Widening participation and strengthening the European research area

Home Structure Widening participation and strengthening the European research area

Widening participation and strengthening the European research area (WIDERA) is the fourth ‘transversal’ element of Horizon Europe

The aim of WIDERA is to reduce the existing difference between R&I leading and lagging countries so that the EU can progress as a whole.

There are two main areas:

  1. Widening Participation and Spreading Excellence
  2. Reforming and Enhancing the European Research and Innovation System

The Widening Countries are Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia.

Associated Countries with equivalent characteristics in terms of R&I performance: Albania, Armenia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, the Faroe Islands, Georgia, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, and Morocco.

The Outermost Regions: Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Réunion, Martinique, Mayotte and Saint-Martin (France), the Azores and Madeira (Portugal), and the Canary Islands (Spain).