Horizon 2020: The next European Common Strategic Framework for Research and Innovation

HORIZON 2020

The next European Common Strategic Framework for Research and Innovation

The current seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7) will end in 2013. This means in practice that the final large call for proposals will be published in July 2012, with deadlines in Winter 2012-2013. In 2013 the first calls for proposals for the next Research and Innovation programme (HORIZON 2020) will be published. Due to the differences with FP7, universities should prepare in time for these next calls, so that they can benefit optimally from the first calls of HORIZON 2020.

The European Commission will publish the proposals for the legal basis of HORIZON 2020 on November 30^th. Following this publication, the European Council and the European Parliament will react to the proposal (mid 2012). Some minor changes may follow from these reactions, so that a final legal basis will be in place early 2013, after the Multiannual Financial Framework has been approved.

Universities will need to launch preparatory activities at two levels: administrative and research. Directly after the publication of the legal basis, universities must analyze the implications for their university administration. New funding schemes and administrative requirement may need them to take action. Researchers will need to be informed and prepared in a timely manner: most likely after the final deadlines of FP7. In order to plan the administrative analysis and preparatory activities, it is useful to have some insight in the current state of affairs. The following paragraphs and the attachments to this document try to provide this insight based on preliminary drafts: there may still be changes to the documents.

HORIZON 2020: Rules for Participation (selection of most relevant issues)
The Rules for Participation lay down the conditions under which institutions can benefit from funding under HORIZON 2020. These Rules clarify legal and administrative requirements for the participants, contracts and agreements that are necessary to run projects and funding schemes under HORIZON 2020.
The Commission indicates that there will be a simplified set of funding schemes. The following grants and finance mechanisms will be implemented:

-	HORIZON 2020 grants with up to 100% funding of direct costs with demonstration activities limited to maximum 70% funding of direct costs

-	Indirect costs will be covered at a 20% flat rate based on the direct costs

-	Award of prizes will be possible

-	Financial instruments such as debt and equity financing will be possible

In addition to funding for Public-private partnerships, the Commission proposes funding for Public-public partnerships. This probably refers to co-funding of Joint Programming Initiatives between Member States.

All proposals submitted under HORIZON 2020 will need to include a draft plan for the exploitation and dissemination of results. Under FP7 this is often asked for, but is now included in the fundamental Rules for Participation.

The Commission proposes to have Open Access as a standard for dissemination of results, unless the participants identify good reasons not to use Open Access. This is already a practice at many institutions, but may find some resistance in the coming months.

HORIZON 2020: Structure
HORIZON 2020 is a policy area that also covers EIT and the current CIP. The structure of funding actions will therefore be different from the situation in FP7. In general terms, there will be 3 main blocks under HORIZON 2020:

-	Excellent science (27.8 billion, 31%)

o	European Research Council

o	Future and Emerging Technologies

o	Marie Curie actions on skills, training and career development

o	European research infrastructures

-	Industrial leadership (20.4 billion, 23%)

o	Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies

§	Information and Communication Technologies

§	Nanotechnology, production and materials

§	Biotechnology

Space

o	Innovation in SMEs

o	Access to risk finance

-	Societal challenges (41.93 billion, 46%)

o	Health, demographic changes and wellbeing

o	Food security and bio-based economy

o	Secure, clean and efficient energy

o	Smart, green and integrated transport

o	Resource efficiency and climate

o	Inclusive, innovative and secure societies

In addition to these three blocks the Commission proposes so-called “Cross-cutting actions”, which will operate between the three main blocks.