News archive - Debate in the EU Competitiveness Council (October 10, 2012) on Horizon 2020 Rules
The Council reached agreement on a partial general approach on a draft regulation laying down the terms and conditions for the participation in research projects funded under Horizon 2020. A partial general approach is an agreement on the essential elements of a legal act, pending the
opinion of the European Parliament and the relevant discussions on the EU's multi-annual budget. The agreement introduces two reimbursement rates for direct costs, 100% for R&D projects and 70% for close to market initiatives. Another refitting is the increase of the flat rate for indirect costs from 20% to 25% of the direct costs of a project. European Ministers also introduced a new scheme that would allow a maximum of 8,000 euro to be awarded to researchers as a bonus for personnel costs.
Horizon 2020: research and innovation programme for 2014-2020
Rules for participation in actions of Horizon 2020
Participants may be research associations, universities, undertakings, industry consortia, etc. The draft regulation also lays down the rules governing the exploitation, dissemination and protection of results of the research projects.
The agreement paves the way to start negotiations with the European Parliament with a view to a first-reading agreement.
Ministers discussed in public deliberation, on the basis of a Presidency proposal (14295/12), outstanding issues such as the best way to achieve the highest level of simplification, especially for the benefit of participating organisations; the funding model to be used for the reimbursement of research activities, and the possibility of widening participation by reinforcing the attractiveness of researchers' careers across the Union.
Under the agreement, a simplified system consisting of a single reimbursement rate of eligible costs per research project would apply for all activities within a research project, and for all participants. The reimbursement would reach a maximum of 100 % of the total eligible costs of a project, with a limitation to a maximum of 70 % for close-to-market actions and programme co-fund actions. A flat rate of 25% of the total direct eligible costs will be reimbursed to cover indirect costs. A "bonus +" scheme was included in the agreement whereby eligible personnel costs can include supplementary payments made to personnel up to EUR 8 000 per person per year.
Some of these issues were also addressed at an informal preparatory meeting on 20 July, where research ministers agreed on the need for substantial simplification of the rules for participation and dissemination under Horizon 2020 in order to attract the best researchers and innovators.
Once approved, this set of common rules will also apply to the participation in projects managed by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT).
Source: http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/intm/132804.pdf
- European Union (EU 27)
- FP7
- General
Entry created by Elke Dall on October 12, 2012
Modified on October 12, 2012
