OREANDA-NEWS. March 20, 2014. The Horizon 2020 EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, with a budget amounting to 80 billion euros, was launched at the Academy of Sciences of Moldova (ASM).

The president of the National Committee of Association to the Horizon – 2020 Framework Programme, academician Gheorghe Duca thanked the European Commission, in particular the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, which supported the initiative to organise this dialogue in Chisinau, thus encouraging the Eastern Partnership.

"Moldova was the first country in the Eastern Partnership, to hold an Associate status in the previous programme, Framework Programme 7 (FP7). We are set to have a similar status for Horizon 2020. I ascertain with satisfaction the advanced nature of the negotiations, which are supported by the team of DG Research and Innovation, European Commission General Director Robert-Jan Smits. By joining this programme, we want to strengthen the integration of the scientific community in the European research area and, finally, to contribute to Moldova’s EU integration," said Gheorghe Duca.

According to him, during the previous program, Moldova showed a positive participation dynamic. Researchers have won 53 projects, with EU’s financial contribution to Moldovan participants amounting to 70 million lei.

For his part, Robert-Jan Smits said Horizon 2020 was the largest worldwide scientific project that would cover the years 2014-2020 and had a budget of 80 billion euros.

ASM Interim President Ion Tighineanu said that "participation in the Horizon 2020 will allow Moldova promoting excellence and innovation and will create new jobs. This program will contribute to qualified staff training, and many researchers, involved in various projects abroad, will return home," said the ASM interim president.

Over 30 representatives of the scientific and education communities from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Ukraine and 150 from Moldova attended the event on the launch of the Horizon 2020 programme.