Fostering transnational cooperation between national support structures (e.g. National Contact Points): ensuring a transition between Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe

Topic description

Specific Challenge:

The action should facilitate transition from Horizon 2020 to the first Horizon Europe calls, by enabling a degree of continuity in transnational cooperation between national support structures (e.g. National Contact Points – NCPs), taking into account previous knowledge and best practices within Horizon 2020.

Proposed activities should deliver tangible benefits to potential applicants, capitalising on the work of the previous NCP Academy project, and relevant work of the other previous NCP network projects. The work will primarily consist of training activities for newly nominated NCPs, focusing on the rules and procedures of the new programme, and cross-cutting issues (e.g. embedding of social sciences and humanities).

This support should be extended to newly nominated national support structures for all parts of Horizon Europe, helping them become rapidly acquainted with the rules and procedures of the new programme.

Furthermore, a separate work package should include, when necessary, specific support to transnational initiatives related to Horizon Europe components (e.g. events; tools) designed to prepare applicants for the first calls.

In all cases, the proposal should show that training and other activities are organised efficiently, with an appropriate balance of on-line and physical interactions, and designed with a multiplier effect, taking account of training to be organised by the Commission, and of activities organised at national level.

The proposal should include specific tasks and budget (e.g. travel costs) to facilitate the involvement of all eligible NCPs, not taking part in the proposal consortium.

To help close the innovation divide, a substantial component of the proposed activities must be devoted to activities aimed at helping national support structures in those countries that have been participating at low levels in the Horizon 2020. These activities should help these national support structures rapidly acquire the know-how on support operations accumulated in other countries including, for example, training, mentoring, and twinning. They may also include awareness raising actions aimed at increasing visibility of well-qualified potential applicant organisations in the above mentioned countries.

Please note that this topic will take the form of lump sums as defined in Commission Decision C(2017)7151 of 27 October 2017 (http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/data/ref/h2020/other/legal/lump_sum/lumpsumdecision-2017-7151_en.pdf). Details of the lump sum funding pilot scheme are published on the Funding & Tenders Portal (http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/docs/h2020-funding-guide/grants/applying-for-funding/find-a-call/what-you-need-to-know_en.htm) together with the specific Model Grant Agreement for Lump Sums (http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/data/ref/h2020/mga/lumpsum/h2020-mga-lumpsum-pilot-multi_en.pdf) applicable.

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU in the range of EUR 2 million would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

Continuity of transnational cooperation among national support services across Europe to support first Horizon Europe calls, ensuring consistent and professional advice to participants.