Sponsor

European Commission's Horizon Europe

Program

Pillar 2 - Global challenges and European industrial competitiveness

For More Information

Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) Canada's Horizon Europe landing page [1]

Frequently asked questions for Horizon Europe [2]

European Commission’s Horizon Europe online manual for applicants [3]

Horizon Europe Reference Documents [4]  (Forms, templates, standard grant agreements and other documents)

Description

Horizon Europe [5] is the world's largest research and innovation funding program. It gives Canadians access to even more opportunities to elevate their research and innovations through global partnerships. The program fosters opportunities for international collaboration and strengthens the impact of research and innovation in tackling major global challenges. This includes:

• A funding budget of €95.5 billion (over $140 billion CAD) over 7 years (2021 to 2027)
• A network of partners and business experts from Europe and around the world

On July 3, 2024, the Government of Canada and the European Commission signed an agreement [6] making Canada an Associated Country by Horizon Europe/European Commission standards. This status allows researchers in Canada to participate in Pillar 2 calls for proposals on equal terms with researchers in the European Union and other Associated Countries [7], which means they are able to lead and join Horizon Europe project consortia in Pillar 2 and obtain funding directly from Horizon Europe. 

Pillar 2 includes six (6) thematic clusters, each tackling specific themes to address societal issues and strengthening Europe's industrial competitiveness:

• Health [8] (EUR 8.2 billion)
• Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society [9] (EUR 2.3 billion)
• Civil Security for Society [10] (EUR 1.6 billion)
• Digital, Industry and Space [11] (EUR 15.3 billion)
• Climate, Energy and Mobility [12] (EUR 15.1 billion)
• Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment [13] (EUR 8.9 billion) 

For each of the six (6) thematic clusters, a Work programme [14], released every two years, sets out more detailed objectives. Multiple calls for proposals, each including detailed topics for research projects corresponding to these objectives, are released every year. The European Commission Funding and Tender Opportunities portal [15] provides all Horizon Europe calls for proposal and their description, including an explanation of each specific research topic for which proposals are sought, and downloadable “call documents” including the relevant Work Programmes and other information for applicants. 

Eligibility

All Pillar 2 applications must involve projects developed by a consortium comprised of at least three (3) partner organizations, of which at least one (1) partner is from an EU country and two (2) partners are from different EU or associated countries.

See General Conditions [16] for additional information. Any legal entity is eligible to participate, but only entities that are registered in an EU member state, an Associated Country [7], or a “low- or middle-income country” are eligible to receive funding (full list of eligible non-EU member countries [7]).

Maximum Project Value

 The average grant size is EUR 4 million (CAD 5.8 million) 

Indirect Costs

25% indirect cost flat rate on eligible direct costs

Project Duration

Projects of three-to-five years’ duration typically involving 8-to-12 partners per consortium

Special Notes

Start as a Collaborator/Partner: To learn the requirements, complexities and expectations of Pillar 2, organizations with experience with the Horizon Europe program recommend that researchers participate on proposals as collaborators (partners) before attempting to lead an application.

Start early: Given the complexity of establishing a consortium spanning multiple institutions in different countries, organizations with experience with the Horizon Europe program have advised that development of a competitive Pillar 2 application requires a minimum of six (6) months and up to one year.

Ensure gender and other EDI dimensions are considered: The European Commission is committed to promoting gender equality in research and innovation; therefore, Horizon Europe projects prefer a gender-balanced consortia. It is recommended that you integrate these principles when developing a consortium. See: Gender equality in research and innovation [17].

For additional recommendations:

"Horizon Europe and Canada" webinar presented by the Mission of Canada to the EU on January 25, 2024 [18]

European Commission's "How to prepare a successful proposal for Horizon Europe" Resource [19]

How to Apply

• Find a suitable call for proposal: Find relevant calls for proposals related to your research/innovation: Funding & Tenders Portal [20].
• Find partners for your consortia: Must be from at least three different EU Member States or associated countries, from Horizon Europe's Partner Database [21]. Review the eligibility criteria of the specific call for proposals, as they may have additional requirements.
• Create an EU account: You must register for an account [22] to access the Portal. This allows you to participate in a call for proposals or tenders with eSubmission. Affiliate your account with the University of Guelph 9-digit Participant Identification Code (PIC): 999885216.
• Submit your proposal: Together with your consortium partners, choose a lead organization to select your topic and go to the Submission Service section of the topic page. Make sure your lead organization selects the appropriate action before drafting a proposal. The link to the submission system is available if the status of the call is "open." 
  • The proposal includes two parts:
    • PART A – Application Form: a standard system-generated form including a proposal summary, description of the partners and participants, the role of each participating organization, a high-level budget, and information on ethics and research security.  
    • PART B – Project Proposal: a narrative attachment including the technical proposal and detailed budget tables. Part B needs to be uploaded as a PDF document following the templates provided in the participant portal for a specific call or topic.
    • IMPORTANT: Include audit costs in your budget if requesting EUR 430,000 or more. All Horizon Europe projects where a single participant receives EUR 430,000 or more require an independent external audit, which is a minimum of CAD 20,000. Audit costs are an eligible expense under Section D: "Other direct costs". 
• Follow up on your proposal: An evaluation committee with independent experts will review the proposals. Applicants then receive a letter with the outcome of their proposal and an evaluation report within six (6) months of the call deadline.

Consult applicant resources [23] to find guidance, links, and frequently asked questions about applying to Horizon Europe.