Project Support Office
International Funds

HORIZON EUROPE / CLUSTERS

1. Health
• Health throughout the life course 
• Non-communicable and rare diseases 
• Tools, technologies and digital solutions for health and care, including personalised medicine 
• Environmental and social health determinants 
• Infectious diseases, including poverty-related and neglected disease 
• Health care systems 

2. Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society 
• Democracy and Governance 
• Social and economic transformations 
• Culture, cultural heritage and creativity 

3. Civil Security for Society 
• Disaster-resilient societies 
• Protection and Security 
• Cybersecurity 

4. Digital, Industry and Space 
• Manufacturing technologies 
• Advanced materials 
• Next generation internet 
• Circular industries 
• Space, including Earth Observation 
• Emerging enabling technologies 
• Key digital technologies, including quantum technologies 
• Artificial Intelligence and robotics 
• Advanced computing and Big Data 
• Low-carbon and clean industry 
• Emerging enabling technologies 

5. Climate, Energy and Mobility
• Climate science and solutions 
• Energy systems and grids 
• Communities and cities 
• Industrial competitiveness in transport 
• Smart mobility 
• Energy supply 
• Buildings and industrial facilities in energy transition 
• Clean, safe and accessible transport and mobility 
• Energy storage 

6. Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment 
• Environmental observation 
• Agriculture, forestry and rural areas 
• Circular systems 
• Food systems 
• Biodiversity and natural resources 
• Seas, oceans and inland waters 
• Bio-based innovation systems in the EU Bioeconomy

MISSION AREAS
A mission is a portfolio of actions across disciplines intended to achieve a bold and inspirational and measurable goal within a set timeframe, with impact for society and policy making as well as relevance for a significant part of the European population and wide range of European citizens. 

1. Healthy oceans, seas, coastal and inland waters
Addressing sectors, policies and systemic, transformative solutions (governance, technological, non-technological, services, behaviour changes, investments), in fields including notably: systemic solutions for the prevention, reduction, mitigation and removal of marine pollution including plastics; transition to a circular and blue economy; public awareness raising; users affected by the need to adapt to and mitigate pollution and climate change in the ocean; sustainable use and management of ocean resources; development of new materials including biodegradable plastic substitutes, new feed and food; urban, coastal and maritime spatial planning; ocean governance; ocean economics applied to maritime activities.

2. Climate-neutral and smart cities
Addressing sectors and policies for systemic, transformative solutions (governance, technological, non-technological, services, behaviour changes, investments), in fields including notably: climate change mitigation and adaptation; air quality; spatial planning (incl. land urban and green spaces) and development; energy efficient buildings (retrofitting); urban infrastructures and networks, including transport and logistics systems, energy, ICT and water; clean energy transformation; urban manufacturing; urban circularity and regeneration; ecosystem services and nature-based solutions; public health and well-being in cities; urban resilience; social impacts of climate change.

3. Adaptation to climate change, including societal transformation
Addressing sectors, policies and systemic, transformative solutions (governance, technological, non-technological, services, behaviour changes, investments) in fields including notably: climate change adaptation and mitigation; climate services; natural resources; systemic and nature-based solutions; environmental advocacy and citizen engagement; sustainable production and consumption; disaster risk reduction and management including public health and critical infrastructures; international development in the field of climate change; science communication; water management; biodiversity; agriculture, finance and insurance.

4. Cancer
Addressing sectors, policies and systemic, transformative solutions (governance, technological, non-technological, services, behaviour changes, investments), in fields including notably: cancer prevention, prediction, detection, diagnosis and treatment including clinical expertise in these areas; quality of life and end of life care; public health policy and practice; patient representation including support groups and family counselling, innovation and business development; ethics.

5. Soil health and food
Addressing sectors and policies for systemic, transformative solutions (governance, technological, non-technological, services, behaviour changes, investments), in fields including: soil management in agriculture and forestry for food and nutrition security, and the delivery of non-food products and public goods; soil management beyond agriculture and forestry, e.g. peatland, wetland; restoration and remediation of soils, brownfields, soil sealing; potential of soils and soil management practices for climate mitigation and adaptation; soil functions and ecosystems’ services, and the role of practises to improve soil health; sustainable land(scape) management, land use and land use change, spatial planning; ecology, agro-ecology, soil microbiology; systems science / systems approaches, considering financial impacts of soil and land degradation.

EUROPEAN RESEARCH COUNCIL (ERC)

It supports researchers conducting frontier research in scientific excellence. 

ERC Starting Grants
Researchers of any nationality with 2-7 years of experience since completion of PhD (Extensions are possible under certain circumstances — see the latest ERC Work Programme), a scientific track record showing great promise and an excellent research proposal. Applications can be made in any field of research. The ERC's grants operate on a 'bottom-up' basis without predetermined priorities. Research must be conducted in a public or private research organisation (known as a Host Institution/HI). It could be the HI where the applicant already works, or any other HI located in one of the EU Member States or Associated Countries. Starting Grants may be awarded up to € 1.5 million for a period of 5 years. (pro rata for projects of shorter duration). However, an additional € 1 million can be made available to cover eligible “start-up” costs for researchers moving from a third country to the EU or an associated country and/or the purchase of major equipment and/or access to large facilities and/or other major experimental and field work costs. An ERC grant can cover up to 100% of the total eligible direct costs of the research plus a contribution of 25% of the total eligible costs towards indirect costs.

ERC Consolidator Grants 
Researchers of any nationality with 7-12 years of experience since completion of PhD (Extensions are possible under certain circumstances — see the latest ERC Work Programme), a scientific track record showing great promise and an excellent research proposal. Applications can be made in any field of research. The ERC's grants operate on a 'bottom-up' basis without predetermined priorities. Research must be conducted in a public or private research organisation (known as a Host Institution/HI). It could be the HI where the applicant already works, or any other HI located in one of the EU Member States or Associated Countries. Consolidator Grants may be awarded up to € 2 million for a period of 5 years. (pro rata for projects of shorter duration). However, an additional € 1 million can be made available to cover eligible “start-up” costs for researchers moving from a third country to the EU or an associated country and/or the purchase of major equipment and/or access to large facilities and/or other major experimental and field work costs. An ERC grant can cover up to 100% of the total eligible direct costs of the research plus a contribution of 25% of the total eligible costs towards indirect costs.

ERC Advanced Grants 
Applicants for the ERC Advanced Grants - called Principal Investigators (PI) - are expected to be active researchers who have a track-record of significant research achievements in the last 10 years. The Principal Investigators should be exceptional leaders in terms of originality and significance of their research contributions. No specific eligibility criteria with respect to the academic requirements are foreseen. Applications can be made in any field of research. The ERC's grants operate on a 'bottom-up' basis without predetermined priorities. Research must be conducted in a public or private research organisation (known as a Host Institution/HI). It could be the HI where the applicant already works, or any other HI located in one of the EU Member States or Associated Countries. Advanced Grants may be awarded up to € 2.5 million for a period of 5 years. (pro rata for projects of shorter duration). However, an additional € 1 million can be made available to cover eligible “start-up” costs for researchers moving from a third country to the EU or an associated country and/or the purchase of major equipment and/or access to large facilities and/or other major experimental and field work costs. An ERC grant can cover up to 100% of the total eligible direct costs of the research plus a contribution of 25% of the total eligible costs towards indirect costs.

ERC Synergy Grants 
A group of two to maximum four Principal Investigators (PIs) – of which one will be designated as the corresponding PI (cPI) – working together and bringing different skills and resources to tackle ambitious research problems. No specific eligibility criteria regarding the academic training are foreseen for ERC Synergy Grants. PIs must present an early achievement track-record or a ten-year track-record, whichever is most appropriate. Proposals will be evaluated on the sole criterion of scientific excellence which, in the case the ERC Synergy Grants, takes on the additional meaning of outstanding intrinsic synergetic effect. Applications can be made in any field of research. The ERC's grants operate on a 'bottom-up' basis without predetermined priorities. In the case of the ERC Synergy Grants, applications must demonstrate that the proposed research cannot be carried out by a single PI working alone. Research must be conducted in a public or private research organisation (known as a Host Institution/HI). It could be the HI where the applicant already works, or any other HI located in one of the EU Member States or Associated Countries. Synergy Grants can be up to a maximum of € 10 million for a period of 6 years (pro rata for projects of shorter duration). However an addition € 4 million can be requested in the proposal in total to cover: eligible 'start-up' costs for Principal Investigators moving to the EU or an Associated Country from elsewhere as a consequence of receiving an ERC grant and/or; the purchase of major equipment and/or; access to large facilities. An ERC grant can cover up to 100% of the total eligible direct costs of the research plus a contribution of 25% of the total eligible costs towards indirect costs.

ERC Proof of Concept 
All Principal Investigators in an ERC frontier research project, that is either on going or has ended less than 12 months before 1 January 2020, are eligible to participate and apply for an ERC Proof of Concept Grant. The Principal Investigator must be able to demonstrate the relation between the idea to be taken to proof of concept and the ERC frontier research project (Starting, Consolidator, Advanced or Synergy) in question. The ERC Proof of Concept funding is made available only to those who already have an ERC award to establish proof of concept of an idea that was generated in the course of their ERC-funded projects. The activities to be funded shall draw substantially on this scientifically excellent ERC-funded research. However the additional funding is not aimed at extending the original research or predominantly concerned with overcoming obstacles to practical application. The funding will cover activities at the very early stage of turning research outputs into a commercial or socially valuable proposition, i.e. the initial steps of pre-competitive development. The funding can be used to establish viability, technical issues and overall direction; clarify intellectual property rights position and strategy; provide feedback for budgeting and other forms of commercial discussion; provide connections to later stage funding; and cover initial expenses for establishing a company. The project must be conducted in a public or private research organisation (known as a Host Institution/HI). It could be the HI where the applicant already works, or any other HI located in one of the EU Member States or Associated Countries. Work Programme 2020 will continue to pilot the award of Proof of Concept grants on the basis of a lump sum of EUR 150 000. The ERC has started piloting the use of Lump Sums for the ERC-2019-PoC call, as a simplified funding mode for PoC. This will test efficiency and viability of such funding method compared to the current funding mode which is based on the declaration of actual costs.: The financial contribution will be awarded as a lump sum of € 150 000 for a period of 18 months. More than one Proof of Concept Grant may be awarded per ERC funded frontier research project but only one Proof of Concept project may be running at any one time for the same ERC frontier research project.

Future and Emerging Technologies (FET)
The visionary aspects and exploratory characteristics of FET might make it sound like a kind of magic, but the mission of FET is actually very concrete: to turn Europe's excellent science base into a competitive advantage. FET actions are expected to initiate radically new lines of technology through unexplored collaborations between advanced multidisciplinary science and cutting-edge engineering. It will help Europe grasp leadership early on in those promising future technology areas able to renew the basis for future European competitiveness and growth, and that can make a difference for society in the decades to come. Under Horizon 2020, FET actions have been allocated a provisional budget of 2 696 million euro. The FET programme has three complementary lines of action to address different methodologies and scales, from new ideas to long-term challenges: FET Open; FET Proactive and FET Flagships.

MARIE SKLODOWSKA-CURIE ACTIONS

Doctoral Networks
It aims to implement doctoral programmes by partnerships of organisations from different sectors across Europe and beyond to train highly skilled doctoral candidates, stimulate their creativity, enhance their innovation capacities and boost their employability in the long-term.

Postdoctoral Fellowships
The objective of PFs is to support researchers’ careers and foster excellence in research. The Postdoctoral Fellowships action targets researchers holding a PhD who wish to carry out their research activities abroad, acquire new skills and develop their careers. PFs help researchers gain experience in other countries, disciplines and non-academic sectors.

Staff Exchanges
It funds short-term international and inter-sectoral exchanges of staff members involved in research and innovation activities of participating organisations. The aim is to develop sustainable collaborative projects between different organisations from the academic and non-academic sectors (in particular SMEs), based in Europe and beyond. Exchanged staff benefit from new knowledge, skills and career development perspectives, while participating organisations increase their research and innovation capacities.

COFUND
It provides funding for regional, national and international programmes for training and career development, through co-funding mechanisms. It spreads the MSCA’s best practices by promoting high standards and excellent working conditions. COFUND promotes sustainable training and international, interdisciplinary and inter-sectoral mobility.

MSCA and Citizens
It intends to bring research and researchers closer to the public at large, with a focus notably on families, pupils and students. It does so through the organisation of the European Researchers’ Night, a research communication and promotion event taking place across EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries which aims to contribute to promoting excellence research projects across Europe and beyond, increase awareness among the general public of the importance and benefits of research and innovation and showcase its concrete impact on citizens’ daily life, and heighten young people’s interest in science and research careers.

SPREADING EXCELLENCE AND WIDENING PARTICIPATION (WIDESPREAD) 

Teaming for Excellent Research and Innovation
It intends to support/create centres of excellences as role models to stimulate excellence, new investments and reforms of national research and innovation systems. The Teaming action supports the creation of new Centres of Excellence or the upgrade of existing ones in low Research & Innovation performing Member States and Associated Countries, the ‘Widening countries’, on the basis of strategic partnerships with internationally leading institutions, ‘Advanced partners’.

Twinning
It aims to develop excellence in chosen research and innovation domain, increase visibility of the research institutions and universities, and upskill its staff. 

ERA Chairs
It is designed to support universities or research organisations from eligible countries to attract and maintain high quality human resources and help excellent scientists and their teams to become game changers in their field.

COST Action
The nature of science has changed. It has become more interconnected, interdisciplinary, collaborative and data intensive. Collaboration has become critical to solving complex problems. COST creates spaces where scientists are in the driving seat (bottom-up) and ideas can grow through a flexible and open approach. By enabling researchers from academia, industry and the public and private sector to work together in open networks that transcend borders, COST helps to advance science, stimulates knowledge sharing and pools resources. National governments make a real difference by ensuring that research cooperation optimises national investments in research and technology and unlocks thereby the full potential of science.

ERASMUS+ 

Key Action 2 (KA2) – Cooperation among Organisations and Institutions 
This Key Action supports Partnerships for Cooperation, including Cooperation Partnerships and Small-scale Partnerships; Partnerships for Excellence, including Centres for Vocational Excellence, Teachers Academy and Erasmus Mundus Action; Partnerships for Innovation, including Alliances and Forward-looking projects; Capacity Building projects in the field of youth; and Not-for-profit European sport events. The Actions supported under this Key Action are expected to contribute significantly to the priorities of the programme, to bring positive and long-lasting effects on the participating organisations, on the policy systems in which such Actions are framed as well as on the organisations and persons directly or indirectly involved in the organised activities. This Key Action is expected to result in the development, transfer and/or implementation of innovative practices at organisational, local, regional, national or European levels.

Key Action 3 - (KA3) – Support to Policy Development and Cooperation
Key Action 3 provides support to policy cooperation at European Union level, thereby contributing to the development of new policies, which can trigger modernisation and reforms, at European Union, and systems' level, in the fields of education, training youth and sport. It covers many other Actions in support of policy reform in the education, training and youth fields that are implemented directly by the European Commission or through specific calls for proposals managed by the Education Audio-visual and Culture Executive Agency. These actions are grouped in the following sections: support to European policy development; support to union tools and measures that foster the quality, transparency and recognition of skills, competences and qualifications; policy dialogue and cooperation with key stakeholders and international organisations; measures that contribute to the qualitative and inclusive implementation of the programme; cooperation with other union instruments and support to other union policies; and dissemination and awareness-raising activities.

Knowledge Alliances
Knowledge Alliances are transnational projects which bring higher education institutions and business together to work on common issues. The overall aim is to help strengthen Europe's capacity to innovate and to support the modernisation of Europe's higher education systems. Knowledge Alliances focus on one or more of the following: developing new, innovative, and multidisciplinary approaches to teaching and learning; stimulating entrepreneurship and the entrepreneurial skills of higher education and company staff; and exchanging knowledge and working together on new solutions.

Sector Skills Alliances
Sector Skills Alliances (SSAs) are designed to tackle skills, aligning vocational education and training (VET) systems with labour market needs. This is done by: modernising VET by adapting to skills needs and integrating work-based learning; strengthening the exchange of knowledge and best practices; improving labour market mobility; increasing the recognition of qualifications. Priority is given to projects which address one of the specific objectives, which include: improving skills and competence levels; fostering quality, innovation, and internationalisation; promoting the development and modernisation of education; enhancing the international dimension of education and training; and improving language learning and teaching.

Jean Monnet Actions
Jean Monnet Actions offer funding opportunities for schools; vocational education and training institutes; teacher training organisations; and promotion of debates and exchanges on EU subjects in secondary education institutions. This enlarged offer builds on the success of the actions which, since 1989, have focused on higher education institutions. It means Jean Monnet Actions continues working to bring positive and long-lasting effects to pupils and students, teachers and professors, education institutions and promoting organisations, as well as to the policy systems within which they are framed. 

HORIZON 2020 / SOCIETAL CHALLENGES

1. Health, demographic change and wellbeing
Responding to this challenge, research and innovation (R&I) under Horizon 2020 is an investment in better health for all. It aims to keep older people active and independent for longer and supports the development of new, safer and more effective interventions. R&I under Horizon 2020 also contributes to the sustainability of health and care systems.

2. Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine and maritime and inland water research and the bioeconomy
A transition is needed towards an optimal and renewable use of biological resources and towards sustainable primary production and processing systems. These systems will need to produce more food, fibre and other bio-based products with minimised inputs, environmental impact and greenhouse gas emissions, and with enhanced ecosystem services, zero waste and adequate societal value. Agriculture, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture, together with the bio-based industries, are integral parts of the European economy and society. Relying on the use of limited natural resources, these sectors produce and process biological resources to satisfy the demand of consumers and a wide range of industries for food, feed, bio-energy and bio-based products. While they enhance Europe’s self-reliance and provide jobs and business opportunities essential for rural, coastal and marine areas, these sectors are also facing significant challenges which require solutions based on research and innovation.

3. Secure, clean and efficient energy
The Energy Challenge is designed to support the transition to a reliable, sustainable and competitive energy system. To make the transition to a competitive energy system, we need to overcome a number of challenges, such as increasingly scarce resources, growing energy needs and climate change. The Energy Challenge is structured around seven specific objectives and research areas: reducing energy consumption and carbon footprint; low-cost, low-carbon electricity supply; alternative fuels and mobile energy sources; a single, smart European electricity grid; new knowledge and technologies; robust decision making and public engagement; and market uptake of energy and ICT innovation.

4. Smart, green and integrated transport
This Challenge aims to boost the competitiveness of the European transport industries and achieve a European transport system that is resource-efficient, climate-and-environmentally-friendly, safe and seamless for the benefit of all citizens, the economy and society. It provides funding for a resource efficient transport that respects the environment by making aircraft, vehicles and vessels cleaner and quieter to minimise transport’s systems’ impact on climate and the environment, by developing smart equipment, infrastructures and services and by improving transport and mobility in urban areas; a better mobility, less congestion, more safety and security with a substantial reduction of traffic congestion; with a substantial improvement in the mobility of people and freight; by developing  new concepts of freight transport and logistics and by reducing accident rates, fatalities and casualties and improving security; a global leadership for the European transport industry by reinforcing the competitiveness and performance of European transport manufacturing industries and related services including logistic processes and retain areas of European leadership (e.g. such as aeronautics); and a socio-economic and behavioural research and forward looking activities for policy making. The aim is to support improved policy making which is necessary to promote innovation and meet the challenges raised by transport and the societal needs related to it.

5. Climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials
Activities in this Challenge will help increase European competitiveness, raw materials security and improve wellbeing. At the same time they will assure environmental integrity, resilience and sustainability with the aim of keeping average global warming below 2° C and enabling ecosystems and society to adapt to climate change and other environmental changes. This Challenge funds research and innovation with the following specific objectives: to achieve a resource – and water - efficient and climate change resilient economy and society; the protection and sustainable management of natural resources and ecosystems; and a sustainable supply and use of raw materials, in order to meet the needs of a growing global population within the sustainable limits of the planet's natural resources and eco-systems.

6. Europe in a changing world – inclusive, innovative and reflective societies
Reducing inequalities and social exclusion in Europe are crucial challenges for the future of Europe. At the same time, there is great potential for Europe through opportunities provided, for example, by new forms of innovation and by the engagement of citizens. Supporting inclusive, innovative and reflective societies is a prerequisite for a sustainable European integration. EU research and innovation will address social exclusion, discriminations and various forms of inequalities. It will explore new forms of innovation and strengthen the evidence base for the Innovation Union, the European Research Area and other relevant EU policies. It will promote coherent and effective cooperation with third countries. Finally, it will address the issues of memories, identities, tolerance and cultural heritage. In short, this Societal Challenge of the Horizon 2020 programme aims at fostering a greater understanding of Europe, by providing solutions and support inclusive, innovative and reflective European societies with an innovative public sector in a context of unprecedented transformations and growing global interdependencies.

7. Secure societies – protecting freedom and security of Europe and its citizens
This Challenge is about undertaking the research and innovation activities needed to protect our citizens, society and economy as well as our infrastructures and services, our prosperity, political stability and wellbeing. The primary aims of the Secure Societies Challenge are: to enhance the resilience of our society against natural and man-made disasters, ranging from the development of new crisis management tools to communication interoperability, and to develop novel solutions for the protection of critical infrastructure; to fight crime and terrorism ranging from new forensic tools to protection against explosives; to improve border security, ranging from improved maritime border protection to supply chain security and to support the Union's external security policies including through conflict prevention and peace building; and to provide enhanced cyber-security, ranging from secure information sharing to new assurance models.