The submission period for the LUKE Joint Call closed on 15 May 2026 at 23:59 CET (16 May 2026, 00:59 EET).
The Call is implemented within the Horizon Europe project “Linking Ukraine to the European Research Area – Joint Funding and Capacity Building Platform for Enhanced Research and Innovation Cooperation (LUKE)” under the Coordination Support Action.
The Call aims to foster sustainable long-term partnerships in research, development and innovation (RDI), with Ukraine acting as the central partner country. Participation was open to international consortia involving eligible Ukrainian organisations and partners from at least two other participating countries.
The high level of participation demonstrated a strong need in RDI collaboration with Ukraine: a total of 288 project proposals were submitted, covering all thematic areas and bringing together a wide range of international partners.
Distribution of Proposals by Thematic Area
In accordance with the terms and conditions the Call, the projects selected for funding will be supported through a coordinated funding model, under which each Funding Party finances its respective national participants within the international consortia.
Distribution of submitted proposals by Funding Party
The number of submitted proposals reflects the substantial potential of Ukrainian and European research communities in strengthening long-term cooperation and developing joint RDI initiatives within the European Research Area. The formation of a large number of international consortia involving organisations from Ukraine and partner countries further confirms the relevance of this Call as an effective instrument for enhancing research and innovation cooperation.
The substantial number of submitted proposals also demonstrates the highly competitive nature of the Call, which is characteristic of international research and innovation funding programmes. This creates the best conditions for the selection of the highest-quality, scientifically robust and most promising projects.
Next steps
The next stage of the Call, which has already started, is the verification of:
- formal requirements in each submitted proposal and
- national eligibility rules established by the respective Funding Parties.
Following the completion of the administrative and eligibility checks, proposals meeting all formal requirements will be submitted to an independent international selection process. The evaluation process will involve external reviewers carried out in accordance with the procedures and evaluation criteria defined in the terms and conditions of the Call.
Indicative Timeline
- Completion of the formal eligibility check: June 2026
- Indicative date for funding decision: November 2026
- Indicative project start date: January–March 2027
- Indicative project completion date: December 2028
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
