EU Pours EUR 307M Into AI Research: What Non-European Teams Need to Know
February 25, 2026 · 4 min read
David Almeida
Three hundred seven million euros for AI research, and the application window closes in less than two months. The European Commission's two flagship Cluster 4 calls -- HORIZON-CL4-2026-04 and HORIZON-CL4-2026-05 -- represent the single largest AI funding wave under the current Horizon Europe work programme, and they are not restricted to European applicants.
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That matters because the EU's overall AI investment across the 2026-2027 work programme exceeds EUR 2 billion. The current calls are the first tranche, not the last. Getting into the ecosystem now shapes access to every subsequent round.
Where the EUR 307 Million Is Going
The two calls split unevenly. HORIZON-CL4-2026-04, the larger envelope at EUR 221.8 million, spans 15 topics across trustworthy AI, data services, quantum technologies, photonics, and virtual worlds. HORIZON-CL4-2026-05 allocates EUR 85.5 million across three topics focused on advanced robotics and AI agents. Both opened January 15, 2026, and close April 15, 2026.
The AI-specific topics that stand out for international research teams:
- HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-19 -- the GenAI4EU Booster, funding challenge-driven generative AI deployment in sectors like manufacturing, healthcare, and public administration. Budget: EUR 15 million for three projects.
- HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-01 -- the Science for AI pillar of RAISE (Resource for AI in Science in Europe), building foundational AI capabilities for scientific research. Budget: EUR 17 million for one project.
- HORIZON-CL4-2026-05-DIGITAL-EMERGING-02 -- Next-Generation AI Agents for real-world applications. Budget: EUR 19 million for two projects.
- HORIZON-CL4-2026-05-DIGITAL-EMERGING-03 -- Agile and Intelligent Robotics Platforms for industrial and service applications. Budget: EUR 13 million for two projects.
- HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-09 -- Advanced Local Digital Twins using AI for early warning and preparedness. Budget: EUR 6 million for one project.
At current exchange rates, the full EUR 307.3 million package is worth roughly $362 million -- comparable in scale to a major NSF directorate solicitation or a full DARPA program.
The Associated Country Question
Whether your team can participate -- and whether you receive EU funding directly -- depends entirely on your country's relationship with Horizon Europe. There are three tiers, and the distinctions matter.
EU Member States (27 countries) participate and receive funding without restriction.
Associated Countries currently include 19 nations: the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, Israel, Turkey, Ukraine, and others. Entities from associated countries participate on equal terms with EU members, including direct funding eligibility. Canada and New Zealand hold Pillar II association agreements, which covers the Cluster 4 calls. The UK is associated with the entire programme except the European Innovation Council Fund.
Non-associated third countries -- including the United States, Japan, Australia, and most of Asia -- can join consortia but generally do not receive EU funding. American institutions participate as Associated Partners: they are named in the proposal, carry defined tasks, and contribute their own resources. They do not sign the Grant Agreement or receive direct EU disbursements.
The practical implication: a US university lab can be a full technical contributor on a EUR 19 million AI agents project, but the institution funds its own participation. For groups already carrying NSF, DARPA, or DOE grants with international collaboration budgets, that cost is often absorbable.
Consortium Rules That Trip Up First-Time Applicants
Horizon Europe's consortium model differs fundamentally from the single-PI structure common in American federal grants. Every collaborative proposal must include at least three independent legal entities from at least three different EU member states or associated countries, with at least one partner established in an EU member state. This is the "3-from-3 rule," and proposals that fail it are rejected before review.
The coordinator -- the institution that manages the grant, submits reports, and distributes funds -- must be in an EU member state. Non-European teams cannot coordinate. They can lead technical work packages, but the administrative and financial lead stays in Europe.
Budget allocation follows a similar logic. For Research and Innovation Actions, which most of these AI calls are, the EU funds up to 100 percent of eligible costs for EU and associated-country partners. For Innovation Actions, the rate drops to 70 percent (100 percent for nonprofits). Non-associated third-country partners receive zero EU funding regardless of action type.
Evaluation uses three criteria weighted equally: Excellence, Impact, and Quality and Efficiency of Implementation. Proposals scoring below threshold on any single criterion are eliminated. Reviewers are experienced academics and industry professionals, and they scrutinize international partners closely -- a US lab listed for prestige rather than a clearly irreplaceable technical contribution weakens rather than strengthens the proposal.
How to Find a Consortium Before April 15
Seven weeks is tight but not impossible if you already have European contacts. The Commission runs a Cluster 4 Matchmaking Platform specifically for these calls, where researchers post partnership offers and search for consortium openings. Registration is open to non-EU entities.
National Contact Points (NCPs) in each EU member state and associated country offer free advisory services and maintain databases of researchers seeking partners. The UK Research and Innovation page for Cluster 4 is a good starting point for teams looking to connect with British coordinators leveraging the UK's full programme association.
For teams that cannot realistically assemble a consortium by April 15, the better move is positioning for 2027. The current calls are the front end of a two-year work programme. Registering on the matchmaking platform, identifying coordinators in your research area, and initiating preliminary conversations now builds the relationship infrastructure that makes the next wave of calls actionable -- and Granted can surface those calls the moment they open.
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