Response to the Horizon Europe Implementation Consultation

This submission responds to the Department of Industry, Science and Resources’ discussion paper on implementing Australia’s association to Horizon Europe under Pillar II. It strongly supports association and answers the paper’s 19 questions with six recommendations. First, it proposes a dedicated hybrid National Contact Point (NCP) structure anchored in the Pillar II clusters, giving Cluster 1: Health an identifiable, resourced NCP line, overlaid with cross-cutting expertise in clinical trial regulation, ethics, data governance and Indigenous research governance, and rejecting a geographic model. Second, Year One should focus on capability, partner mapping and targeted calls, with success measured by new entrants, partnerships and breadth of participation rather than funding success rates alone. Third, participation should align with the National Health and Medical Research Strategy, Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) priorities, the Strategic Examination of R&D and the National Research Infrastructure Roadmap. Fourth, implementation should build on existing networks, science diplomacy and organisations already in Europe. Fifth, it recommends equitable whole-of-sector participation reaching medical research institutes, hospitals, charities, consumer groups and SMEs, including regional, rural, remote and very remote organisations, citing its finding that close to 30% of Australians live in these communities, and favours application-stage proposal development support over success-based incentives. Sixth, it seeks a formal Tier 3, and possibly Tier 2, outreach and evaluation role for Research Australia. It also asks whether implementation funding will be additional to existing health research budgets.