For 2014-2020 COST is providing EUR 300 million (constant prices) coming from two H2020 work programmes, 1) Societal Challenge 6 “Europe in a changing world – inclusive, innovative and reflective Societies” and 2) “Spreading Excellence and Widening Participation”.

“Inclusiveness leading to excellence” means that for the COST has additional objectives such as encouraging and enabling researchers from less research-intensive countries across Europe to set up or join COST Actions and counterbalancing research communities’ unequal access to knowledge infrastructures, funding and resources distribution. It has set up a Cost Inclusiveness Action Plan which includes 5 engagements:

• Information sharing for best management and practices
• Capacity building
• Preparing the future: young talents / next generation leaders
• Connecting research infrastructures to all potential users
• Dedicated Targeted Actions

And also specific inclusiveness-oriented activities are being reinforced:

• Raising awareness at various events
• Seeking target countries’ full involvement by organising:
• COST Info Days
• Strategic events
• Conferences
• Workshops

Seeking researchers’ full involvement by taking up:

• Partner roles in preparing proposals for COST Actions
• Leadership roles in COST Actions
• Initiator roles in scientific committees
• Grant Holder role

Primary target countries are the following COST countries which include both EU-Member States (EU13) and enlargement countries: 

Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Croatia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malta, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Slovakia, and Turkey.

Additionally, for other countries there is the possibility to get involved in the COST Actions as a “Near Neighborhood Country”, which is a nomination process for institutions located in one of the following countries, who are then also eligible for reimbursement from COST: Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Egypt, Georgia, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Palestinian Authority, Russia, Syria, Tunisia, and Ukraine.

Further information: www.cost.eu