Facilitating transnational cooperation between NCPs in Societal Challenge 5

Specific challenge: Better transnational cooperation and coordination of research and innovation policies, programmes and initiatives in the area of climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials within the EU is needed to enhance the impact of research and innovation and ensure a more efficient use of resources and R&I developments.

Trans-national cooperation between National Contact Points (NCPs) within this Societal Challenge should be facilitated with a view to identifying and sharing good practices and raising the general standard of support to programme applicants, taking into account the diversity of actors that make up the constituency of this Societal Challenge.

Innovative ways are required to link up all relevant actors, increase policy coherence and improve public awareness of EU research and innovation.

Scope:Enhancing European networks to facilitate dialogue among the relevant scientific communities, funding bodies and user communities in the EU throughout the duration of Horizon 2020. Proposals should enhance coordination and synergies, and avoid overlaps, between European and nationally or regionally funded research and innovation actions, and create links with related international programmes, as appropriate.

Proposals shall address the following issus:

Facilitating transnational cooperation between NCPs in Societal Challenge 5[1]: Support will be given to a network of formally nominated H2020 NCPs in the area of climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials. The activities will be tailored according to the nature of the area, and the priorities of the NCPs concerned. Various mechanisms may be included, such as benchmarking, joint workshops, enhanced cross-border brokerage events, specific training linked to this Societal Challenge as well as to the gender dimension of research and innovation, and twinning schemes. Special attention will be given to enhancing the competence of NCPs, including helping less experienced NCPs rapidly acquire the know-how accumulated in other countries.

The focus throughout should be on issues specific to the climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials Societal Challenge and should not duplicate actions foreseen in the NCP network for quality standards and horizontal issues under 'Science with and for Society'.

Only NCPs from EU Member States, Associated Countries and neighbourhood policy countries which have been officially appointed by the relevant national authorities are eligible to participate in and receive funding for this action. In line with the EU's strategy for international cooperation in research and innovation^[2] international cooperation is encouraged, in particular with neighbourhood policy countries.

The consortium should have a good representation of experienced and less experienced NCPs.

Submission of a single proposal is encouraged. NCPs from EU Member States or Associated Countries choosing not to participate as a member of the consortium should be identified and the reason explained in the proposal. These NCPs are nevertheless invited and encouraged to participate in the project activities (e.g. workshops), and the costs incurred by the consortium of such participation (e.g. travel costs paid by the consortium) may be included in the estimate budget and be eligible for funding by the Commission.

The Commission will only fund one proposal under this topic.

Expected impact:

Improved and professionalised NCP service across the EU, thereby helping simplify access to Horizon 2020 calls, lowering the entry barriers for newcomers, and raising the average quality of proposals submitted. A more consistent level of NCP support services across the EU.

Type of action: Coordination and support actions

[1]     This activity directly aimed at supporting the development and implementation of evidence base for R&I policies and supporting various groups of stakeholders is excluded from the delegation to EASME and will be implemented by the Commission services.

[2]     COM(2012)497