Participation of Associated Countries in Horizon 2020: Example of Ukraine

Association to Horizon 2020

As of September 2016, there are 16 countries associated to Horizon 2020¹. Being associated to Horizon 2020 means that a third country can formally participate in the programme and is expected to provide a financial contribution on the basis of an International Agreement concluded between individual non-EU countries and the European Union. The participation conditions are the same as for the EU Member States and organizations and researchers from associated countries enjoy the same rights within the Horizon 2020 framework.

Agreement on the Association of Ukraine to Horizon 2020

On March 20^th, 2015, Ukraine and the EU signed the Agreement on the Association of Ukraine to Horizon 2020 which enabled researchers, business and innovative companies and individuals from Ukraine to fully participate in Horizon 2020.

According to the Agreement², Ukraine’s financial contribution to the Horizon 2020 is set on an annual basis proportionally and in addition to the amount available within the EU annual framework for the Programme’s realization, management and operation. The coefficient defining Ukraine’s contribution is calculated on the basis of Ukraine’s GDP in market prices and the sum of EU Member States’ GDP in market prices. The ratio is calculated based on the annual Eurostat data. It is important to underline that, in order to promote Ukraine’s participation, the parties agreed on the possibility to secure a part of Ukraine’s financial contribution (up to 50%) through the external aid instruments provided by the EU, as per Ukraine’s request. The total contribution is EUR 35,579,782.09 and the first payment of EUR 5,002,872.87 for 2015 is to be paid out in several instalments over 2016-2020³.

Ukraine’s performance in the Programme

The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine compiled statistical data analyzing Ukraine’s performance in Horizon 2020 over 2014-2015⁴:

• 394 project proposals were submitted and 42 were approved;
• The largest number of proposals (91) covered the Societal Challenge “Europe in a changing world – inclusive, innovative and reflective societies”;
• At the same time, the highest number of approved proposals related to actions (13);
• Projects on societal transformations, energy, environment and bio-economics enjoyed a relatively high success rate as well (19 were supported).
• The overall success rate is around 10%, which is lower than the EU average (14%).
• Research institutes and private companies enjoy higher success rate (13.43% and 10.6% respectively), while SMEs do not actively participate in the Programme.
• While higher educational establishments are leaders in submitting proposals, their success rate is rather moderate -7.61%.

The CORDIS data on projects starting in 2016 shows that Ukrainian organizations take part in 21 projects. Horizon 2020 First Results⁵ reveal that Ukraine is among the top ten countries in terms of share of eligible applications as well as signed grant agreements (see charts below).

Future cooperation opportunities

Ukraine has demonstrated positive participation and success trends within Horizon 2020 compared to FP7 and, therefore, formal participation in the Programme during 2016-2020 will be beneficial for the country’s economy, R&I potential boost and new partnerships across Europe. Additionally, it will encourage increased R&D funding in Ukraine as in 2013 the GDP ratio spent on R&D was two times smaller compared to the EU average (0,83% vs. 2%⁶).

Ukraine has chosen Horizon 2020 as the first EU programme for participation after the start of the provisional application of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement⁷. The Association of Ukraine to Euratom and Training Programme followed on June 27^th, 2016. In addition, on September 13^th, 2016, within the financial instrument InnovFin SME Guarantee Facility supported by Horizon 2020 framework “the European Investment Fund (EIF) and ProCredit Bank Ukraine signed a loan guarantee deal that will offer small and medium-sized companies in Ukraine easier access to risk capital for the development of innovative ideas”⁸. These agreements open a wide range of cooperation opportunities for businesses, academia and innovators in Europe contributing to technological advances and scientific discoveries as well as tackling existing societal challenges.

By: Liliya Levandovska

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¹https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/sites/horizon2020/files/horizon_2020_first_results_1.pdf

²http://zakon5.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/984_018/paran2#n2 (in Ukrainian)

³http://iportal.rada.gov.ua/news/Novyny/113692.html (in Ukrainian)

⁴http://mon.gov.ua/activity/mizhnarodni-zvyazki/uchast-u-programax-es-erazmus-ta-gorizont-2020/gorizont-2020.html (in Ukrainian)

⁵5https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/sites/horizon2020/files/horizon_2020_first_results_1.pdf

⁶Data taken from the National Statistics Office in Ukraine and Eurostat.

⁷http://collections.internetmemory.org/haeu/content/20160313172652/http://eeas.europa.eu/top_stories/2012/140912_ukraine_en.htm

⁸http://ec.europa.eu/research/index.cfm?pg=newsalert&year=2016&na=na-130916-1

The “3 Ps” to a successful meeting organisation

By definition, a meeting is “an act or process of coming together” for example “as […] an assembly for a common purpose […]”¹. Meetings are omnipresent in our everyday life and a universal form of communication. Whether happening informally in our private sphere, or in a formal context of work-related setting, or anything in between, each meeting requires a certain amount of organisational effort.

This article is intended to help you quickly get an overview of what and how much organisational effort your planned meeting would require. Always reflect on the following “3 Ps” principle when organising a meeting: they help define the nature of your meeting and are important for all further planning steps.

Place: Will the event be held as a physical meeting or as tele-meeting? In a physical meeting the participants meet in person and have the chance for social interaction and to get to know each other. This often requires a set of logistical arrangements for preparing the physical meeting place. A tele-meeting will take place via any form of tele-communication services such as phone, video or chat. These meetings generally do not require complex logistical arrangements prior to the event except for ensuring the technical connectivity and functioning of the communication facility and the participants’ understanding thereof.

Participants: Will the meeting host representatives of two parties (bi-lateral discussions) or more than two parties (multi-lateral discussions)? This will have an influence on different factors such as time allocation to speakers, the level of detail you may allow in discussions, the choice of topics such as confidentiality, etc.

Purpose: Are you trying to reach a single aim or multiple aims with the meeting? Define the aim of the meeting prior to the event in order to derive an appropriate agenda. If you aim for a single goal in a meeting, you will be able to cover different aspects around this single goal and allow a higher level of detail in discussions. With meetings striving for multiple aims, you might cover a greater amount of work overall, but time restrictions might only allow a lower level of detail in discussing a topic.
There are of course several other aspects that need taking care of for a successful organisation and delivery of your planned meeting such as detailed planning in terms of logistics, paying attention to details, and careful management and monitoring throughout the entire process. Nevertheless, we believe that addressing appropriately the above 3 Ps will help you get started on the right foot, after which you can go ahead and make your event a success.

By: Daniel Frohnmaier

¹ http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meeting

 

Europa Media recommends – visit Budapest!

With Budapest as the site of our office and many successful training courses over the last few years (e.g. European Funding Academy, Proposal Development and Project Management Lab), we are always happy to welcome you to the capital of Hungary. In the hope of sharing with you an unbiased portrayal of the city, this blog post was not written by a Hungarian, but rather a non-local who has been living here for seven years.

At first glance

Without doubt, anyone visiting Budapest as a tourist is charmed by the city’s Art Noveau, Baroque and Neoclassical architecture, the view from the banks of the Danube (parts of which are a UNESCO World Heritage site), affordable and diverse accommodation and cuisine, as well as a trendy and distinctive ruin pub culture. Nowadays, with the Hungarian movie industry booming, it’s also not uncommon to run into Hollywood celebrities exploring Budapest’s busy streets in relative anonymity.

Budapest essentials

Those who stay here a bit longer are bound to get an appreciation of how the network of metro lines, buses, trams, trolley buses, public bicycles and even public boats (that double as a budget sightseeing tour) provides a quick way to get around in this beautiful city. And with the famous thermal baths of Budapest and a thriving cultural scene, there is plenty to see – just be sure to book your ticket in advance as Budapestians are avid theatre and opera goers.

Gradual changes…

Having lived here for some time, I’ve had an excellent opportunity to observe how the city has evolved and progressed resulting in a blend of old and new. Development and renovation is present everywhere – from famous city squares, subway, bus and tram lines to local kindergartens, libraries and playgrounds.

…with the help of EU Funding

It is worth mentioning that many of these projects have been carried out with the support of EU funding¹, as “through nine national and regional programmes, Hungary has been allocated EUR 25 billion from European Structural and Investment Funds over the period 2014-2020” with Hungary contributing EUR 4.63 billion².

 

My personal favoriterenovated spots in Budapest are Várkert Bazár and Ferenciek Tere.

Várkert is a beautiful Garden Bazaar built in 1883 in the neo-Renaissance style near the Budapest Castle. It was designed as a marketplace and a park with numerous stores and studios. Later, the Bazaar was a famous dance club and park hosting various concerts.

However, in the 1980s it fell into disrepair and remained that way until 2014 when it was transformed into a picturesque recreation area in the heart of Buda as well as an exhibition and event venue.

Ferenciek Tere is an example of citizen-conscious urban planning when a busy downtown street was transformed into a pedestrian friendly zone.

City rankings

In no small part due to these positive changes, Budapest has recently made it to the top of city rankings. For example, it was voted the most welcoming city in 2013 (according to reviews on housetrip.com) and the second best city in the world in 2013 and 2015 (according to readers’ choice of Conde Nast Traveler).

Unbeatable location

Your visit to Budapest will be an unforgettable one as the city has something peculiar to offer anyone. But if you’re looking to explore the region, Hungary’s capital is conveniently connected with other popular European cities (both due to the presence of low-cost flights and improved highways). Vienna, where most of our courses in the upcoming training season will be held, is just a two-hour ride away.

By: Liliya Levandovska

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 ¹95% of all public investments in Hungary are co-financed by the EU, making Hungary one of the top beneficiaries of EU funding. http://ec.europa.eu/budget/mycountry/HU/index_en.cfm#cinfo

²http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/en/information/publications/factsheets/2016/european-structural-and-investment-funds-country-factsheet-hungary

Funding secured for UK partners in EU projects beyond the date of leaving the EU

On August 12^th, Philip Hammond, the UK’s Chancellor of the Exchequer, has assured that all multi-year projects (ESIF, CAP and H2020) with signed contracts or funding agreements in place, and projects to be signed before the Autumn Statement, will be fully funded even when these projects continue beyond the UK’s departure from the EU, when the payments will be underwritten by the Treasury itself.

After the referendum, uncertainty over future funding for projects increased, leading to the so described discriminatory wave against UK researchers, as some scientists were dropped from H2020 projects because of post-Brexit funding fears. This new move of the recently appointed Britain’s Chancellor, in charge of steering the UK economy through the uncertainty caused by the country’s looming exit from the EU, is guaranteeing British businesses and universities the green light to support key projects on economic development.

The Chief Secretary to the Treasury, David Gauke, has written to the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, David Davis, setting out the steps that the Treasury will be taking to guarantee funding streams. The assurances set out by the Treasury include:

• In a short term – before the Autumn Statement, all European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) projects including agri-environment, employment, and regional development schemes.

• In a medium term – ESIF projects signed after the Autumn Statement but while still remaining a member of the EU, the Treasury will also put in place arrangements for assessing whether to guarantee funding, ensuring that the spending commitments remain consistent with value for money and their own domestic priorities. Further detail will be set out ahead of the Autumn Statement.

• Where UK organisations bid directly to the European Commission on a competitive basis for EU funded projects while being still a member of the EU, for example universities participating in Horizon 2020, the Treasury will underwrite the payments of such awards, even when specific projects continue beyond the UK’s departure from the EU.

• The UK agricultural sector that receives annual direct payments through Pillar 1 of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) will receive the same level of funding until the end of the Multiannual Financial Framework in 2020 in order to help the agricultural sector transition effectively to a new domestic policy framework.

In this way, UK’s government is solving past uncertainties regarding grants and UK scientists’ participation in EU projects, but there are still some remaining concerns for UK’s researchers regarding the mobility between the UK and the rest of the EU following Brexit – integral to many H2020 schemes – as well as how to address the longer-term funding issue. For this reason, academics from the Imperial Collage London stated in their website that they are willing to work with the government and others involved in the sector to ensure that UK universities’ future remains “outward looking, European and global”.

BY: Mariana Mata Lara