Horizon 2020

Horizon 2020 ( English as well as in Switzerland and Austria Horizon 2020 ) is an EU funding program for research and innovation, advertised by the European Commission , which is to run from 2014 to 2020. Horizon 2020 combines the previous research framework programs with the framework program for competitiveness and innovation (CIP), as well as the programs of the European Institute for Innovation and Technology (EIT). The merger justified the significantly higher funding of the originally planned 87 billion euros compared to the 7th Research Framework Program (50.5 billion euros) by the Commission. After the negotiations on the budget of the European Union , however, the budget was cut to 70.2 billion euros. If one takes into account the increase in inflation since 2011, however, the result is an amount of EUR 79.271 billion that has been available to the program since 2014.

Program structure

The three main focuses of the program are excellence in science , industry leadership and societal challenges . These priorities correspond to those of the Europe 2020 strategy .

Focus I "Scientific Excellence"

This program area aims at the individual promotion of excellent scientists, pioneering research in new research fields, the mobility of scientists as well as better access to infrastructures. This focus includes the following funding lines:

European Research Council

The European Research Council (ERC) primarily awards individual grants to excellent young researchers and established scientists with groundbreaking project ideas from all subject areas.

Future and Emerging Technologies (FET)

FET promotes excellence-oriented and visionary collaborative research with the aim of opening up new, innovative fields of technology and also appeals to new players, i.e. young “high potentials” as well as small and medium-sized companies that conduct intensive research. 40% of the budget is reserved for thematically open individual projects ("FET open"). In addition, thematic research clusters (“FET proactive”) and major projects (“FET flagships”), such as the Human Brain Project , are funded.

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

The aim of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) is to increase the employability of researchers, to improve their career prospects in the public and private sectors, to bring young talent back from abroad and to increase the mobility and further training of young European researchers and R&I. To strengthen staff.

Research infrastructures

The primary goal of this program area is to facilitate transnational access to the use of existing research infrastructures and to prepare the creation of new facilities. The e-infrastructures (e.g. supercomputers , 5G PPP etc.) play a central role in promoting the exchange of knowledge, the dissemination of research results and the digital single market .

Priority II "Leading role of industry"

The development of new technologies and innovations aims to strengthen Europe's industrial and economic competitiveness. This priority includes the promotion of industrial and key technologies, access to risk finance and innovations in small and medium-sized enterprises.

Leading role in basic and industrial technologies

The focus of these activities is support for research, development, demonstration and innovation measures in the areas of information and communication technologies (including components and systems, computer systems and technologies, the Internet of the future, content technologies and information management, robotics, micro- and nanoelectronics and photonics) ; Nanotechnologies; Advanced materials; Advanced manufacturing and processing; Biotechnology and space exploration.

Access to risk finance

Horizon 2020 opens two new avenues to venture capital via a credit facility and an equity facility. Both instruments are managed by the European Investment Bank using the European Investment Fund. The credit facility is aimed at individual beneficiaries (especially research-oriented small and medium-sized companies) and includes the granting of loans, guarantees or counter-guarantees for research and development projects. Companies can take advantage of the Equity Facility in the first steps of their formation by helping them acquire equity capital.

Innovation in small and medium businesses

Only small and medium-sized companies are eligible to apply for this funding line. The support is phase-oriented and includes the entire innovation chain from feasibility studies to the promotion of research and demonstration to support for the market launch.

Focus III "Social Challenges"

This area defines seven socio-political priority areas, to the management of which research and innovation contribute significantly. Interdisciplinary and mission-oriented research and innovation approaches should contribute to overcoming the great challenges of our time:

Health, demographic change and wellbeing;
Food and food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine, maritime and limnological research and the bio-economy;
Safe, clean and efficient energy;
Smart, green and integrated transport;
Climate protection, the environment, resource efficiency and raw materials;
Europe in a changing world - inclusive, innovative and reflective societies;
Safe societies - protecting the freedom and security of Europe and its citizens.

Further program elements of Horizon 2020

Spreading excellence and widening participation

Synergies between the European Structural and Investment Funds and Horizon 2020 should help to close the gap between innovative and less developing countries or regions.

Science with and for society

The aim of the part "Science with and for society" is to increase the acceptance of science in society through a better exchange between the two. The idea behind the program is that a strong European science system should be open to societal concerns and concerns and that it should promote gender equality and openly address the interest of young people and the general public in science.

European Institute of Innovation and Technology

The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) aims to network companies, universities and research institutions in Europe-wide associations, so-called “knowledge and innovation communities”. These alliances are based on a long-term cooperation of z. B. created ten years. The establishment of innovative research results on the market is to be promoted and thus a contribution is made to closing the gap between innovation and commercialization.

Joint Research Center

In the Joint Research Center (Joint Research Center, JRC) is seven research institutes of the European Commission, which are located in five EU Member States. The JRC acts as the European Commission's scientific service, providing demand-driven scientific and technical support for the design, development, implementation and review of EU policies.

participation

Applications for project funding can only be submitted as part of an open call for proposals. The electronic "Participant Portal " ( Funding & Tender Portal ) provides an overview of all calls . In Horizon 2020, all aspects of application preparation, contract conclusion and project implementation are processed via the participant portal.

All legal entities of an EU Member State, an Associated State or a third country can participate in Horizon 2020. These can be both natural persons and legal persons (ie private or public institutions). The European Commission's contractual partner for Horizon 2020 projects is usually the institution (e.g. university, college, research institute or company). This also applies to individual funding measures, such as scholarships, for which the applicants submit the application together with their host institution.

At least three independent institutions from different EU member states or associated countries must be involved in a research project. In most cases, however, the minimum number of partner institutions is significantly exceeded. Additional requirements for participation are anchored in the respective work programs.

The possibilities of participation are set out in the so-called rules for participation . The rules for the use and dissemination of research results are also laid down there. They are also the basis for grant agreements between the European Commission and the project consortium.

In Horizon 2020, a uniform funding rate of 100% per project is planned. A funding rate of 70% is only planned for innovation measures and measures for the co-financing of programs. This does not apply to non-profit organizations. These should also be supported with a funding rate of 100% for innovation measures.

Participation

As of December 2016, around 10,000 projects with a total of 20.3 billion euros were funded in Horizon 2020. Most of the funding went to Germany (3.46 billion euros), followed by Great Britain (3.07 billion euros), France (2.10 billion euros), Spain (1.80 billion euros) and Italy (1.64 billion euros ). With around 443 million euros, the Max Planck Society as a single organization received the most funding.

All data from the projects supported by Horizon 2020 are published in the open data portal of the European Union .

Switzerland was associated with Horizon 2020 from 2004 to 2013 and after the adoption of the mass immigration initiative on February 9, 2014 initially only had a partial association with Horizon 2020. Since January 1, 2017, Switzerland has been fully associated with Horizon 2020.

Advice centers in Germany

EU speakers

There are local contacts for Horizon 2020 at German universities, technical colleges and research institutions, usually called EU speakers. They support interested parties from their respective institutions, v. a. when applying for funding and when carrying out EU projects. If there is a need for further advice, these EU consultants and the applicants from their institution contact the relevant national contact point. The network of EU speakers exchanges ideas through the “Nationwide Working Group of EU speakers at universities in Germany”.

National contact points

In Germany, various organizations operate a network of so-called National Contact Points (NCP) on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Education and Research and the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy . These national contact points consist of experts in the respective thematic areas. Their main task is to support researchers and their organizations in all matters relating to Horizon 2020 by e.g. B.

indicate tenders and deadlines,
individual advice in all phases of application and project participation,
Offer information and advisory events,
evaluate and process current information and background documents from the research policy environment and
if necessary, help in the search for project partners.

In addition to their advisory work, the national contact points also perform tasks for the ministries on whose behalf they work. For example, the NCP evaluates and evaluates the various application rounds. They also support the specialist departments in the ministries in the preparation and implementation of the work programs.

Web links

http://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/en - official website of the Commission
www.horizont2020.de - official German portal for Horizon 2020
https://www.euresearch.ch/en/european-programmes/horizon-2020/ - official Swiss website for Horizon 2020

Individual evidence

↑ Editor: Pt-Dlr: European Commission publishes proposal for Horizon 2020. In: forschungsrahmenprogramm.de. Retrieved February 2, 2015 .

↑ Tania Rabesandratana: EU Leaders Agree on Science Budget ( Memento of the original from June 30, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . ScienceInsider of June 27, 2013, accessed July 1, 2013 @1@ 2