Annexes to COM(2013)493 - Participation of the Union in a programme jointly undertaken by several Member States aimed at supporting research performing small and medium-sized enterprises (Eurostars-2)

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dossier COM(2013)493 - Participation of the Union in a programme jointly undertaken by several Member States aimed at supporting research ...
document COM(2013)493 EN
date May 15, 2014
ANNEX I

Implementation of Eurostars-2

1.The ESE shall organise continuously open calls for proposals, with cut-off dates for the award of financial support to indirect actions.

2.Applicants shall submit project proposals to the ESE as a single entry point.

3.After the closure of a call for proposals, a central eligibility check shall be carried out by the ESE on the basis of the eligibility criteria set out in the annual work plan. No different or further eligibility criteria may be added by the Participating States.

4.The NFBs, under the coordination of the ESE, shall verify the financial capacity of the participants according to common, clear and transparent rules.

5.Eligible proposals shall be evaluated centrally and ranked by a group of external independent experts in accordance with the criteria set out in Article 15(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1290/2013, on the basis of transparent procedures.

6.The ESE shall provide an evaluation review procedure in accordance with Article 16 of Regulation (EU) No 1290/2013.

7.The ranking list, approved as a whole by the Eurostars-2 high-level group referred to in Annex II, shall be binding for the allocation of funding from the national budgets for Eurostars-2 projects.

8.Once the ranking list is approved, each Participating State shall finance its national participants in those projects selected for funding through the designated NFB, making all possible efforts to ensure that the top-50 ranked projects and at least 50 % to 75 % of the projects above thresholds are funded. The financial contribution to the participants shall be calculated according to the funding rules of the national programme of the relevant Eurostars-2 Participating State. The Union’s financial contribution shall be transferred by the ESE to the NFBs provided that the NFBs have paid their financial contribution to the projects.

9.All eligible participants in projects selected centrally shall be funded. The granting of financial support by the NFBs to project participants selected centrally shall be subject to the principles of equal treatment, transparency and co-funding.

10.The ESE shall be responsible for evaluating proposals, informing NFBs, coordinating the synchronisation process, monitoring projects through project reporting and audits carried out by NFBs, and reporting to the Commission ensuring a short time-to-grant. It shall also take appropriate measures to encourage recognition of the Union’s contribution to Eurostars-2, both to the programme itself and to individual projects. It shall promote appropriate visibility for the Union’s contribution through the use of the Horizon 2020 logo in all published material, including printed and electronic publications, related to Eurostars-2.

11.ESE shall conclude Eurostars-2 bilateral agreements with the NFBs of Participating States. Those Eurostars-2 bilateral agreements shall set out the responsibilities of the contracting parties in accordance with the Eurostars-2 rules, objectives and implementation modalities. The Eurostars-2 bilateral agreements shall include the rules governing the transfer of the Union’s contribution and the minimum operational targets and national progressive milestones for further integration and synchronisation of national programmes, including a shorter time-to-grant in accordance with Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 and Regulation (EU) No 1290/2013. Those targets and milestones shall be agreed by the Eurostars-2 high-level group in consultation with the Commission. The signature of the Eurostars-2 bilateral agreement and compliance with the operational targets and milestones shall be a pre-condition for NFBs to receive the Union’s contribution.

12.The ESE may conclude Eurostars-2 bilateral agreements with the NFBs of partner countries. Those Eurostars-2 bilateral agreements shall set out the responsibilities of the contracting parties in accordance with the Eurostars-2 rules, objectives and implementation modalities, specify the conditions under which partnership with Eurostars-2 shall take place, and include the minimum operational targets, including a short time-to-grant.

13.Networking activities and exchange of best practices shall also be organised amongst the Participating States in order to promote stronger integration at scientific, managerial and financial level.

14.Other activities shall also include brokerage, programme promotion and networking activities with other stakeholders (investors, research and innovation providers, intermediaries) mainly to widen participation from beneficiaries in all Participating States and to involve SMEs with no prior experience in transnational research projects.


ANNEX II

Governance of Eurostars-2

1.The ESE shall manage Eurostars-2.

The Head of the ESE, as the legal representative of the ESE, shall be in charge of implementing Eurostars-2 by:

(a)preparing the annual budget for the calls, central organisation of joint calls for proposals and reception of the proposals as single entry point; the central organisation of the eligibility and evaluation of proposals, according to common eligibility and evaluation criteria, central organisation of the ranking and selection of proposals for funding, and project monitoring and follow-up; the receipt, allocation and monitoring of the Union contribution;

(b)collecting the necessary information from the NFBs for the transfer the Union contribution;

(c)promoting Eurostars-2;

(d)reporting to the Eurostars-2 high-level group and the Commission on the Eurostars-2 programme;

(e)informing the Eureka network about the activities of Eurostars-2;

(f)signing the delegation agreement with the Commission, the bilateral agreements with the NFBs and the contracts with the experts assessing Eurostars-2 applications;

(g)adopting the Eurostars-2 annual work plan following the prior agreement of the Eurostars-2 high-level group and of the Commission.

2.The Eurostars-2 high-level group, composed of the national representatives in the Eureka High Level Group of the Eurostars-2 Participating States, shall supervise the operations of the ESE on Eurostars-2 by:

(a)supervising the implementation of Eurostars-2;

(b)appointing the members of the Eurostars-2 Advisory Group (‘EAG’);

(c)approving the annual work plan;

(d)approving the ranking list of Eurostars-2 projects to be funded and taking the award decision.

The Union, represented by the Commission, shall have the status of observer in the Eurostars-2 high-level group. The Commission shall be invited to participate at the meetings, shall receive all meeting documents and may take part in the discussion.

Any partner country shall have the right to send representatives to meetings of the Eurostars-2 high-level group as observers.

3.The EAG shall be composed of Eureka National Project Coordinators (persons in the national government or agency dealing with the operational level of the management of Eureka/Eurostars programme and in charge of the promotion of Eurostars-2 in the Participating States) from the Participating States. The Commission and partner countries shall have the right to send representatives to the EAG meetings as observers. The EAG meetings shall be chaired by the ESE.

The EAG shall advise the ESE and the Eurostars-2 high-level group on the arrangements for the implementation of Eurostars-2.

4.The NFB shall be in charge of the administration of financial support to the national participants.