Ed Husic is a firm no on joining EU’s Horizon Europe research program

Canada will join the EU’s massive Horizon Europe research program but the Albanese government is resisting pressure to follow.

The goverment believes it has sufficient research relationships with Europe.

Canada will join the EU’s massive research funding program, upping the pressure on the Australian government to explain why it won’t explore joining the scheme.

Last week Canada and the EU signed an agreement for the country to join the Horizon Europe program for research and innovation, which will invest $150bn in the 2021-27 period in areas such as oceans, health, raw materials, energy, AI, cybersecurity and digital infrastructure.

Last year the Albanese government told the EU it was not interested in joining Horizon Europe.

It resisted a joint appeal from the Group of Eight research universities, the Australian Industry Group, the Australian Academy of Science and the European Australian Business Council to open talks about joining.

Ed Husic

A spokeswoman for federal Industry and Science Minister Ed Husic said on Tuesday Canada’s move would not persuade Australia. “Australia already has a strong existing relationship with Horizon Europe, we have no plans to reconsider associating,” she said.

Go8 chief executive Vicki Thomson said Canada’s decision to join the growing number of non-EU countries joining Horizon Europe as associate members “should send a strong signal”.

“We will be left behind if we don’t join the world’s most significant research and innovation funding program,” she said. “As a leading science and research nation we cannot afford to miss this opportunity to increase our research partnerships with value-aligned, like-minded nations.”

European Australian Business Council chief executive Jason Collins said it was a “lost opportunity” if Australia did not follow Canada’s lead.

He said the funding, collaborative projects and industry partnerships offered by Horizon Europe complemented other Australian programs such as Future Made in Australia and pillar two of the AUKUS agreement.

Mr Collins said, although becoming an associate member of Horizon Europe required a financial investment, there was an assurance that countries would not be worse off.

“A discussion which doesn’t necessarily commit to an outcome is the way forward,” he said.

Employer organisation Ai Group said anything that bolstered Australia’s investment in R&D should be considered as it grappled with challenges in decarbonisation, diversification and digitalisation.

“Having access to the funding, research expertise and infrastructure found through Horizon Europe can only accelerate our response,” Ai Group industry development and policy head Louise McGrath said.

Australian Academy of Science president Chennupati Jagadish said not joining Horizon Europe was a missed opportunity.