LUKE Joint Call: International Research & Innovation Competition with Ukraine as Central Partner

If your organisation works in research or innovation, this call could be one of the most significant opportunities to step onto the European stage. The LUKE Joint Call is an international open competition for basic and/or applied research, development, and innovation projects. It is implemented within the LUKE (Linking Ukraine to the ERA) project, supported by Horizon Europe, with Ukraine as the central partner.

The call is jointly managed by 13 national funding agencies from 11 countries — from Austria and Finland to Moldova and Türkiye. This is a rare combination: international scale and simultaneous funding from multiple agencies, alongside a genuine opportunity for Ukrainian researchers and innovative companies to become part of the European Research Area (ERA).

Participating Countries

The call is open to legal entities registered in one of the following countries:

Consortium Requirements

This call is built around international partnerships. If your organisation is new to consortium building, we recommend reading our guide “International Grant Partnerships: Where to Find Partners and How to Formalise Agreements” — it walks through the full process step by step.

Each project consortium must include:

• At least 3 partners from 3 different participating countries;
• A mandatory partner from Ukraine — this is the core condition of LUKE;
• A nominated Lead Partner within the consortium.

The call encourages participation from diverse types of organisations — research institutions, universities, innovative SMEs, and other legal entities eligible under national legislation. Note that eligibility criteria vary depending on the national rules of each Funding Party.

Four Priority Topics

The call covers four areas where Ukraine can make a meaningful contribution to joint European research — and where there is real demand for results right now:

Who Can Apply for LUKE Joint Call?

Unless this contradicts the national rules of the respective Funding Party, eligible applicants include:

• Research and higher education institutions;
• Research-performing small and medium enterprises;
• Other entities eligible under respective national legislation.

Not sure whether this programme is a good fit for your organisation? Our article “How to Choose the Right Grant: 10 Key Criteria” will help you quickly assess your options and make a confident decision.

Partner Matchmaking Event

Don’t have consortium partners yet? That’s a solvable problem. On 25 March 2026, organisers are hosting an online event — LUKE Joint Call Collaborative Partner Matchmaking — where potential participants from all 11 countries can meet, explore collaboration opportunities, and lay the groundwork for joint proposals.

In addition, the EU.FFICIENT platform serves as a dedicated communication hub for partner search. Register on the platform, join the group “CEF LUKE Europe-Ukraine R&I”, and post your collaboration needs — including your name, organisation, country, target partner country, LUKE topic of interest, and any other relevant details. This enables potential partners to reach you directly through the platform.

How to Apply for LUKE Joint Call?

Submit your proposal exclusively in electronic form via the PT-Outline online tool: ptoutline.eu/app/LUKE

Partners from Austria, Czech Republic, Poland, Türkiye, and Ukraine (NASU) must additionally submit supplementary information directly to the relevant Funding Party. Before submitting, contact your national LUKE Contact Point for detailed eligibility and funding criteria.

Working on your project budget? Our detailed guide “Grant Budget Made Simple: A Financial Guide for 2026” covers how to correctly calculate personnel costs, indirect costs, and equipment expenses in line with Horizon Europe requirements.