ownership of results (Art. 40(4)), or on security agreements with non-EU countries 
(Art. 20(1)).  

In addition, the Commission intends to present guidelines on dealing with foreign interference 
targeting  EU  research  organisations  and  higher  education  institutions.  These  guidelines  will 
aim  to  protect  fundamental  values  by  safeguarding  academic  freedom,  integrity  and 
institutional  autonomy,  and  to  shield  students,  researchers  and  innovators,  and  key  research 
findings, from coercive, covert, deceptive or corrupting foreign actors. 

The  Commission  will  also  put  forward  a  code  of  practice  on  smart  use  of  intellectual 
property21, in accordance with the Intellectual Property Action Plan22. The aim will be to raise 

17 For example, sensitive infrastructure owned by the EU such as the Galileo or Copernicus satellites, the 
disruption of which would have a significant impact for the EU as a result of the failure to maintain those 
functions. 
18 Covering the offensive and defensive interests identified by the EU in the various components of its external 
policy, the promotion of fundamental rights and values, or the protection of intellectual property rights. 
19 As set out in the Trade Policy Review, open strategic autonomy encompasses (i) resilience and 
competitiveness to strengthen the EU’s economy; (ii) sustainability and fairness,  reflecting the need for 
responsible and fair EU action and (iii) assertiveness and rules-based cooperation to showcase the EU’s 
preference for international cooperation and dialogue, but also its readiness to combat unfair practices and use 
autonomous tools to pursue its interests where needed. 
20 European security encompasses, for example, the protection of the EU against external or internal threats and 
cover, for instance protection and resilience of critical infrastructure against systemic risks and hybrid threats 
such as energy infrastructures, data and networks, including Space Surveillance and Tracking and Governmental 
Satellite Communications. 
21 A new ERA for Research and Innovation (COM (2020) 628). 

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awareness  among  universities,  research  organisations  and  businesses  of  the  importance  of 
managing knowledge and intellectual property in an international environment.  

Lastly, to ensure that the EU can react to global crises independently and mitigate the risks of 
dependency  on  non-EU  countries  in  the  area  of  civil  security,  it  should  strengthen  its  civil 
security  industry  through  an  ambitious  and  capability-driven  approach  to  security  research 
and innovation. 

The EU should: 

  seek  to  agree  on  targeted  bilateral  roadmaps  with  prioritised  non-EU  country  partners 
with a strong research and innovation base, setting out joint commitments to implement 
framework conditions to secure a level playing field and the promotion of shared values. 

The Commission will:  

 

in 2021, develop and promote guidelines on dealing with foreign interference that targets 
EU research organisations and higher education institutions, and; 

  by the end of 2022, present a code of practice on smart use of intellectual property in an 
international  context  to  raise  awareness  among  universities,  research  organisations  and 
businesses. 

4.  POOLING GLOBAL EFFORTS TO TACKLE GLOBAL CHALLENGES TOGETHER 

The COVID-19 pandemic taught the world an important lesson that should equally be applied 
to climate change, the biodiversity crisis and other global challenges: it exposed inequities in 
the vulnerability of countries, demonstrated the impossibility of containment within national 
borders,  and  showed  both  the  need  and  the  untapped  potential  to  work  together  for  the 
common good. The economic crisis caused by the pandemic also offers a unique opportunity 
to ‘build back better’ with the focus on sustainability in the context of a green recovery. 

Consequently, the EU should, building on the rules and values-based cooperation it proposes, 
further strive to bring countries around the globe closer together in multilateral research and 
innovation  partnerships,  focused  on  finding  solutions  to  global  challenges  such  as  climate 
change, the biodiversity crisis, pollution, resource depletion, or infectious diseases, including 
in crisis situations23, and enabling the green and digital transitions.  

Multilateral  research  and  innovation  partnerships  should  be  inspired  by  successful  models 
such  as  the  All-Atlantic  Ocean  Research  Alliance24.  The  alliance  is  the  result  of  science 
diplomacy  efforts  gathering  scientists,  policymakers,  and  public  and  private  stakeholders  to 
improve understanding and stewardship of the Atlantic Ocean. Building on existing efforts or 

22 Making the most of the EU’s innovative potential – An intellectual property action plan to support the EU’s 
recovery and resilience (COM(2020) 760). 
23 EU’s humanitarian action: new challenges, same principles COM(2021) 110. 
24 https://allatlanticocean.org. 

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through new initiatives, the multilateral partnerships should take different forms depending on 
their focus and objectives. They could range from informal arrangements between partners to 
coordinate their independent investments in key fields, through to partnerships providing for 
the pooling of resources in joint initiatives. 

4.1 

Leading global efforts towards a just green transition  

As a global leader committed to becoming the first climate-neutral bloc in the world by 2050, 
the EU will continue to lead international efforts and jointly address environmental challenges 
with  its  international  partners,  notably  the  major  world  economies  and  greenhouse  gas 
emitters. International cooperation in climate and environmental science is crucial to underpin 
evidence-informed policies to tackle and adapt to the climate and biodiversity crises. It should 
also  focus  on  clean  technology  development  in  line  with  the  Paris  Agreement  and  the 
European  Green  Deal,  respecting  the  so-called  ‘do  no  significant  harm  principle’.  As  a 
contribution  to  achieving  these  objectives,  key  strategic  orientations  of  Horizon  Europe 
include  climate  action  and  reducing  emissions,  combatting  environmental  degradation, 
tackling pollution, promoting a circular economy and a just transition. These will be pursued 
through dedicated research topics and partnerships open to participation by non-EU countries. 

In  addition,  to  ensure  its  green  technological  leadership,  the  EU  should  pursue  strategic 
partnerships with technology leaders and cooperate through global fora while supporting the 
uptake of EU green standards globally. It should do so through various projects and bodies, as 
indicated below.  

All-Atlantic  Ocean  Research  Alliance.  To  strengthen  international  marine  research  and 
innovation cooperation and actively contribute to global initiatives such as the UN Decade of 
Ocean  Science  for  Sustainable  Development  2021-2030,  the  Commission  will  increase  EU 
support  to  the  All-Atlantic  Ocean  Research  Alliance.  In  parallel,  Arctic  science  will  also 
remain a priority for the EU as an example of global leadership. 

Mission  Innovation25.  This  is  a  global  initiative  of  24  countries  and  the  European  Union 
working  to  accelerate  clean  energy  innovation,  thereby  demonstrating  global  leadership  in 
climate  ambition  at  COP26.  The  Commission  proposes  to  bolster  the  EU’s  commitment  to 
Mission  Innovation  by  broadening  cooperation  to  new  partners,  aligning  research  agendas, 
building  on  strengths  like  the  hydrogen  strategy26  and  enhancing  links  between  relevant 
Horizon Europe partnerships. In this regard, the EU is co-leading the scoping of a ‘Hydrogen 
Mission’  with  Australia,  Chile,  Germany  and  the  United  Kingdom,  to  be  launched  at  the 
Mission Innovation 2.0 conference in June 2021. 

Group on Earth Observations (GEO). The Commission is the lead co-chair in 2021 of this 
global network in the area of earth observation. GEO has the capacity to connect government 

25 Mission Innovation (http://mission-innovation.net/) is a global initiative announced in 2015 at the COP21 
working to accelerate clean energy innovation. The European Union currently holds the chair of its steering 
committee.  
26 http://mission-innovation.net/our-work/innovation-challenges/renewable-and-clean-hydrogen/  

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and  academic  institutions,  data  providers,  businesses,  engineers  and  citizens  to  create  earth 
observation-based innovative solutions to global environmental, social and health challenges.  

International  Bioeconomy  Forum.  Under  the  umbrella  of  the  Bioeconomy  strategy,  the 
Commission will stimulate a more innovative, resource efficient and competitive society that 
reconciles  food  and  nutrition  security  with  the  sustainable  use  of  renewable  resources  for 
industrial  purposes,  while  ensuring  environmental  protection.  In  the  framework  of  the  EU 
Farm-to-Fork strategy27, the Commission will foster cooperation at global level in agricultural 
research  on  priority  areas  such  as  soil  health28,  and  food  systems29  and  will  assess  the 
feasibility  of  an  international  platform  for  food  systems  science  in  view  of  the  UN’s  2021 
Food Systems Summit. 

The  EU  supports  both  the  Intergovernmental  Panel  on  Climate  Change  (IPCC)  and  the 
Intergovernmental  Science-Policy  Platform  on  Biodiversity  and  Ecosystem  Services 
(IPBES). The Commission intends to showcase the EU’s work in support of climate science 
in the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), to highlight EU’s role as a key 
enabler of the transition to climate neutrality and resilience. The EU should promote synergies 
between the IPCC and IPBES in view of the interdependence between the climate change and 
biodiversity crises, taking also into account the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030.  

The  Commission  will  also  promote  the  work  of  the  International  Resource  Panel  (IRP), 
which it co-chairs. It provides advice on resource efficiency and the circular economy, crucial 
for the new EU Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP), to operationalise the Global Alliance 
for Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency30 (GACERE) and to feed into the work of the 
G7 and G20.  

The  New  European  Bauhaus31  has  the  ambition  to  make  the  European  Green  Deal32  a 
cultural, human-centred, inclusive and positive, tangible experience for all and to accelerate a 
sustainable  greening  of  the  built  environment.  It  will  tackle  at  local  level  the  most  pressing 
challenges shared at EU and global level. 

27 https://ec.europa.eu/food/farm2fork_en   
28 With the establishment and support of International Research Consortia (IRCs) and the participation of the 
Commission in the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases. 
29 Food 2030: https://ec.europa.eu/info/research-and-innovation/research-area/environment/bioeconomy/food-
systems/food-2030_en  
30 https://ec.europa.eu/environment/international_issues/gacere.html  
31 https://europa.eu/new-european-bauhaus/index_en  
32 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?qid=1596443911913&uri=CELEX:52019DC0640#  

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The EU should: 

 

further  strengthen  international  marine  research  and  innovation  cooperation  through 
the  multilateral  All-Atlantic  Ocean  Research  Alliance,  building  on  its  successes, 
clustering its results and strengthening its north pole to south pole dimension; 

  use  its  leadership  position  in  the  Mission  Innovation  governance  to  strengthen  the 
multilateral alliance, focusing international innovation actions on breakthrough energy 
technologies and initiatives that show global leadership on climate and environmental 
ambitions in line with the European Green Deal 

The Commission will: 

  support  multilateral  cooperation  on  research  and  innovation  policy  for  fair,  healthy 
and  environmentally  friendly  food  systems,  notably  through  the  International 
Bioeconomy  Forum,  the  International  Research  Consortia  and  the  Global  Research 
Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases; and 

  establish  in  2022,  through  the  New  European  Bauhaus  initiative,  an  international 
knowledge  management  platform  that  will  disseminate  information  about  standards, 
guidance  and  funding  opportunities,  and  that  will  serve  as  a  depository  of  ideas  and 
exchanges of best practice, and engage in community management. 

4.2 

Promoting the digital transition 

The 2030 Digital Compass33 will guide the EU’s efforts in fostering a global approach to the 
main  technological  and  regulatory  developments,  including  in  the  area  of  international 
connectivity  and  standards.  The  EU  should  foster  an  international  approach  to  trusted  data 
flows,  while  promoting  its  model  of  a  safe  open  and  resilient  global  internet  and  pursuing 
ambitious  goals  in  terms  of  market  access.  Collaboration  in  research  and  innovation  is  one 
tool  to  foster  digital  partnerships  with  regions  around  the  world.  International  digital 
partnerships  should  result  in  greater  opportunities  for  EU  companies,  increased  digital 
commerce via secure networks, respect  of EU standards and fundamental  rights  and values, 
and a supportive environment internationally for a human-centric digital transformation. 

International digital partnerships on the following topics will be promoted:  (i) human centric 
policy  and  regulations;  (ii)  adapted  and  improved  solutions  for  digital  connectivity;  (iii) 
enhanced  innovation  partnerships  with  the  digital  research  and  innovation  ecosystems;  (iv) 
enhanced focus and research partnerships on key technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, 
blockchain,  internet  of  things,  big  data,  space  data,  applications  of  digital  technologies  to 
green transition, health, and education. For example: 

33 2030 Digital Compass: the European way for the Digital Decade COM(2021) 118. 

10 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
-  a  joint  task  force  on  artificial  intelligence  with  India  to  establish  common  ground  for 
collaboration on specific use-cases and on topics such as research and innovation on ethical 
artificial intelligence and standardisation; 

- a support for broadband roll-out in the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership countries, 
and  digital  connectivity  projects  with  the  European  Neighbourhood  countries,  Africa,  Latin 
America,  India  and  ASEAN,  inter  alia  to  support  the  pooling  of  research  and  innovation 
efforts; 

- a support for the launch of the connectivity components of the Digital Alliance with  Latin 
America & the Caribbean, building on the direct fibre optic cable link between South America 
and Europe (the BELLA cable);  

The private sector has a key role to play in research and innovation for the digital transition. It 
will  be  associated  to  strategic  initiatives  to  enhance  the  EU’s  expertise  in  several  digital 
strategic areas. 

International  digital  partnerships34  will  offer  the  opportunity  to  carry  out  joint  research 
activities,  including  through  joint  undertakings  on  industrial  issues,  which  will  support  EU 
leadership  in  evolving  technologies  such  as  6G  or  the  use  of  digital  technology  to  tackle 
climate change and environmental challenges. 

International digital Partnerships in research and innovation will be promoted also through the 
Digital  4  Development  Hub35  (D4D  Hub),  the  EU  global  multi-stakeholder  platform  that 
supports a human-centric digital transformation. The D4D Hub bundles a multitude of digital 
initiatives  and  promotes  combining  resources  of  the  EU,  Member  States,  and  financial 
institutions  through  the  Team  Europe  approach  for  coordinated  impact.  The  D4D  Hub  will 
form  regional  branches  in  Africa,  Asia,  Latin  America  and  the  Caribbean,  as  well  as  in  the 
EU’s Eastern Neighbourhood and include all relevant stakeholders from respective regions.  

The EU should: 

  strengthen  joint  research  activities,  including  under  joint  undertakings  on  industrial 
issues,  to  support  EU  leadership  in  evolving  technologies  such  as  6G  or  the  use  of 
digital technology in the fight against climate change and environmental challenges; 

  build  strong  international  digital  partnerships  matching  the  four  pillars  of  the  2030 

Digital Compass.  

34 https://ec.europa.eu/international-partnerships/topics/digital-partnerships_en  
35 https://ec.europa.eu/international-partnerships/news/team-europe-digital4development-hub-launched-help-
shape-fair-digital-future-across-globe_en  

11 

 
 
 
                                                           
4.3 

Strengthening cooperation on global health  

The  COVID-19  pandemic  has  shown  that  the  EU  and  the  world  need  to  substantially 
strengthen its preparedness and socio-economic resilience to health-related and other shocks. 
In low and middle-income countries, as well as in conflict settings, the pandemic has further 
highlighted the need for health system strengthening, and recalled the need for a global health 
security approach. The EU has used its strong international partnerships to accelerate efforts 
aiming at defeating the virus, launching the Coronavirus Global Response, which has raised 
nearly  €16  billion  in  pledges  globally,  developing  the  COVID-19  Data  Platform36,  and 
publishing  the  manifesto  for  EU  COVID-19  research.  Together  with  the  World  Health 
Organisation  (WHO)  and  its  international  partners,  the  EU  also  played  a  leading  role  in 
founding  the  Access  to  COVID-19  Tools  Accelerator  (ACT-A)37  as  well  as  the  COVAX 
mechanism38. These two initiatives aim to lead the development and equal distribution of safe 
the 
and  effective  COVID-19  diagnostics, 
Pharmaceutical Strategy for Europe39 is set to further enhance the EU’s role at global level, as 
a leader in health research and innovation, which can benefit patients across the world. 

treatments  and  vaccines.  Furthermore, 

Building  on  this  success  and  reinforcing  its  leadership,  and  together  with  Italy  as  the  G20 
Presidency in 2021, the Commission is organising a global health summit to take stock of the 
global  response  to  the  COVID-19  pandemic,  including  the  ACT-A,  to  improve  current  and 
potential future pandemic preparedness and response. It will also aim to develop and endorse 
a set of principles for further multilateral cooperation and joint action to prevent future global 
health  crises,  and  for  a  joint  commitment  to  build  a  healthier,  safer,  fairer  and  more 
sustainable world. 

In this regard, the EU should promote cooperation of the EU-funded European platform trials 
with  the  ACT-A  partnerships,  in  particular  to  ensure  rapid  sharing  of  clinical  evidence  to 
assess  therapeutics  and  vaccine  candidates.  This  will  improve  preparedness  to  tackle  new 
variants of the virus and help to rapidly deliver effective vaccines and therapeutics in line with 
the EU strategy for COVID-19 vaccines40 and the EU strategy on COVID-19 therapeutics41. 

In  the  medium  to  long  term,  the  Commission  will  enhance  its  commitments  to  strengthen 
health  systems,  global  health  security,  increase  access  to  medicines  and  health  products, 
notably though research, innovation, capacity building and support to local production, with 
digital innovations at the core of the strategy. The Commission will focus efforts on research 
and  innovation  high  burden  diseases  and  topics,  such  as  communicable  and  non-
communicable diseases or maternal and child health. 

36 https://joinup.ec.europa.eu/collection/digital-response-covid-19/news/european-covid-19-data-platform  
37 https://www.who.int/initiatives/act-accelerator 
38 https://www.who.int/initiatives/act-accelerator/covax 
39 https://ec.europa.eu/health/sites/health/files/human-use/docs/pharma-strategy_report_en.pdf  
40 COM(2020) 245 final. 
41 COM(2021) 355 final. 

12 

 
 
                                                           
The  Commission  will  build  on  global  alliances  in  health  already  launched  or  joined  over 
recent  years  in  key  sectors  such  as  rare  diseases42,  chronic  non-communicable  diseases43, 
antimicrobial  resistance44,  and  personalised  medicine45.  It  has  also  proposed  to  support  the 
European and Developing Countries Clinical  Trial Partnership (EDCTP) aiming at  reducing 
the  individual,  social  and  economic  burden  of  poverty-related  infectious  diseases  in  sub-
Saharan Africa; support the research on significant outbreaks of infectious disease46; and the 
development of and access to vaccines against emerging infectious diseases47. 

The Commission, together with the European Medicines Agency, also actively participates in 
the initiatives that provides strategic orientations and recommendations, fostering exchanges 
and cooperation among global regulators of pharmaceutical research results48.  

These  international  partnerships  will  be  strengthened,  involving  as  appropriate  the  World 
Health Organization and other global health actors. 

The Commission will: 

  contribute  to  the  medium  and  long  term  agenda  on  health  security,  preparedness  and 

health system strengthening; 

  promote cooperation of EU-funded European platform trials with the Access to COVID-
19  Tools  Accelerator  (ACT-A)  partnerships  and  pursue  the  ACT-A  objectives  by 
enhancing access to medicine and health products, notably through research, innovation, 
development  and  promotion  of  digital  health  tools  and  increase  of  local  production 
capacity in partner countries; and 

  support  the  establishment  of  a  global  health  joint  undertaking  under  the  European  and 
Developing  Countries  Clinical  Trials  Partnership,  in  which  the  EU  will  partner  with 
Member States, countries associated to Horizon Europe and African countries, to tackle 
infectious diseases and public health emergencies in sub-Saharan Africa. 

4.4 Promoting Innovation 

With  ever-increasing  digital  connectivity  and  literacy,  grassroots  innovators  are  appearing 
everywhere around the  world,  from  big cities to remote rural  areas;  they interact,  share  and 

42 International Rare Diseases Research Consortium: https://irdirc.org/about-us/vision-goals/  
43 Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases: https://www.gacd.org/  
44 Joint Programming Initiative on Antimicrobial Resistance - One Health antimicrobial resistance partnership: 
https://www.jpiamr.eu/  
45 International Consortium for Personalised Medicine: https://www.icpermed.eu/ 
46 Global Research Collaboration for Infectious Disease Preparedness: https://www.glopid-r.org/  
47 Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations: https://cepi.net/  
48 International Coalition of Medicines Regulatory Authorities: http://icmra.info/  

13 

 
 
  
 
 
 
                                                           
 
 
 
together create solutions across all areas to tackle global challenges. To foster and tap into this 
immense potential, and support the EU Connectivity Strategy49, the EU should establish win-
win  international  innovation  partnerships,  consisting  of  networks  of  incubators  and 
accelerators, with countries and regions that offer reciprocal openness to entrepreneurship and 
investment. They should foster, among other things, the creation of soft landing programmes50 
and start-up collaborations between the EU and non-EU countries, thereby complementing the 
international  dimension  of  European  Cluster  Partnerships51  and  Start-up  Europe52  initiatives 
and  the  network  of  EU  Digital  Innovation  Hubs.  Complementing  the  Marie  Skłodowska-
Curie  actions,  these  partnerships  will  also  promote  the  mobility  of  innovators  in  both 
directions. Already operational in India and Africa, the Commission proposes to expand them 
to other regions. 

To  further  encourage  European  innovators  to  tap  into  the  global  innovation  ecosystem,  the 
European  Innovation Council’s (EIC) business  acceleration services will offer the European 
start-up and scale-up companies it supports the opportunity to attend international trade fairs. 
In parallel, to further increase EU attractiveness and innovation capacity, overseas innovators 
who wish to establish start-ups in the EU will be able to apply for EIC support. In addition, 
the European  Institute of  Innovation and Technology  (EIT) will launch, in targeted non-EU 
countries, coordinated actions of its knowledge and innovation communities 

5.  MODULATING COOPERATION WITH PRIORITY COUNTRIES AND REGIONS  

The EU should engage with non-EU countries in a nuanced and modulated approach, based 
on  levels  of  reciprocity,  a  level  playing  field,  and  the  respect  for  fundamental  rights  and 
shared  values.  The  EU  should  remain  a  strong  and  open  partner,  while  seeking  to  enhance, 
through well-targeted cooperation, its own expertise in key emerging areas. At the same time, 
it  should  co-design  initiatives  to  support  countries  that  wish  to  upgrade  their  research  and 
innovation ecosystems.  

Strengthening  cooperation  with  industrialised  non-EU  countries  and  emerging 

5.1 
economies 

While  much  of  the  cooperation  with  specific  countries  will  take  place  within  multilateral 
global  partnerships,  the  EU  should  also  seek  to  strengthen  bilateral  cooperation  to  enhance 
knowledge and pool resources, especially in areas of EU interest. 

United States. Cooperation with the United States, with which the EU shares high levels of 
research and innovation capacity and common values and principles, ensures that researchers, 
innovators and the best facilities are combined in the search for solutions to global challenges. 
In particular, the recommitment of the United States to climate goals and to the strengthening 

49 JOIN (2018) 31. 
50 Soft-landing is a tailor-made programme to help startups and scaleups explore a new ecosystem. 
51 https://clustercollaboration.eu/find-partners/beyond-europe  
52 https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/startup-europe/ 

14 

 
 
 
 
                                                           
of the multilateral order provides the opportunity for a renewed relationship in research and 
innovation. The Joint Communication ‘A new EU-US agenda for global change’53 sets out a 
number  of  proposals  for  cooperation  with  the  US,  and  notably  a  call  to  form  a  Green 
Technology Alliance and to establish a new EU-US Trade and Technology Council. Building 
on this text, the Commission also proposes to increase reciprocity in bilateral cooperation, and 
raise the levels  of  coordination and coherence between EU and US  research and innovation 
investments, beginning with climate, digital, energy, environmental and health challenges. 

The  EU  should  also  seek  to  enhance  its  cooperation  with  major  science  powers  such  as 
Canada,  Japan,  South  Korea,  Singapore,  Australia  and  New  Zealand,  including  by 
exploring new possibilities for closer cooperation such as association under Horizon Europe. 

China.  As a research and innovation  powerhouse, China is  a partner for the EU in  tackling 
global  challenges.  At  the  same  time,  China’s  position  as  an  economic  competitor  and  a 
systemic rival to the EU calls for a rebalancing of research and innovation cooperation. The 
EU  has  launched  discussions  with  China  on  a  joint  roadmap  to  establish  agreed  framework 
conditions  and  guiding  principles  for  cooperation  to  reach  a  level  playing  field  and 
reciprocity, while respecting fundamental values, high ethical and science integrity standards. 
On this basis, it will also identify the research fields in which cooperation could be mutually 
beneficial, such as climate science and biodiversity protection, circular economy, health, food, 
agriculture, aquaculture, and ocean observation. Reaching a level playing field and reciprocity 
will be conditional to developing cooperation with China.  

The EU is funding an EU knowledge network on China to address research and innovation, 
bringing together Member States and the EU to discuss and share best practices and strategies 
and agree on common approach. At the same time, the EU should take measures to tap into 
China’s new research and innovation potential. It should encourage universities and research 
institutions  to  ensure  a  higher  degree  of  reciprocity  and  mutual  benefit  in  their  cooperation 
with Chinese counterparts. 

India. In line with the EU-India Strategic Partnership: A Roadmap to 2025, cooperation with 
India will be stepped up to address together global challenges and sustainable modernisation. 
Cooperation on healthcare, including resilience to health crises, actions on a just greening of 
the economy and striving for a human-centric digitalisation will all be considered as priorities. 
Cooperation to underpin the EU-India Connectivity Partnership54 , with a focus on mobility of 
researchers  and  innovators,  and  the  Indo-Pacific  strategy,  by  actions  on  the  blue  economy 
such as marine litter, will also be considered.  

Russia.  The  EU’s  cooperation  with  Russia  is  based  on  the  five  agreed  principles  for 
engagement set out by the Council, notably, in the area of research and innovation, and on the 
desirability  of  maintaining  people-to-people  contacts.  It  takes  into  account  the  EU’s  policy 

53 JOIN(2020) 22 final. 
54 Launched at the EU-India Leaders’ Meeting, 8 May 2021 - https://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/49516/eu-
india-connectivity-partnership-8-may-2.pdf  

15 

 
 
                                                           
priorities and interests, the need for increased reciprocity and level playing field, and respect 
of fundamental rights and values.  

5.2 

Integrating cooperation with EFTA countries, the Western Balkans, Turkey, 
countries covered by the European Neighbourhood policy and the United 
Kingdom 

The EU should give particular priority to partners in its immediate vicinity, including through 
association to Horizon Europe. 

EEA/EFTA  countries.  EEA/EFTA  countries  share  EU  values  and  make  important 
contributions  to  the  European  research  and  innovation  landscape.  They  support  excellence 
with major investments in globally ranked research organisations, cooperate in collaborative 
projects, and, given their level of integration with the EU, receive and send a great number of 
researchers and innovators from and to the EU.  

Western Balkans and Turkey. Fostering the stability and prosperity of candidate countries 
and  potential  candidates  remains  a  key  EU  priority.  The  EU  is  in  particular  committed  to 
support  the  implementation  of  a  dedicated  innovation  agenda  for  the  Western  Balkans55, 
including in the framework of the Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans56. 
Participation  in  EU  programmes  is  an  important  element  of  integrating  Turkey  into  EU 
policies  and  tools  where  it  is  in  the  mutual  interest  and  in  line  with  progress  in  the  overall 
framework of its relations with the EU. 

Eastern Partnership & Southern Neighbourhood. In line with the Joint Communication on 
the  Eastern  Partnership57,  the  post-2020  Eastern  Partnership  deliverables  should  identify 
cooperation  actions  for  the  years  to  come.  The  EU  partnership  with  the  Southern 
Neighbourhood58, based on the Renewed Partnership  with  the Southern Neighbourhood and 
its  Economic  and  Investment  Plan,  is  instrumental  to  promoting  growth  and  prosperity 
through  research  and  innovation.  International  cooperation  supports  technology  transfer, 
innovation  and  collaborative  research,  and  leads  to  more  resilient  and  inclusive  growth,  the 
creation  of  sustainable  employment  opportunities,  a  knowledge  society  and  economy  and 
environmental improvements through initiatives such as the BlueMed59. 

United Kingdom. The participation of the United Kingdom in Horizon Europe will enable it 
to  maintain strong links  with  the EU on research and innovation,  building on shared values 
and  on  the  long  history  of  the  UK’s  participation  in  research  and  innovation  framework 
programmes and in the European Research Area. 

55 To be agreed at the Ministerial meeting in May 2021. 
56 An Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans COM(2020) 641. 
57 Eastern Partnership policy beyond 2020: Reinforcing Resilience - an Eastern Partnership that delivers for all 
(JOIN(2020) 7). 
58 Renewed partnership with the Southern Neighbourhood - A new Agenda for the Mediterranean (JOIN(2021) 
2). 
59 BlueMed Initiative (bluemed-initiative.eu). 

16 

 
 
                                                           
5.3.  Deepening  EU  partnerships  with  Africa,  Latin  America  and  other  regions  and 

countries 

The modulated approach will pay special attention to cooperation with Africa, while building 
on existing cooperation with other regions and countries60.  

Africa.  In  line  with  the  Joint  Communication  ‘Towards  a  comprehensive  strategy  with 
Africa’61,  the  EU  seeks  to  enhance  its  cooperation  with  Africa  in  research  and  innovation. 
Making  effective  use  of  science,  technology  and  innovation  accelerates  sustainable  and 
inclusive  development  and  the  transition  to  knowledge-based  societies  and  economies 
strengthening  human  capital  notably  through  mobility  and  training  of  academics  and 
researchers.  To  meet  these  challenges,  whose  urgency  has  increased  due  to  the  COVID-19 
pandemic, the EU proposes a series of ambitious regional initiatives.  

The  Commission,  working  closely  with  the  African  Union  Commission,  proposes  to 
implement  a  series  of  initiatives  under  Horizon  Europe  constituting  a  comprehensive  and 
ambitious  ‘Africa  Initiative’.  This  will  support  the  agreement  reached  at  the  July  2020 
Ministerial  meeting  of  the  EU-African  Union  High-level  Policy  Dialogue  on  Science, 
Technology and Innovation. Four pillars of cooperation should be supported: (i) Public health, 
including resilience and pandemic preparedness62; (ii) The green transition63; (iii) Innovation 
and  technology  for  job  creation64;  and  (iv)  Capacities  for  science  and  higher  education65, 
particularly for women and youth. 

In  addition,  a  European  Union-African  Union  Innovation  Agenda  should  support  the 
transformation of research and innovation outputs into products and services with a concrete 
impact,  through  various  measures  that  improve  business  development  and  access  to  finance 
for innovators.  
The priority given to cooperation with Africa, includes the longstanding bilateral cooperation 
with South Africa,66and comes in parallel with the EU’s continuing its partnerships with other 
parts of the world combining resources of the EU, Member States, and financial institutions 
through Team Europe initiatives. 

the 
Latin  American  and  the  Caribbean  (LAC).  The  Commission  will  support 
implementation  of  the  EU-CELAC  Strategic  Roadmap  on  Science,  Technology  and 

60 Research cooperation opportunities will continue with other regions and countries not specifically mentioned 
below. 
61 Towards a comprehensive strategy with Africa (JOIN(2020) 4). 
62 Through the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trial Partnership and the proposed global health 
joint undertaking. 
63 Including through the EU-AU partnerships on Food and Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture, on 
Climate Change and Sustainable Energy and on Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements. 
64 For example through the Africa-Europe Innovation Partnership. 
65 Including by supporting science for policymaking, promoting open science, and the pilot programme of the 
African Research Initiative for Scientific Excellence. 
66 S&T Agreement with South Africa. 

17 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
Innovation67, based on four main lines of cooperation with the region, focusing on (i) global 
challenges,  (ii)  mobility  of  researchers,  (iii)  research  infrastructures  and  (iv)  innovation. 
Stronger engagement should be also sought with Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile and other 
EU partners in the region, in areas such as green and digital transition, health, or developing 
common solutions for a sustainable recovery. An increasing collaboration with the EU Space 
programme and the new Copernicus hubs and Galileo centres in LAC will play a key role to 
drive innovation and research in the region.  

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Regional cooperation with ASEAN will 
be enhanced through EU support for intra-ASEAN research and innovation cooperation and 
mobility under the ASEAN-EU Dialogue on Science and Technology. 

The EU should: 

  seek to agree on the EU-China Joint Roadmap on the future of science, technology and 
innovation  cooperation  to  secure  a  level  playing  field  and  reciprocity  as  a  precondition 
for future cooperation; and 

 

implement  the  Strategic  Roadmap  of  the  EU-CELAC  Action  Plan  on  Science, 
Technology  and  Innovation  (2021-2023)  and  support  the  ASEAN-EU  Dialogue  on 
Science and Technology.  

The Commission will: 

  develop selective and targeted international cooperation actions in calls for proposals in 
areas of mutual interest under Horizon Europe and exploit, where justified and on a case 
by  case  basis,  the  opportunities  for  association  to  Horizon  Europe,  while  ensuring 
reciprocity, mutual gains and respect of fundamental values; and 

  develop  strategic  research  and  innovation  plans  for  Africa,  linking  the  programming  of 
the  Neighbourhood,  Development  and  International  Cooperation  -  Global  Europe 
Instrument  with  Horizon  Europe,  and  launch  in  2021  a  comprehensive  and  ambitious 
‘Africa Initiative’ under the first Horizon Europe work programmes. 

6. CONCLUSION 

To support the objective of a stronger EU in the world, the EU should endeavour to deliver 
this  global  approach  in  close  coordination  with  the  strategies  of  Member  States,  using  the 
ERA Forum for Transition as appropriate. The Commission will monitor the implementation 
of the actions set out in this Communication and evaluate their contribution to the objectives 
of  the  Global  Approach,  taking  into  account  benchmarks  like  the  volume  of  mobilised 

67https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/default/files/research_and_innovation/strategy_on_research_and_innovation/doc
uments/eu-celac_strategic-roadmap-2021-2023.pdf  

18 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
 
 
 
 
 
international  R&D  investment  in  multilateral  cooperation,  the  number  of  international 
scientific  co-publications  and  progress  in  mutual  reciprocity  in  access  to  publicly-funded 
R&D programmes. A first review of progress will take place at an international conference to 
be organised in 2022. This will be followed by biennial reports from the Commission to the 
European Parliament and the Council, which will replace the implementation reports and the 
specific  country-based  roadmaps  presented  in  the  2012  Communication  on  international 
cooperation in research and innovation68. 

Our  rapidly  changing  world  sees  science  and  technology  as  key  drivers  and  enablers  of 
foreign policy but are also placed at the heart of geopolitical tensions. This calls for deepened 
cooperation on the basis of openness, a level playing field and respect of fundamental rights 
and  values  and  supporting  EU’s  open  strategic  autonomy.  The  new  global  approach  to 
research  and  innovation,  as  presented  in  this  Communication,  will  strengthen  the  global 
capacity to deliver solutions to the shared challenges facing humanity and strengthen the EU’s 
positive influence in the world. 

68 COM/2012/0497 final. 

19