With the objective Widening participation and spreading excellence, the Commission intends to strengthen collaboration across Europe, to contribute to widen the participation of Widening Countries in the Framework Programme and to improve their capacities in research and innovation, as well as to support the reforms of national policies on strengthening the European Research Area.
Widening countries or low R&I performing countries are Countries where investment in R&I is insufficient as well as there is a lack of centres of excellence having sufficient competence to carry to an innovative growth of the Country.
Under Horizon Europe, the following Countries are considered Widening: the EU Member States Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia, and all Associated Countries with equivalent characteristics in terms of R&I performance.
General principles
• the actions within this objective are mainly Coordination and Support Actions [CSA], i.e. funding schemes sustaining activities that contribute to the objectives of Horizon Europe Programme, normally excluding research and innovation activities.
From these networking actions are expected, in particular, the improvement of excellence capacity and resources of the coordinating institution, the raising of its reputation and attractiveness, as well as the strengthening of the research management capacities and administrative skills of the institution’s staff;
• proposals will be evaluated by international experts according to the criteria of excellence, impact, quality and efficiency of the research implementation;
• the EC financial contribution will take the form of the reimbursement of up to 100% of the total eligible and approved direct costs and a flat rate of 25% for indirect costs calculated on the total eligible direct costs [excluding the direct costs for subcontracting, financial support to third parties and any unit costs or lump sums which include indirect costs].
Main types of actions
• Teaming: action of support to the creation of new centres of excellence or the upgrade of existing ones, located in Widening Countries, building on partnerships at European level.
At least two parties must be involved in the action, a legal entity established in a Widening Country operating as coordinator and, a counterparty, a university or research organization, internationally recognized for excellence in research and innovation, established in another EU Member State or Associated Country.
• Twinning: supports joint research projects, new or ongoing, aimed at strengthening scientific excellence and innovation capacity in a defined research area as well as the scientific quality of the partners involved in the collaborations.
Under this action, a research institution located in a Widening Country acts as coordinator in a partnership with at least two other internationally leading institutions/bodies located in other Member States or Associated Countries.