HORIZON 2020: The framework programme for research and innovation

Programme Description

Horizon 2020 is the European Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2014 – 2020). It is the central instrument for realizing the European Research Area (ERA) in which knowledge and scientists can freely move. Through the development of the ERA, Horizon 2020 contributes to the implementation of the Europe 2020 Strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth.

Horizon 2020 contributes to economic growth and job creation in Europe and to solving major societal challenges. A competitive economy characterized by innovation – the transfer of new scientific insights and technological developments into new products, services and processes is prerequisite. These objectives partly result in funding of later stages in the value chain and higher Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) compared to previous research framework programmes.

Horizon 2020 is built around three pillars:

The pillar ‘Excellent Science’ supports Europe’s best scientists and serves to attract outstanding researchers from third countries. This pillar’s funding instruments support basic or ‘pioneer research’, improve career prospects of researchers through international and inter-sectoral mobility, networking as well as assist the development of research infrastructures of European interest. These instruments are:

• European Research Council
• Future and Emerging Technologies
• Marie-Sklodowska Curie Actions
• Research Infrastructures

The second pillar ‘Industrial Leadership’ funds industrial research and innovation:

• Leadership in enabling industrial technologies (LEIT) including key technologies that are relevant for strengthening the competitiveness of industry. This covers Information and Communication Technologies, Nanotechnologies, Advanced Materials, Biotechnology, Advanced Manufacturing and Processing and Space.
• Access to risk financing:  credit facility and equity capital, funding of high-risk research and innovation projects
• Innovation in Small and Medium Enterprises (SME): feasibility studies, research and demonstration and support for follow-up phases.

The third pillar supports research to tackle  ‘Societal Challenges’:

• Health, Demographic Change and Wellbeing
• Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine and maritime and inland water research and the bioeconomy
• Secure, clean and efficient energy
• Smart, green and integrated transport
• Climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials
• Europe in a changing world – inclusive, innovative and reflective societies
• Secure & innovative societies – protecting freedom and security of Europe and its citizens

The ‘Spreading Excellence and Widening Participation’ measure by Horizon 2020 is intended to connect weaker regions with leading regions.

The importance of science, research and innovation for society as well as public expectation and fears of its results need to be reflected. Such measures form part of the ‘Science with and for Society’ actions.

The Joint Research Centre (JRC) implements research assignments of the European Commission and thereby assists political decision-making.

The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) fosters so-called Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KIC) in the knowledge triangle of education, research and innovation. The HEALTH KIC unites more than 50  public and private partners and about 90 associated institutions.

You find further information about Horizon 2020 at the EC’s server here.

Please find the list of German National Contact Points here.

Current Calls for Proposals are published at the EC’s Participant Portal: Link.

Notes on HORIZON 2020

Individual Consultation  

• Please contact the EU-Liaison Officer for questions relating to the participation in the Framework Programme or other European programmes and for appointment for individual consultation.
• Please contact the EU-Liaison Officer well in advance to a planned application.

Participant Identification Code (PIC)

• Please register your project proposal at the Participant Portal in response to a call in Horizon 2020 with the PIC 999881918 of the Medical Center – University of Freiburg.

Further Information and Documents

• Applicants and Project Leaders of ongoing European projects should use the practical  hints and reference documents provided at the Participant Portal.
• The H2020 Online Manual provides access to information and relevant documents covering all projects phases of applying and managing H2020 projects. Please access the Online Manual here.

Consortium Agreement / Intellectual Property Rights

• Concluding a Consortium Agreement which regulates the internal governance as well as IPR between the project partners is mandatory in Horizon 2020.

• The DESCA Model Consortium Agreement provides a comprehensive reference document and is used as template for the vast majority of consortium agreements concluded in Horizon 2020 projects. You can find the latest version of DESCA here.

• Practical information relating to the management of IPR issues in Horizon 2020 is provided at the web site of the IPR Helpdesk: Link

• The Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI JU) established rules for providing access to IPR (both Background and Results) that deviate from those in the Horizon 2020 Model Grant Agreement. Further information is available here.

• The IPR Helpdesk published the brochure “Making the most of Your H2020 Project”. Boosting the impact of your project through the effective communication, dissemination and exploitation”. It comprises tips for planning these three related aspects in the ‘Impact’ section of your proposal. Further information is available here.

Project Implementation

Timesheets

• Generally, actual costs are reported and reimbursed in Horizon 2020 projects. Claiming of direct personnel costs requires a reliable and consistent system of time recording.

• It is recommended to staff working on a European project to fill in the timesheets daily. Project Leaders should countersign the timesheets and forward them monthly to the Financial Department (Drittmittelverwaltung).

• You can download the Horizon 2020 Timesheet in the Medical Center – University of Freiburg’s intranet (Services / Angebote: Formularplattform: Buchhaltung und Finanzen: Finanzplanung: Drittmittelverwaltung).

Contacts for your EU project

Please notice that ‚EU-Projects‘ only refers to projects that are directly funded by the EU and which are administered by the European Commission, one of its executive agencies (ERCEA, REA, Chafea) or other public bodies acting as programme authorities on behalf of the European Commission.

Other contact persons

For transnational collaborative research projects which are funded by the BMBF or other German funding institutions, contact the responsible person for the administration of your department’s or institute’s national third-party funded projects in the ‘Drittmittelverwaltung’.

This refers, for example, to projects such as various ERA-NET, Joint Programming Initiatives and the Eurostars programme.

The latest version of the list of staff and their area of responsibility (PDF) is available through the Medical Center – University of Freiburg’s intranet:

Verwaltung - Geschäftsbereich 1 - Controlling und Finanzen → Abteilung 1.1 – Finanzplanung -  Mitarbeit