Cooperation in Science and Technology
The legal basis for cooperation between Ukraine and the EU in the field of research and innovation is laid down in:
Ukraine is associated to Horizon 2020 since 2015 and to Euratom Research and Training Program since 2016. Regular Joint committee meetings are held to monitor and foster cooperation and explore all opportunities.
Ukrainian entities have participated 305 times in Horizon 2020 program and signed 220 grants of collaborative, MSCA, ERC and SME Instrument actions of Horizon 2020, receiving 43.95 mil euros of direct EU contribution. For more details, please check: Country Profile in Horizon2020 Dashboard.
Participation of Ukraine in the Euratom Research and Training Program is a good example of successful cooperation in the field of science, receiving total EU funding of 4.7 mil euros in signed grants. It includes 16 successful projects implemented under fission research, in which Ukraine has participated from the 2016 with the overall budget 3.66 mil euros. Ukraine participated in 10 EUROfusion consortium work packages in 2019. The main participation is focussed on Plasma Facing Components, Stellarators and Education.
Being associated to both programs, researchers from Ukraine gain full access to JRC open access opportunities, such as access to nuclear test facilities in Europe.
Latest Joint Committee meetings on Horizon 2020 and Euratom held in November 2020 has summed up results of Ukraine’s participation and clearly stated mutual interest of both sides to quick and full association of Ukraine to Horizon Europe and Euratom Research and Training Program 2021-2025.
As of April 2021, two rounds of technical consultations has been held to facilitate coming official negotiations on association to Horizon Europe and Euratom.
Cooperation with EU in the field of research and innovation is also good basis for supporting Ukrainian reform efforts. Peer Review of the Ukrainian Research and Innovation System was carried out in 2016 and is still used as guidelines for reforms.
Studies on Ukrainian technology transfer system and research infrastructures are also made by EU expert to further streamline Ukraine’s integration to European Research Area.
Ukraine has applied to EC for further Policy Support Facility to obtain European experts’ policy recommendations regarding research infrastructure management.
Cooperation in the field of space
The legal basis for cooperation between Ukraine and the EU in the field of space includes:
Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU provides a wide framework for cooperation in space field and envisages active cooperation with the European Commission, the European Space Agency (ESA), space agencies of EU member states in space related programs.
EU supports Ukraine’s participation in GALILEO-EGNOS (European Global Navigation Satellite System), COPERNICUS (Earth Monitoring for Security and Environment) and space related research and development calls under Horizon 2020 framework program.
In recent years, Ukraine has made a significant progress in implementing agreements with the EU in the space sphere.
Earth observation
In 2020, the Regional Mirror Site of the EU program "Copernicus" was launched, which provides free access to the materials of the territory of Ukraine from the satellites "Sentinel-1", "Sentinel-2" and "Sentinel-3". In 2020-2021, it is planned to expand access to the Sentinel-5P satellite. These images can be used in the interests of the Ukrainian economy, farming, environmental monitoring, as well as to respond to emergencies.
EU space data is already introduced in the process of land governance in Ukraine, more state programs are being developed jointly be State Space Agency of Ukraine, Ministry of Development of Economy, Trade and Agriculture of Ukraine, Ministry of infrastructure of Ukraine and Ministry of interior affairs of Ukraine.
National research entities are working together with JRC and EU researchers to provide better use of satellite data and applications for social needs Europeans.
Space Research Institute of NASU-SSAU became a member of Copernicus Academy (international network of research and educational institutions. It also participates in Horizon 2020 ERA-PLANET project that aim at creating European Research Area in the field of Earth research by enhancing participation of European research structures in programs of Group on Earth Observation (GEO) and Copernicus.
EGNOS extension
In July 2020 agreement on placement of EGNOS RIMS station in the Kyiv Sikorsky Airport was finalized. In the next few years RIMS station will be installed to provide EGNOS system coverage for eastern parts of EU Member-states. Ukraine proves to be a reliable partner for EU in the field of satellite navigation and air-traffic management.
Ukraine and the EU are negotiating the draft Agreement between Ukraine and the EU on expanding the coverage of the EGNOS system and providing access to the "Safety of Life" service. It will include placing one more RIMS station in Kharkiv.
Areas of application of the system include automation and improving the accuracy of navigation in river, road and rail transport, that will help to build reliable and secure air traffic control systems, as well as become a practical aid to the agro-industry.
First of all, the introduction of the system on the territory of Ukraine will provide a high-precision automatic landing system for aircraft at regional airports and airfields that are not equipped with modern air navigation systems Instrument Landing System (ILS). In addition, the Safety of Life service will allow rescue helicopters to land in conditions of limited visibility and difficult weather conditions.
We expect that based on the results of the consolidated work of the Government and the European Commission, the Agreement can be signed in 2021 (COVID-19 permitting).
Ukraine will be the first non-EU country to have access to Safety of Life service and will serve as a ground point for expansion of EU satellite navigation system beyond Europe.