Exploring Horizon 2020: opportunities for CERN under the new EU Framework Programme
December marked the end of the EU Framework Programme 7 (FP7), which ran between 2007 and 2013. During these seven years, CERN's involvement was very fruitful. The Organization participated in 87 EU projects - out of which CERN was the coordinating institute for 36 projects - with a corresponding European Commission (EC) funding of more than €110 million. This ranked CERN in the top 50 out of more than 15,000 FP7 participants.
CERN's involvement in FP7 projects.
CERN was primarily involved in the FP7 pillars: Research Infrastructures (14 projects), e-Infrastructures (20 projects), Marie Curie actions (28 projects) and ERC grants (9 projects). In terms of proposal success rate and received EU funding, CERN's involvement in the Marie Curie actions programme was the most successful. Half of the total EC funding received at CERN was obtained through Marie Curie actions to train and improve the mobility of scientists and engineers at different stages of their careers. All of CERN's departments were actively involved in FP7 projects.
On 1 January 2014, the EC launched Horizon 2020, the biggest-ever EU research funding programme with a total budget of nearly €80 billion over 7 years (2014-2020). The three main pillars of this new framework programme are "Excellent Science", "Industrial Leadership" and "Societal Challenges".
The “Excellent Science” pillar aims to strengthen the EU's world-class scientific excellence and make the EU's research and innovation system more competitive. It includes: calls from the European Research Council, Future and Emerging Technologies, Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions, and Research Infrastructures including e-Infrastructures.
“Industrial Leadership” focuses on speeding up the development of technologies that will support businesses and innovation in areas such as ICT, nanotechnologies and new materials, advanced manufacturing, robotics, biotechnologies and space. The third pillar tackles “Societal Challenges” including health; agriculture, maritime and bioeconomy; energy; transport; climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials; reflective societies; and security, which are all priorities identified in the Europe 2020 strategy.
Horizon 2020 is completed with three other smaller components: the EIT (European Institute of Technology and Innovation), the Joint Research Centre of the EC and the EURATOM programme.
On 11 December 2013, the first Horizon 2020 calls were launched with some €15 billion earmarked for 2014-2015. Calls are also available in horizontal pillars, such as "Spreading Excellence and Widening Participation" and "Science with and for Society".
The earliest deadlines for some of the calls of potential relevance for CERN are as follows:
- 25 March 2014 – Call for ERC Starting Grants
- 9 April 2014 – Call for Marie-Curie Innovative Training Networks
- 15 April 2014 – Call for e-Infrastructure for Open Access
- 24 April 2014 – Call for Marie-Curie Research and Innovation Staff Exchange
- 20 May 2014 – Call for ERC Consolidator Grants
For the start of the new programme, the European Projects Office at CERN has launched a redesigned website to inform and advise CERN staff on the new Horizon 2020 programme. If you have an idea for an EU project and need detailed information about the available programmes and calls for proposals, please contact the CERN EU Office: EU.Projects@cern.ch.
As the Director-General declared in his New Year’s speech, the participation of CERN in FP7 was a great success, and repeating this success in Horizon 2020 will be an extremely stimulating challenge.
