Canada anticipates Erasmus+ association and Horizon Europe participation for 2028-2034

Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada, anticipates association with Erasmus+ and renewed participation in Horizon Europe for the period 2028-2034.

In his speech to the European Parliament in Strasbourg on 17/09/2026, Carney said: "Canadian membership in Erasmus+ would give your students and ours more opportunity to learn at some of the world's top universities, to broaden their horizons and to build those lasting ties that will sustain our alliance for the future. Canadian membership in the next generation of Horizon Europe would allow us to pool resources, cooperate on frontier technologies and leverage our world-class research institutes and universities."

Since 2014, Canada has been an "Erasmus+ partner country", a status that has existed since the programme’s launch, granting it access only to certain actions (short-term mobility via International Credit Mobility since 2015, participation as a full or associated partner in Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s programmes and Jean Monnet actions), but not full automatic access like the "associated countries" (Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey).

Canada and the EU had already raised the idea of a partnership in July 2025, following the 2025 EU-Canada summit. The next EU-Canada summit will take place in Canada on 29 and 30/10/2026.

Canada has been an associate member of Horizon Europe since July 2024. This association applies only to Pillar II of Horizon Europe, which is dedicated to collaborative research. It may, however, benefit from certain opportunities available to third countries under the other pillars. As part of the negotiations for the next framework programme, Canada will need to negotiate a new association agreement with the EU.

On 16/09/2026, during her State of the Union address, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, also raised the possibility of Canada becoming the European Union’s first associated member.

According to a Commission Spokesperson, the Commission is working in close coordination with member states and the EP to create a new form of partnership that has not existed until now. "In this context, options of association to Erasmus+ will also be analysed."