Joint Statement

Udice, German U15 and U15 Canada, together representing 40 leading research universities across France, Germany and Canada, are delighted with the announcement of the completion of substantive negotiations on Canada's accession to the second pillar of Horizon Europe as an associated country.

This decision is a decisive step towards closer scientific ties between Europe and Canada. It will offer considerable new opportunities to support the already significant collaboration between European and Canadian research players.

The French, German and Canadian research universities represented in Udice, German U15 and U15 Canada are ready to seize these opportunities to deepen their partnerships and extend them to other European players. The long-standing and close relations between the three countries will serve as a positive basis for productive and fruitful projects between research universities in Europe and Canada.

Already present in the Joint Declaration signed by Udice and U15 Canada on the occasion of the France/Canada Joint Committee meeting in April 2023 and the Joint Declaration on Strategic Collaboration signed by the German U15 and U15 Canada during their bilateral summit in August 2023, this European dimension of the relationship between the two groups will be consolidated with the support of the world's largest research programme.

Already active in the implementation of shared scientific priorities, Udice, German U15 and U15 Canada wish to contribute fully to the responses that Europe and Canada will be able to provide to the major global challenges, be they health, environmental, energy or technological.