Exploratory talks that would lead to Australia associating to Horizon Europe were announced by the European Commission on September 10. 

On the eve of officially signing Switzerland's late association with Horizon Europe, both sides are thinking about how to avoid renewed disruption when a new set of bilateral accords is brought forward next year.

So far, 2025 has seen a flurry of policy initiatives as the new European Commission got down to work. August offers a moment to pause and reflect ahead of a busy autumn. 

The European Commission's push to exert more control over the European Research Council (ERC) risks undermining one of the EU's most successful scientific institutions, policy experts warn.

From 2014 to 2024, national budget allocations for R&D increased by 59.5% across the EU's present members, according to data from Eurostat. 

The European Commission has suggested blocking Israel from a grant targeting start-ups, as EU outrage grows at Israel's food blockade of Gaza, which has begun to cause widespread starvation in the besieged territory.

Dual-use projects will be supported across the whole of the next Horizon Europe programme, and not just under the European Innovation Council (EIC), as previously announced.

The proposal for the next Horizon Europe is in, with funding increases all round, including a tripling of the budget for the EU's innovation scheme, the European Innovation Council.

The European Commission has joined various EU countries to launch an international coalition aimed at raising money and know-how to put science, research and innovation at the core of Ukraine's reconstruction and long-term development.

Non-EU countries associated to Horizon Europe have reacted warily to leaked draft proposals for the bloc's next research Framework Programme.