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Horizon 2020
Horizon 2020 Framework and Structure

Horizon 2020 is the biggest EU research and innovation programme ever with nearly €80 billion of funding available over 7 years (2014 to 2020) – in addition to the private investment that this money will attract. It promises more breakthroughs, discoveries and world-firsts by taking great ideas from the lab to the market.

Horizon 2020 is the financial instrument implementing the Innovation Union, a Europe 2020 flagship initiative aimed at securing Europe’s global competitiveness.

Seen as a means to drive economic growth and create jobs, Horizon 2020 has the political backing of Europe’s leaders and the Members of the European Parliament. They agreed that research is an investment in our future and so put it at the heart of the EU’s blueprint for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth and jobs.

By coupling research and innovation, Horizon 2020 is helping to achieve this with its emphasis on excellent science, industrial leadership and tackling societal challenges. The goal is to ensure Europe produces world-class science, removes barriers to innovation and makes it easier for the public and private sectors to work together in delivering innovation.

Structure and Programmes

Horizon 2020 focuses on the following priorities:

  • The European Research Council (ERC)will provide attractive and flexible funding to enable talented and creative individual researchers and their teams to pursue the most promising avenues at the frontier of science, on the basis of Union-wide competition.
  • Future and emerging technologies will support collaborative research in order to extend Europe’s capacity for advanced and paradigm-changing innovation. They will foster scientific collaboration across disciplines on radically new, high-risk ideas and accelerate development of the most promising emerging areas of science and technology as well as the Union-wide structuring of the corresponding scientific communities.
  • Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions will provide excellent and innovative research training as well as attractive career and knowledge-exchange opportunities through cross-border and cross-sector mobility of researchers to best prepare them to face current and future societal challenges.
  • Research infrastructure (including e-infrastructures) will develop European research infrastructure for 2020 and beyond, foster their innovation potential and human capital, and complement this with the related Union policy and international cooperation.
  • “Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies” will provide dedicated support for research, development and demonstration and, where appropriate, for standardisation and certification, on information and communications technology (ICT), nanotechnology, advanced materials, biotechnology, advanced manufacturing and processing and space. Emphasis will be placed on interactions and convergence across and between the different technologies and their relations to societal challenges. User needs will be taken into ccount in all these fields.
  • “Access to risk finance” will aim to overcome deficits in the availability of debt and equity finance for R&D and innovation-driven companies and projects at all stages of development. Together with the equity instrument of the Programme for the Competitiveness of Enterprises and small and medium-sized enterprises (COSME) 2014‑2020) it will support the development of Union-level venture capital.
  • “Innovation in SMEs” will provide SME-tailored support to stimulate all forms of innovation in SMEs, targeting those with the potential to grow and internationalise across the single market and beyond.

A challenge-based approach will bring together resources and knowledge across different fields, technologies and disciplines, including social sciences and the humanities. This will cover activities from research to market with a new focus on innovation-related activities, such as piloting, demonstration, test-beds, and support for public procurement and market uptake. It will include establishing links with the activities of the European Innovation Partnerships (EIP).

Funding will focus on the following challenges:

  • Health, demographic change and wellbeing;
  • Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine and maritime and inland water research, and the Bioeconomy;
  • Secure, clean and efficient energy;
  • Smart, green and integrated transport;
  • Climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials;
  • Europe in a changing world – inclusive, innovative and reflective societies;
  • Secure societies – protecting freedom and security of Europe and its citizens.
  • The “Spreading for Excellence and Widening Participation” Programme targets Member-States and Associated Countries with low Research and Innovation performance, aiming to recovering their competitive position on EU and international scale, while improving their research and innovation culture to increase their competitiveness in securing R&I funding.
Action types

The type of Action determines the:

  • type of activity funded
  • funding rate
  • minimum conditions for participation
  • specific evaluation criteria that must be met for funding
  • Funding for research projects tackling clearly defined challenges, which
  • can lead to the development of new knowledge or a new technology.
  • Consortia of partners from different countries, industry and academia.
  • Funding is more focused on closer-to-the-market activities (eg prototyping, testing, demonstrating, piloting, scaling-up etc. if they aim at producing new or improved products or services).
  • Beneficiaries: Single entities or consortia of partners from different countries, industry and academia.
  • Funding covers the coordination and networking of research and innovation projects, programmes and policies. Funding for research and innovation per se is covered elsewhere.
  • Beneficiaries: Single entities or consortia of partners from different countries, industry and academia.
  • Funding for projects evaluated on the sole criterion of scientific excellence in any field of research, carried out by a single national or multinational research team led by a ‘principal investigator’.
  • Beneficiaries: The ERC funds excellent young, early-career researchers, already independent researchers and senior research leaders. Researchers can be of any nationality and their projects can be in any field of research.
  • Funding for international research fellowships in the public or private sector, research training, staff exchanges.
  • Beneficiaries: Early stage researchers or experienced researchers (of any nationality), technical staff, national/regional research mobility programmes.
  • This instrument is aimed at highly innovative SMEs with the ambition to develop their growth potential. It offers lump sums for feasibility studies, grants for an innovation project’s main phase (demonstration, prototyping, testing, application development…); lastly, the commercialisation phase is supported indirectly through facilitated access to debt and equity financial instruments.
  • Beneficiaries: Only SMEs can participate. Either an individual SME or a consortium of SMEs set up in an EU country or in an associated country.
  • In Horizon 2020 there is one single funding rate for all beneficiaries and all activities in the research grants.
  • EU funding covers up to 100 % of all eligible costs for all research and innovation actions.
  • For innovation actions, funding generally covers 70 % of eligible costs, but may increase to 100 % for non-profit organisations.
  • Indirect eligible costs (e.g. administration, communication and infrastructure costs, office supplies) are reimbursed with a 25 % flat rate of the direct eligible costs (those costs directly linked to the action implementation).

The type of Action determines the:

  • type of activity funded
  • funding rate
  • minimum conditions for participation
  • specific evaluation criteria that must be met for funding

Research and innovation actions

  • Funding for research projects tackling clearly defined challenges, which
  • can lead to the development of new knowledge or a new technology.
  • Consortia of partners from different countries, industry and academia.

Innovation actions

  • Funding is more focused on closer-to-the-market activities (eg prototyping, testing, demonstrating, piloting, scaling-up etc. if they aim at producing new or improved products or services).
  • Beneficiaries: Single entities or consortia of partners from different countries, industry and academia.

Coordination and support actions

  • Funding covers the coordination and networking of research and innovation projects, programmes and policies. Funding for research and innovation per se is covered elsewhere.
  • Beneficiaries: Single entities or consortia of partners from different countries, industry and academia.

Frontier research grants – European Research Council

  • Funding for projects evaluated on the sole criterion of scientific excellence in any field of research, carried out by a single national or multinational research team led by a ‘principal investigator’.
  • Beneficiaries: The ERC funds excellent young, early-career researchers, already independent researchers and senior research leaders. Researchers can be of any nationality and their projects can be in any field of research.

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

  • Funding for international research fellowships in the public or private sector, research training, staff exchanges.
  • Beneficiaries: Early stage researchers or experienced researchers (of any nationality), technical staff, national/regional research mobility programmes.

SME Instrument

  • This instrument is aimed at highly innovative SMEs with the ambition to develop their growth potential. It offers lump sums for feasibility studies, grants for an innovation project’s main phase (demonstration, prototyping, testing, application development…); lastly, the commercialisation phase is supported indirectly through facilitated access to debt and equity financial instruments.
  • Beneficiaries: Only SMEs can participate. Either an individual SME or a consortium of SMEs set up in an EU country or in an associated country.

Funding rates

  • In Horizon 2020 there is one single funding rate for all beneficiaries and all activities in the research grants.
  • EU funding covers up to 100 % of all eligible costs for all research and innovation actions.
  • For innovation actions, funding generally covers 70 % of eligible costs, but may increase to 100 % for non-profit organisations.
  • Indirect eligible costs (e.g. administration, communication and infrastructure costs, office supplies) are reimbursed with a 25 % flat rate of the direct eligible costs (those costs directly linked to the action implementation).
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Participation

Horizon 2020 is open to everyone. Under Horizon 2020 there is only one set of rules and procedures to follow.  This means that participants can focus on what is really important: research, innovation and results. This focused approach makes sure new projects get off the ground quickly – and achieve results faster.

For standard research projects – a consortium of at least three legal entities. Each entity must be established in an EU Member State or an Associated Country.

For other programmes – European Research Council (ERC), SME Instrument, the co-funding of national or public sector calls or programmes, coordination and support, training and mobility– the minimum condition for participation is one legal entity established in a Member State or in an Associated Country. Additional conditions may apply. Check the Work Programme for details.

In general, legal entities established in any country and international organisations, may participate.

Cyprus in Horizon 2020

Since the start of the Program, 3,775 eligible Proposals have been submitted with the participation of at least one Cypriot applicant, and a total of 4,920 Cypriot applications. The number of Proposals with a Coordinator from Cyprus is 1,059.

From the Proposals submitted with Cypriot participation, 510 Proposals were selected for funding, with the participation of 688 Organisations and EUR 233.5 million requested funding. This amount has already exceeded the amount secured by Cyprus in the 7th EU Framework Program (93.17 million Euros). Out of the 688 applications from Cyprus, 247 are from Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). The EU requested funding for Cypriot SMEs amounts to 72.33 million Euros, which corresponds to 35% of the total requested funding of the Cypriot bodies, a percentage that significantly exceeds the corresponding total percentage for the “Horizon 2020” Program, which amounts to 28%.

Taking into account the contributions of EU member states in the EU budget for the “Horizon 2020” Program, Cyprus seems to have an advantage by securing more money than it contributes to the Program. In particular, for each 1 euro Cyprus contributes, it manages to raise just over 3 euros. This places Cyprus in the first place among the EU member states, as well as the first place in relation to the per capita Net Economic Benefit from the Program “Horizon 2020”.

The overall success rate in the “Horizon 2020” Program amounts to 12.18%, while the respective success rate for Cyprus is 13.7%.

Hence, the results so far for Cyprus’ participation are considered encouraging. The participation of Cypriot companies in the “Horizon 2020” is remarkable, as it is significantly higher compared to the total participation of companies in the Program. However, it must be acknowledged that there is considerable room for improvement, especially in the participation of Cypriot Organisations in more competitive consortia and in the expansion of the participation of Cypriot Organisations as coordinators of Proposals.

RIF’s H2020 Support

The coordination of the activities for the participation of Cyprus in the Horizon 2020 has been assigned to RIF. Taking advantage of its many years of experience in providing scientific and technological information, as well as its participation in European networks for research and innovation, RIF actively supports Cypriot organizations in their efforts to successfully participate in EU research projects.

RIF is available to provide immediate information and advice to researchers (eg finding partners, proposing proposals, resolving questions on procedural issues, communicating with the European Commission, etc.) and to assist Cypriot Organisations with substantial support.

The Foundation organizes from time to time Information Events on Thematic Priorities, or Training Workshops on issues related to the Program.

In order to facilitate the participation of Cypriot organizations in the “Horizon 2020” Program, National Contact Points have been appointed for all the activities of the Program. Their main responsibilities include:

  • systematic and in-depth knowledge about the area they represent,
  • systematic channeling of information to the research community of Cyprus regarding the area for which they have been designated as responsible,
  • the organization of educational or other seminars,
  • assistance and resolving questions at the stage of preparation of research proposals, including the pre-screening of proposals,
  • support in finding partners,
  • Proposal Pre-screening

Further assistance in Proposals and Projects may relate to:

  • Issues of Intellectual Property & Consortium Agreement
  • Personalized support / advice in managerial and administrative issues (eg rights / responsibilities of participants)
  • Support during the implementation of the Project

Anyone interested in the above services can contact directly the National Contact Points of their area.

For general information, please contact the Horizon 2020 Cy Helpdesk at telephone number: 22205050 or e-mail: [email protected].

List of National Contact Points of Cyprus

SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE RIF
Circulation of General and Specific Information on Horizon 2020

  • Targeted e-mail communication with a database of interested applicants 
  • Direct communication (telephone or personal meetings)
  • Η2020 Blogspot and Facebook Website
Organization of Informational and Promotional Activities

  • General Infodays open to the general public or specialised groups
  • Specialist thematic Infodays
Assistance in Partner Search Activities for Proposal Submission

  • Targeted Partner Search Forms
  • Organization of networking events
  • Funding of the participation in International Brokerage Events
Advisory Services and Support with Proposal Writing

  • Assistance with questions on practical issues
  • Communication with the European Commission
  • Organization of Educational Workshops targeted to beginners as well as experienced applicants
  • Proposal Pre-Screening
Support with Project Implementation

  • Advice on Intellectual Property matters and Consortia Agreements
  • Personalized support / guidance with management issues in project implementation.

In the framework of hosting the National Contact Points (NCPs) for the “Horizon 2020” Program, RIF participates in a large number of projects funded by the European Commission to support the collaboration and networking of National Contact Points.

NCP projects generally aim to facilitate transnational cooperation between NSPs, to upgrade the skills and tools they use, to increase the level of support they offer, to identify and leverage best practices, and to develop collaboration with other European Commission networks.

European Project Description
Idealist2020 Idealist2020 project aims at the collaboration of the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) NCPs. The main role of RIF is to coordinate the Working Package for the training of ICT NCPs of all countries organizing activities such as educational seminars, online educational seminars, and more. In the framework of the Project, special services are provided to researchers, such as Proposal checking and brokerage events.
Net4MobilityPlus Net4MobilityPlus Project aims at the transnational cooperation between the Marie Sklowdoska Curie Actions Program (MSCA). RIF is responsible for the organization of twinning meetings which aim to exchange experiences and good practices between more and less experienced NCPs .
ΝΕΤ4SOCIETY5 The project aims at the collaboration of the NCPs of the “Inclusive, Innovative and Reflective Societies” Program. The role of RIF concerns the organization of meetings, workshops, workshops and online educational seminars, as well as the management of Research Directory and the profiles registered in it.
EURAXESS TOP IV RIF participates as the Head Organization of Cyprus in the EURAXESS – Researchers in Motion Network and has undertaken actions related to initiatives for the social integration of refugee researchers.
NCP_WIDE.NET The Project aims at the collaboration of the NCPs of the “Spreading Excellence and Widening Participation” Program. RIF is responsible for the comparative evaluation of the activities and services offered by the Project to the NCP’s network.
SEREN 4 The project aims at the collaboration of the NCPs of the “Secure Societies – Protecting Freedom and Security of Europe and its Citizens” Program. RIF is responsible for the organization of meetings for training and networking.
C-Energy2020 The project aims at the collaboration of the NCPs of the “Secure, Clean and Efficient Energy” Program. The role of RIF focuses on the preparation of the Network’s newsletter.
NCPs CARE The project aims at the collaboration of the NCPs of the “Climate Action, Environment, Resource Efficiency and Raw Materials” Program. RIF has taken the role of “Work Package Leader” and focuses on strengthening the National Contact Points of this Program by (a) organizing educational seminars, (b) organizing meetings for training and networking and (c) preparing a guide with  best practices for NCPs.
ETNA2020 The project aims at the collaboration of the NCPs of the “Smart, Green and Integrated Transport” Program. The role of RIF concerns the organization of meetings for the purpose of education and networking, but also the organization of educational seminars.
SiS.net3 The project aims at the collaboration of the NCPs of the “Science with and for Society” Program. The role of RIF mainly concerns the organization of training and networking meetings.
NCP ACADEMY The project aims at the collaboration of the NCPs Coordinators and the Legal and Financial NCPs organizing educational seminars and other activities concerning mainly horizontal issues. RIF is responsible for the organization of training and networking meetings.
COSMOS2020plus The project aims at the collaboration of the NCPs of the “Space” Program. RIF is responsible for the organization of workshops focusing on the exchange of know-how and good practices.
NMPTeam4 The project aims at the collaboration of the NCPs of the Program “Nanotechnologies, Advanced Materials and Advanced Manufacturing and Processing”.

During Horizon 2020, Cyprus recorded a major success in securing funding for setting-up new Centres of Excellence or to significantly upgrade existing ones. The funding was secured through the competitive processes of the “Teaming for Excellence” Program, one of the major instruments of the “Spreading Excellence and Widening Participation” Program.

More specifically, Cyprus currently secured EU funding for six Centres of Excellence. The support is of up to 15 million Euro for each of the successful Centres, while at the same time the Republic of Cyprus committed to match the funding with additional 15 million Euros for each Centre as well.

It should be highlighted that for the «Teaming for Excellence» Programme, Cyprus is listed first amongst EU counterparts when referring to securing funding. RIF provided pre-screening and advisory services for most of the proposals submitted, while all proposals received a letter of commitment from the Republic of Cyprus regarding the additional financial support channelled through national sources.

A two-stage submission and review procedure was followed, where during the first Phase the successful applications received funding of 400,000-500,000 to develop a Business Plan. During the second Phase, proposals submitted included the elaborated Business Plans for the development and operation of the Centres of Excellence.

“Teaming for Excellence” aims at linking advanced scientific institutions with institutions from R&I low-performing (or Widening) Countries, with the aim of establishing new Centres of Excellence or to radically upgrade existing ones operating at the Widening Countries.

The Centres of Excellence are briefly described as follows:

KIOS Research and Innovation Centre of Excellence (KIOS CoE)

The KIOS Research and Innovation Centre of Excellence conducts Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) oriented research, with emphasis on the monitoring, control, security and management of critical Infrastructure Systems.

RISE Centre of Excellence

RISE Centre of Excellence focuses on ICT-oriented research and innovation activities in the areas of interactive media, smart systems, and emerging technologies.

EMME-CARE Centre of Excellence

The «Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East – Climate and Atmosphere Research Centre (ΕΜΜΕ-CARE)» aims at upgrading and expanding to a Research and Innovation Centre focusing on climate and atmospheric research and the environment.

CMMI / MARITEC-X Centre of Excellence

CMMI / MARITEC-X aims to establish «Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute – CMMI», as an international scientific and entrepreneurial Centre of Excellence in the areas of marine and maritime research.

CY-BIOBANK Centre of Excellence

The Biobanking and the Cyprus Human Genome Project (CY-BIOBANK) aims to upgrade existing infrastructure to a modern Biobank and research infrastructure for the human genome with multiple health applications.

EXCELSIOR ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence

EXCELSIOR: ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence for Earth Surveillance and Space-Based Monitoring of the Environment aims to develop existing infrastructure to a Center focused in the research areas of earth observation, geospatial information and space applications.

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