The authors of the study find that in general, proposal evaluation processes were fair and transparent. However, there may be scope to improve consistency and the feedback provided, and to reduce the burden and conservatism of the process, the report concludes. Based on these findings, the authors identify 10 recommendations for Horizon Europe:

1. Conduct regular reviews of the fairness of the process.
2. Encourage more female applicants.
3. Limit the use of multi-stage processes.
4. Explore and experiment with novel approaches, such as double-blind review and lotteries.
5. Streamline the use of consensus meetings.
6. Improve the clarity of assessment criteria and ensure that the evaluation process is centred around them.
7. Consider more targeted use of reviewers depending on their expertise.
8. Explore the scope for use of novel technologies to improve the process.
9. Continue to provide constructive feedback, especially for unsuccessful applicants.
10. Consider routes to ensure that innovative R&I is supported, such as targeted funding streams.

The study can be downloaded here:

Study on the proposal evaluation system for the EU R&I framework programme

See the article source here.