HORIZON-HLTH-2026-01-CARE-03: Identifying and addressing low-value care in health and care systems

HORIZON-HLTH-2026-01-CARE-03: Identifying and addressing low-value care in health and care systems is sponsored by European Commission (Horizon Europe). This Horizon Europe call addresses the need to identify and address low-value care within health and care systems.

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Selection of eligible entities Reset all EU Body An institution, body, office or agency established by or based on the Treaty on European Union and the Treaties establishing the European Communities. Education and training institution All education and training facilities for people of different age groups.

International organization An intergovernmental organization having legal personality under public international law or a specialized agency established by such an international organization. An international organization, the majority of whose members are Member States or Associated Countries and whose main objective is to promote scientific and technological cooperation in Europe, is an International Organization of European Interest.

Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) / Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) An NPO is an institution or organization which, by virtue of its legal form, is not profit-oriented or which is required by law not to distribute profits to its shareholders or individual members. An NGO is a non-governmental, non-profit organization that does not represent business interests. Pursues a common purpose for the benefit of society.

Other Private institution, incl. private company (private for profit) A partnership, corporation, person, or agency that is for-profit and not operated by the government. Public Body (national, regional and local; incl.

EGTCs) Any government or other public administration, including public advisory bodies, at the national, regional or local level. Research Institution incl. University A research institution is a legal entity established as a non-profit organization whose main objective is to conduct research or technological development.

A college/university is a legal entity recognized by its national education system as a university or college or secondary school. It may be a public or private institution. Small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) A microenterprise, a small or medium-sized enterprise (business) as defined in EU Recommendation 2003/361 .

To qualify as an SME for EU funding, an enterprise must meet certain conditions, including (a) fewer than 250 employees and (b) an annual turnover not exceeding EUR 50 million and/or an annual balance sheet total not exceeding EUR 43 million. These ceilings apply only to the figures for individual companies.

Selection of eligible countries Reset all Belgium (Belgique/België) Bonaire, Saba, Sint Eustatius Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosna i Hercegovina / Босна и Херцеговина) Faeroes (Føroyar / Færøerne) French Polynesia (Polynésie française/Pōrīnetia Farāni) French Southern and Antarctic Lands (Terres australes et antarctiques françaises) Greenland (Kalaallit Nunaat/Grønland) Israel (ישראל / إِسْرَائِيل) Kosovo (Kosova/Kosovë / Косово) New Caledonia (Nouvelle-Calédonie) North Macedonia (Северна Македонија) Saint Barthélemy (Saint-Barthélemy) Saint Pierre and Miquelon (Saint-Pierre et Miquelon) Switzerland (Schweiz/Suisse/Svizzera) Wallis and Futuna (Wallis-et-Futuna) Selection of topics Reset all Administration & Governance, Institutional Capacity & Cooperation Administration & Governance, Institutional Capacity & Cooperation This topic focuses on strengthening governance, fostering institutional capacity, and enhancing cross-border cooperation.

It includes promoting multilevel, transnational, and cross-border governance by designing and testing effective structures and mechanisms, as well as encouraging collaboration between public institutions on various themes. Innovation capacity and awareness are also key, with actions aimed at increasing the ability of individuals and organizations to adopt and apply innovative practices.

This involves empowering innovation networks and stimulating innovation across different sectors. Institutional cooperation and network-building play a crucial role, supporting long-term partnerships to improve administrative processes, share regional knowledge, and promote intercultural understanding.

This also includes cooperation between universities, healthcare facilities, schools, sports organizations, and efforts in management and capacity building. Agriculture & Forestry, Fishery, Food, Soil quality This topic focuses on strengthening the agricultural, forestry, and fisheries sectors while ensuring sustainable development and environmental protection.

It covers agricultural products (e.g., fruits, meat, olives), organic farming, horticulture, and innovative approaches to sustainable agriculture. It also addresses forest management, wood products, and the promotion of biodiversity and climate resilience in forestry practices.

In the food sector, the focus lies on developing sustainable and resilient food chains, promoting organic food production, enhancing seafood products, and ensuring food security and safety. Projects also target the development of the agro-food industry, including innovative methods for production, processing, and distribution.

Fisheries and animal management are essential aspects, with an emphasis on sustainable fishery practices, aquaculture, and animal health and welfare. This also includes efforts to promote responsible fishing, marine conservation, and the development of efficient resource management systems. Soil and air quality initiatives play a crucial role in environmental protection and public health.

This includes projects aimed at combating soil and air pollution, implementing pollution management systems, and preventing soil erosion. Additionally, innovative approaches to improving air quality—both outdoors and indoors—are supported, alongside advancing knowledge and best practices in soil and air management.

Air Quality, Biodiversity & Environment, Climate & Climate Change, Water quality & management This topic focuses on protecting the environment, promoting biodiversity, and addressing the challenges of climate change and resource management. It includes efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change, develop low-carbon technologies, and reduce GHG emissions. Biodiversity promotion and natural protection are key aspects.

It also covers improving soil and air quality by reducing pollution, managing contamination, preventing soil erosion, and enhancing air quality both outdoors and indoors. Water management plays an essential role, including sustainable water distribution, monitoring systems, innovative wastewater treatment technologies, and water reuse policies.

Additionally, it addresses the protection and development of waterways, lakes, and rivers, as well as sustainable wetland management. Arts & Culture, Cultural Heritage, Tourism This topic focuses on preserving, promoting, and enhancing cultural and natural heritage in a sustainable way.

It includes efforts to increase the attractiveness of cultural and natural sites through preservation, valorisation, and the development of heritage objects, services, and products. Cultural heritage management, arts, and culture play a key role, including maritime heritage routes, access to cultural sites, and cultural services like festivals, concerts, and art workshops.

Tourism development is also central, with actions aimed at promoting natural assets, protecting and developing natural heritage, and increasing touristic appeal through the better use of cultural, natural, and historical heritage. It also covers the improvement of tourist services and products, the creation of ecotourism models, and the development of sustainable tourism strategies.

Circular Economy, Natural Resources This topic focuses on the sustainable management, protection, and valorisation of natural resources and areas, such as habitats, geo parks, and protected zones. It also includes preserving and enhancing cultural and natural heritage, landscapes, and protecting marine environments.

Circular economy initiatives play a key role, with actions aimed at innovative waste management, ecological treatment techniques, and advanced recycling systems. Projects may focus on improving recycling technologies, organic waste recovery, and establishing repair and re-use networks. Additionally, pollution prevention and control efforts address ecological economy practices, marine litter reduction, and sustainable resource use.

Competitiveness of Enterprises, Employment/Labour Market, SME & entrepreneurship This topic covers labour market development and employment, focusing on creating job opportunities, optimizing existing jobs, and addressing academic (un)employment and job mobility. It also includes attracting a skilled workforce and improving working conditions for various groups.

Strengthening small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and boosting entrepreneurship are key priorities. This includes enhancing SME capacities, supporting social entrepreneurship, and promoting innovative business models.

Activities may focus on creating advisory systems for start-ups, spin-offs, and incubators, fostering business networks, and improving the competitiveness of SMEs through knowledge and technology transfer, digital transformation, and sustainable business practices.

Demographic Change, European Citizenship, Migration This topic focuses on fostering community integration and strengthening a common identity by promoting social cohesion, positive relations, and the development of shared spaces and services. It supports initiatives that enhance intercultural understanding and cooperation between different societal groups.

Digitalisation, Digital Society, ICT All projects where ICT has a significant role, including tailor-made ICT solutions in different fields, as well as digital innovation hubs, open data, Internet of Things; ICT access and connecting (remote) areas with digital infrastructure and services; services and applications for citizens (e-health, e-government, e-learning, e-inclusion, etc.); services and applications for companies (e-commerce, networking, digital transformation, etc.).

Disaster Prevention, Resilience, Risk Management This is about the mitigation and management of risks and disasters, and the anticipation and response capacity towards the actors regarding specific risks and management of natural disasters, for example, prevention of flood and drought hazards, forest fire, strong weather conditions, etc.. It is also about risk assessment and safety.

Education & Training, Children & Youth, Media This topic focuses on enhancing education, training, and opportunities for children, youth, and adults. It covers the expansion of educational access, reduction of barriers to education, and improvement of higher education and lifelong learning. It also includes vocational education, common learning programs, and initiatives supporting labour mobility and educational networks.

Additionally, it addresses the promotion of media literacy, digital learning tools, and the development of innovative educational approaches to strengthen knowledge, skills, and societal participation. This topic emphasizes the role of culture and media in education and social development. It supports initiatives that foster creativity, cultural awareness, and artistic expression among children and youth.

Activities include promoting cross-border cooperation in the audiovisual sector, enhancing digital content creation skills, and boosting the distribution of educational and cultural media products. Furthermore, it encourages the development of media literacy initiatives, helping young audiences critically engage with digital and media content.

By connecting education, creativity, and media, this topic strengthens cultural identity and supports inclusive, knowledge-based societies. Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy This topic covers actions aimed at improving energy efficiency and promoting the use of renewable energy sources. It includes energy management, energy-saving methods, and evaluating energy efficiency measures.

Projects may focus on the energy rehabilitation and efficiency of buildings and public infrastructure, as well as promoting energy efficiency through cooperation among experienced firms, institutions, and local administrations. In the field of renewable energy, this encompasses the development and expansion of wind, solar, biomass, hydroelectric, geothermal, and other sustainable energy sources.

Activities include increasing renewable energy production, enhancing research capacities, and developing innovative technologies for energy storage and management. Projects may also address sustainable regional bioenergy policies, financial instruments for renewable energy investments, and the establishment of cooperative frameworks for advancing renewable energy initiatives.

Equal Rights, Human Rights, People with Disabilities, Social Inclusion This topic focuses on promoting equal rights and strengthening social inclusion, particularly for marginalized and vulnerable groups. It covers activities enhancing the capacity and participation of children, young people, women, elderly people, and socially excluded groups.

Activities can address the creation of inclusive infrastructure, improving access and opportunities for people with disabilities, and fostering social cohesion through innovative care services. It also includes initiatives supporting victims of gender-based violence, promoting human rights, and developing policies and tools for social integration and equal participation in society.

Health, Social Services, Sports This area focuses on improving health and social services, enhancing accessibility and efficiency for diverse groups such as the elderly, children, and people with disabilities. It includes the development of new healthcare models, innovative medical diagnostics and treatments (e.g., dementia, cancer, diabetes), and the management of hospitals and care facilities.

Additionally, activities addressing rare diseases, promoting overall wellbeing, and fostering preventive health measures fall under this theme. It also covers sports promotion, encouraging physical activity as a means to improve public health and social inclusion. Justice, Safety & Security This area focuses on strengthening justice, safety, and security through cross-border cooperation and institutional capacity-building.

It includes initiatives aimed at improving the efficiency and effectiveness of police, fire, and rescue services, enhancing civil protection systems, and rapid response capabilities for emergencies like chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear incidents. Activities also target the prevention and combatting of organized crime, drug-related crimes, and human trafficking, as well as ensuring secure and efficient border management.

Furthermore, it covers initiatives promoting the protection of citizens, community safety, and the development of innovative security services and technologies. Mobility & Transport This area focuses on the development and improvement of transport and mobility systems, covering all modes of transport, including urban mobility and public transportation.

Actions aiming at improving transport connections through traffic and transport planning, rehabilitation and modernisation of infrastructure, better connectivity, and enhanced accessibility. Projects promoting multimodal transport and logistics, optimising intermodal transport chains, offering sustainable and efficient logistics solutions, and developing multimodal mobility strategies.

Also, initiatives establishing cooperation among logistic centres and providing access to clean, efficient, and multimodal transport corridors and hubs. Please leave this field blank The deadline for this call has expired.

Identifying and addressing low-value care in health and care systems Horizon Europe: Cluster 1 - Health HORIZON-HLTH-2026-01-CARE-03 Estimated EU contribution per project Funding Program Horizon Europe: Cluster 1 - Health Call number HORIZON-HLTH-2026-01-CARE-03 deadlines Opening 16. 04. 2026 17:00 Funding rate 100% Call budget € 38,000,000.

00 Estimated EU contribution per project € 10,000,000. 00 Link to the call ec. europa.

eu Link to the submission ec. europa. eu Low-value care can have widespread negative consequences for patients, caregivers, healthcare professionals, the health and care system, and the broader environment.

A 2017 OECD report estimated that “wasteful healthcare spending is common” and that “up to one-fifth of healthcare spending could be redirected towards better uses”. Low-value care represents a significant challenge, contributing to waste, costs, misuse of resources, and inefficiencies.

Addressing low-value care can free up and allow reallocation of valuable healthcare resources to other areas of need, thereby maximising health outcomes, improving health and care systems resilience, and reducing their environmental impact. In this context, a recent report by the Expert Group on Health Systems Performance Assessment (HSPA) establishes the methodological basis and metrics to identify, measure and reduce low-value care.

Research activities under this topic should adopt a patient-centred approach that considers the needs and preferences of patients and citizens. They should promote socially acceptable solutions, taking into account relevant ethical, social and legal aspects and foster dialogue and collaboration between policymakers, healthcare providers, healthcare professionals, and patients/citizens.

Proposals should engage citizens and civil society organisations in the development of their actions to ensure acceptability of solutions. By doing so the projects will contribute to better use of healthcare resources -including time and personnel- in ways that significantly improve patient outcomes and alleviate the increasing burden on healthcare professionals and health systems.

Implementation research and multidisciplinary approaches should be considered to foster adoption and ensure effective interventions and long-term sustainability. Proposed activities may include clinical studies to provide evidence on the value of any interventions or processes and, therefore, facilitate justified removal of any type of low value care.

Proposed activities may also include data models, digital and artificial intelligence-based analysis, models and/or tools to identify and/or address low-value care. Proposed activities may examine the design and impact of healthcare payment systems, that could unintentionally incentivise low-value care and evaluate alternative financing models that better align incentives with patient outcomes and high-value care.

Proposed activities may also facilitate or implement collaboration among registries (disease registries such as cancer registries, primary healthcare visits registries, prescription and drug purchase registries, reimbursement and medical devices registries, screening databases, socio-economic and census databases, etc.) across regions or countries, to enable or improve the assessment and comparison of different levels of care and their value to patients.

Additionally, activities that facilitate learning and best practice transfers between countries or regions may also be considered as element of the proposal (for instance, to leverage best practice-sharing initiatives from international platforms such as the Knowledge Hub of the co-funded European Partnership on Transforming Health and Care Systems or any other relevant European or global initiatives).

Additionally, proposals may include or support international comparisons of low-value care practices and strategies for their reduction across countries, if and where deemed valuable.

Research actions should address all the following objectives: Develop a deeper understanding of how low-value care can be identified and measured throughout the healthcare process, including testing related indicators and producing evidence-based methodologies that enable the pursuit of improved efficiency and quality of care.

Identify instances of overuse, misuse, underuse and unwarranted variation in specific healthcare contexts across different stages of the healthcare process. This analysis should provide actionable insights for policymakers, healthcare providers and healthcare professionals to evaluate the potential of possible strategies for reducing low-value care, allowing for more informed decision-making and improved care practices.

Develop and/or pilot innovative strategies for effective reduction of low-value care in specific settings across the care pathway. These pilots should demonstrate scalability and transferability across diverse health and care systems in Europe.

Proposals should consider how gender norms and roles influence utilisation patterns, ensuring that strategies to reduce low-value care do not inadvertently exacerbate existing gender and social inequalities in healthcare access and outcomes. In addition, attention should be paid to intersectional factors that may further affect healthcare access and outcomes.

If handling data and indicators, sex- and gender-disaggregated data should be collected and analysed, incorporating intersectional factors where feasible.

Proposals should consider the work and output of any EU level initiatives (e.g. the Expert Group on Health Systems Performance Assessment, the co-funded European Partnership on Transforming Health and Care Systems, relevant projects or Joint Actions funded under the EU4Health Programme (2021-2027) and under EU Research & Innovation Framework Programmes, etc.) or other international initiatives (e.g. the 2017 OECD report mentioned above) in this area.

Applicants envisaging to include clinical studies should provide details of their clinical studies in the dedicated annex using the template provided in the submission system. This topic aims at supporting activities that are enabling or contributing to one or several expected impacts of destination “Ensuring equal access to innovative, sustainable, and high-quality healthcare”.

To that end, proposals under this topic should aim to deliver results that are directed at, tailored towards and contributing to all the following expected outcomes: Healthcare providers and policymakers make use of evidence-based indicators and methodologies to identify low-value care practices, as well as opportunities for improvement and tools to monitor such improvements.

Healthcare professionals are equipped with the knowledge and tools to implement guidelines for reducing or discontinuing low-value care activities and maintaining effective and patient-centred practices that ensure quality of care.

Patients and citizens benefit from more effective healthcare, by understanding and endorsing measures that reduce low-value care, recognising the potential to achieve higher-quality healthcare and better health outcomes overall.

Health and care systems benefit from a reduction of low-value care practices, which enables enhanced patient safety and quality of care, while contributing to their efficiency as well as fiscal and environmental sustainability. Healthcare organisations can, by identifying low-value care practices, reallocate valuable healthcare resources to other areas of need.

short description Low-value care can have widespread negative consequences for patients, caregivers, healthcare professionals, the health and care system, and the broader environment. A 2017 OECD report estimated that “wasteful healthcare spending is common” and that “up to one-fifth of healthcare spending could be redirected towards better uses”.

Low-value care represents a significant challenge, contributing to waste, costs, misuse of resources, and inefficiencies. Addressing low-value care can free up and allow reallocation of valuable healthcare resources to other areas of need, thereby maximising health outcomes, improving health and care systems resilience, and reducing their environmental impact.

In this context, a recent report by the Expert Group on Health Systems Performance Assessment (HSPA) establishes the methodological basis and metrics to identify, measure and reduce low-value care. Call objectives Research activities under this topic should adopt a patient-centred approach that considers the needs and preferences of patients and citizens.

They should promote socially acceptable solutions, taking into account relevant ethical, social and legal aspects and foster dialogue and collaboration between policymakers, healthcare providers, healthcare professionals, and patients/citizens. Proposals should engage citizens and civil society organisations in the development of their actions to ensure acceptability of solutions.

By doing so the projects will contribute to better use of healthcare resources -including time and personnel- in ways that significantly improve patient outcomes and alleviate the increasing burden on healthcare professionals and health systems. Implementation research and multidisciplinary approaches should be considered to foster adoption and ensure effective interventions and long-term sustainability.

Proposed activities may include clinical studies to provide evidence on the value of any interventions or processes and, therefore, facilitate justified removal of any type of low value care. Proposed activities may also include data models, digital and artificial intelligence-based analysis, models and/or tools to identify and/or address low-value care.

Proposed activities may examine the design and impact of healthcare payment systems, that could unintentionally incentivise low-value care and evaluate alternative financing models that better align incentives with patient outcomes and high-value care.

Proposed activities may also facilitate or implement collaboration among registries (disease registries such as cancer registries, primary healthcare visits registries, prescription and drug purchase registries, reimbursement and medical devices registries, screening databases, socio-economic and census databases, etc.) across regions or countries, to enable or improve the assessment and comparison of different levels of care and their value to patients.

Additionally, activities that facilitate learning and best practice transfers between countries or regions may also be considered as element of the proposal (for instance, to leverage best practice-sharing initiatives from international platforms such as the Knowledge Hub of the co-funded European Partnership on Transforming Health and Care Systems or any other relevant European or global initiatives).

Additionally, proposals may include or support international comparisons of low-value care practices and strategies for their reduction across countries, if and where deemed valuable.

Research actions should address all the following objectives: Develop a deeper understanding of how low-value care can be identified and measured throughout the healthcare process, including testing related indicators and producing evidence-based methodologies that enable the pursuit of improved efficiency and quality of care.

Identify instances of overuse, misuse, underuse and unwarranted variation in specific healthcare contexts across different stages of the healthcare process. This analysis should provide actionable insights for policymakers, healthcare providers and healthcare professionals to evaluate the potential of possible strategies for reducing low-value care, allowing for more informed decision-making and improved care practices.

Develop and/or pilot innovative strategies for effective reduction of low-value care in specific settings across the care pathway. These pilots should demonstrate scalability and transferability across diverse health and care systems in Europe.

Proposals should consider how gender norms and roles influence utilisation patterns, ensuring that strategies to reduce low-value care do not inadvertently exacerbate existing gender and social inequalities in healthcare access and outcomes. In addition, attention should be paid to intersectional factors that may further affect healthcare access and outcomes.

If handling data and indicators, sex- and gender-disaggregated data should be collected and analysed, incorporating intersectional factors where feasible.

Proposals should consider the work and output of any EU level initiatives (e.g. the Expert Group on Health Systems Performance Assessment, the co-funded European Partnership on Transforming Health and Care Systems, relevant projects or Joint Actions funded under the EU4Health Programme (2021-2027) and under EU Research & Innovation Framework Programmes, etc.) or other international initiatives (e.g. the 2017 OECD report mentioned above) in this area.

Applicants envisaging to include clinical studies should provide details of their clinical studies in the dedicated annex using the template provided in the submission system. Expected results This topic aims at supporting activities that are enabling or contributing to one or several expected impacts of destination “Ensuring equal access to innovative, sustainable, and high-quality healthcare”.

To that end, proposals under this topic should aim to deliver results that are directed at, tailored towards and contributing to all the following expected outcomes: Healthcare providers and policymakers make use of evidence-based indicators and methodologies to identify low-value care practices, as well as opportunities for improvement and tools to monitor such improvements.

Healthcare professionals are equipped with the knowledge and tools to implement guidelines for reducing or discontinuing low-value care activities and maintaining effective and patient-centred practices that ensure quality of care.

Patients and citizens benefit from more effective healthcare, by understanding and endorsing measures that reduce low-value care, recognising the potential to achieve higher-quality healthcare and better health outcomes overall.

Health and care systems benefit from a reduction of low-value care practices, which enables enhanced patient safety and quality of care, while contributing to their efficiency as well as fiscal and environmental sustainability. Healthcare organisations can, by identifying low-value care practices, reallocate valuable healthcare resources to other areas of need.

Regions / countries for funding Candidate Countries, EU Member States, Eastern Partnership, Overseas Countries and Territories (OCT) Faeroes (Føroyar / Færøerne), Iceland (Ísland), Israel (ישראל / إِسْرَائِيل), Kosovo (Kosova/Kosovë / Косово), Liechtenstein, Morocco (المغرب), Norway (Norge), Switzerland (Schweiz/Suisse/Svizzera), Tunisia (تونس /Tūnis), United Kingdom EU Body, Education and training institution, Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) / Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Other, Private institution, incl.

private company (private for profit), Public Body (national, regional and local; incl. EGTCs), Research Institution incl.

University, Small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) To be eligible for funding, applicants must be established in one of the following countries: the Member States of the European Union, including their outermost regions: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden.

the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) linked to the Member States: Aruba (NL), Bonaire (NL), Curação (NL), French Polynesia (FR), French Southern and Antarctic Territories (FR), Greenland (DK), New Caledonia (FR), Saba (NL), Saint Barthélemy (FR), Sint Eustatius (NL), Sint Maarten (NL), St. Pierre and Miquelon (FR), Wallis and Futuna Islands (FR).

countries associated to Horizon Europe ; Albania, Arab Republic of Egypt, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Faroe Islands, Georgia, Iceland, Israel, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Republic of Korea, Serbia, Switzerland, Tunisia, Türkiye, Ukraine, United Kingdom. Other third countries may become associated to Horizon Europe during the programme.

For the purposes of the eligibility conditions, applicants established in other third countries negotiating association to Horizon Europe will be treated as entities established in an Associated Country, if the Horizon Europe association agreement with the third country concerned applies at the time of signature of the grant agreement.

the following low- and middle-income countries : Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Comoros, Congo (Democratic Republic), Congo (Republic), Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt (Arab Republic), El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic), Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Korea (Democratic People's Republic), Kyrgyz Republic, Lao (People’s Democratic Republic), Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Micronesia (Federated States), Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Pakistan, Palau, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Samoa, São Tomé and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, St.

Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Sudan, Suriname, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic), Vietnam, Yemen Republic, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

In recognition of the opening of the US National Institutes of Health’s programmes to European researchers, any legal entity established in the United States of America is eligible to receive Union funding.

Legal entities which are established in countries not listed above will be eligible for funding if provided for in the specific call/topic conditions, or if their participation is considered essential for implementing the action by the granting authority.

Any legal entity, regardless of its place of establishment, including legal entities from non associated third countries or international organisations (including international European research organisations) is eligible to participate (whether it is eligible for funding or not), provided that the conditions laid down in the Horizon Europe Regulation have been met, along with any other conditions laid down in the specific call/topic.

A ‘legal entity’ means any natural or legal person created and recognised as such under national law, EU law or international law, which has legal personality and which may, acting in its own name, exercise rights and be subject to obligations, or an entity without legal personality.

Unless otherwise provided for in the specific call/topic conditions, only legal entities forming a consortium are eligible to participate in actions provided that the consortium includes, as beneficiaries, three legal entities independent from each other and each established in a different country as follows: at least one independent legal entity established in a Member State; and at least two other independent legal entities, each established in different Member States or Associated