Following the visit of President Ursula von der Leyen to Egypt on 17 March 2024 and the signature of the Joint Declaration, in which the European Union and the Arab Republic of Egypt agreed to elevate their relationship to the level of a strategic and comprehensive partnership, the two sides have now started the official negotiations for the association of Egypt to Horizon Europe. The first round of talks follows the conclusions of exploratory talks over the past months and marks the beginning of the formal negotiation process that may lead to association. The negotiations will proceed in the coming weeks and months.
If successful, association to Horizon Europe would place Egyptian entities on par with those of EU Member States, allowing them to directly access funding and coordinate projects. It would also enable Egypt to take advantage of measures designed to support national reforms of research systems, enhance institutional capacities and foster deeper collaborations with existing EU partnerships. These negotiations are expected to bring the two sides closer on fundamental research and innovation values and principles.