News and Information
Below, you will find news and information on EU-relevant topics:
Templates and annotated templates
08.12.2023: Templates for time sheets
The Excel template for time sheets is designed to help avoid errors. It can be customized for each institution and used in all projects where personnel costs are determined based on actual expenses.
The template can be downloaded from the KoWi website and the BAK website
12.07.2023: Annotated template for clinical trials
The annotated template is intended to assist applicants in filling out the template and to provide information and tips on what specific information is required.
The template must be completed for each Horizon Europe application if clinical studies or data collection and analysis of healthy or diseased individuals are planned within the project. Please note that the European Commission's definition of clinical trials is described in the template.
The annotated template and other valuable "Supporting Tools" can be found on the HNN3.0 website.
15.05.2023: New version of the Annotated Model Grant Agreement for Horizon Europe
The European Commission has recently published a new version of the Annotated Model Grant Agreement (AGA) for Horizon Europe. Still at draft stage, the new AGA version contains numerous changes and additions, such as clarification on the reference period relevant for the calculation of personnel costs, explanations on the suspension and termination of the grant or on access to research infrastructures.
Link to the new version of the AGA: here
15.12.2021: Annotated application template for RIA and IA
All applicants kindly take note: The network of National Contact Points has jointly released a handout regarding the application form for Research and Innovation Activities (RIA) and Innovation Activities (IA) in Horizon Europe. This valuable document includes tips, tricks and explanations, as well as the most important answers to all questions related to the application and the use of the European Commission's application template.
Link to the annotated application template
Useful documents and handouts
12.04.2024: Guidlines on the responsible use of generative AI in research
The EU-Commission has put forward a set of guidelines to support the European research community in their responsible use of generative artificial intelligence. These guidelines offer guidance to researchers, research organizations and research funders to ensure a coherent approach across Europe.
More information can be found here.
12.04.2024: Horizon Europe strategic plan 2025-2027 for research and innovation
The Commission has adopted the second strategic plan for Horizon Europe for the last three years of the program (2025-2027). The Strategic Plan forms the basis for the work programmes and call topics for Horizon Europe until 2027. The priorities for each cluster - including the Health cluster - are described in a separate chapter. The strategic plan also identifies the new European partnership “Brain Health”.
More information can be found here.
15.01.2024: European Innovation Council (EIC); Publication of Work Program 2024
The European Commission has released the EIC Work Program 2024. It outlines the following submission deadlines:
EIC Transition: 18.09.2024
The EIC identifies groundbreaking innovations with disruptive potential. The program supports the entire innovation cycle, from basic research through validation to market introduction and scaling. A portion of the calls is bottom-up, making them interesting for health topics as well. The EIC Pathfinder supports high-risk projects in an early development stage. The EIC Transition is dedicated to advancing results and developing a business model.
The following changes have been introduced:
- The rebuttal process has been eliminated.
- Intellectual property guidelines have been adjusted based on recommendations from the EIC Board
- EIC Transition Challenges is discontinued.
- EIC Transition Open now has only one submission deadline.
- Funding is now provided under the lump-sum model.
- Eligibility in EIC Transition Open has been expanded to include results from Horizon 2020 funding areas "Societal Challenges" and "Industrial Leadership," as well as Pillar II of Horizon Europe.
15.01.2024: EU4Health; Publication of Work Program 2024
The work program for the EU4Health program in 2024 has been published, outlining priorities, actions, and financing for the year. It includes the promotion of projects related to antimicrobial resistance, non-communicable and communicable diseases, cancer, as well as mental health issues. The first calls for proposals are scheduled for spring 2024.
Further information can be found on the European Commission's website.
15.01.2024: European and Developing Countries Clinical Trails partnerships (EDCTP): Work Programme 2024
The Global health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking published the Work Programme 2024 with 7 topics with a deadline on 04.04.2024 (1st stage). The topics for collaborative research projects in the 2024 work program include HIV, malaria, neglected tropical diseases, and antibiotic resistance
EDCTP supports projects related to neglected and poverty-related diseases and supports research projects as well as capacity-building initiatives in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The Work Programme 2024 can be found on the Global Health EDCTP3 website.
06.06.2023: Handout on the Management of EU Projects
The Project Management Working Group of the “National Working Group (Bundesarbeitskreis) of EU Funding Advisors at German Universities and Colleges” has developed a handout on the management of EU projects.
You can find the handout here.
15.05.2023: Information sheets on important topics in Horizon Europe
The National Contact Point Health provides information sheets on important topics in Horizon Europe (e.g. application, rules of participation, open science) for download. The information sheets briefly summarise the most important information on the respective topic. The focus is on information relevant to the Health Cluster and funding opportunities for health projects.
You can find the information sheets here.
The European Commission has published a guide that explains the differences between communication, dissemination and exploitation and thus also provides valuable advice on the wording of the relevant application chapter.
You can find the guide here.
22.12.2022: Publication of the “Horizon Europe” work programs 2023-2024 by the European Commission
The European Commission has published several “Horizon Europe” work programs with upcoming calls for 2023-2024. Among them are the work program for the ‘Cluster Health’, the work program for the Missions including the Mission ‘Cancer’, the work program for the ‘Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions’, the work program for ‘Research Infrastructures’, and the work program for 'Widening participation and strengthening the European Research Area'. In addition, the European Innovation Council (EIC) work program for 2023 has been published.
Links to the different work programs in the Funding & Tenders Portal: here.
Associations to Horizon Europe
18.04.2024: Status of associations with Horizon Europe
Republic of Korea: Korea will join the growing group of countries associated to Horizon Europe, the EU research and innovation programme. Once signed, researchers and organisations in Korea will be able to receive funding under Pillar II of the Horizon from 2025 onwards.
Canada, New Zealand: Both Canada (expected from 2024) and New Zealand (since 09.07.2023) are partially associated with Pillar II 'Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness.' This allows institutions based there to participate as full 'Beneficiaries' in calls and projects of this program part.
United Kingdom: As of 01 January 2024, the association of the United Kingdom with Horizon Europe comes into effect, allowing British institutions to be funded by the EU as 'Beneficiaries' in Horizon Europe calls with a 'call identifier' of 2024. They are thereby practically equivalent to EU institutions.
Switzerland: Currently, Switzerland is not associated to Horizon Europe. Swiss institutions can currently participate in HE projects as ‘institutions established in a Third Country'. They do not receive EU funding, but will be funded at a national level.
Swiss institutions can already participate as Beneficiaries in proposals even before association. Financial EU funding for the Swiss participant would be possible if the association has come into effect at the time of the Grant Agreement signature.
Hungary: Please note that some Hungarian institutions are no longer eligible for funding in the Horizon Europe Framework Program for Research and Innovation. The decision was made due to violations by Hungary of the fundamental principle of the rule of law.
An overview of the affected institutions can be found here.
10.03.2023: A list of countries associated to Horizon Europe can be found here (February 2023).
Gender Equality Plan as an eligibility criterion in Horizon Europe
Starting in 2022, a Gender Equality Plan (GEP) will be a new eligibility criterion for public bodies, research organizations and higher education establishments applying for funding in the EU Framework Program Horizon Europe.
The Faculty of Medicine of the University of Freiburg confirms that a Gender Equality Plan is in place. This confirmation can be found here.
The Equality Plan of the University of Freiburg as part of the Structure and Development Plan 2019-2023 (abridged version) can be found here.
Financial support from the Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts Baden-Württemberg (MWK)
06.06.2023: As in the past years, the MWK may provide financial support to researchers at the Faculty of Medicine for their proposals in the EU Framework Programme “Horizon Europe”. The funds of the WWK are based on the principle of co-funding and may be used for a proportional reimbursement of additional costs associated with a proposal.
For preparation purposes, it is strongly recommended to contact the EU Office early at eu-referat@uniklinik-freiburg.de.