European Partnership Help Center

Welcome to the ERA-LEARN Help Center for European Partnerships. Here you will find a collection of frequently asked questions and answers from our webinars and events. More questions and answers will be added over time. If you have any partnership related questions, please send them to office@era-learn.eu and we will add them to the Help Center.

How does the relationship with the European Commission evolve once EU Framework Programme funding ends?

In principle, without EU funding, there is no longer a formal governance or contractual link with the Commission. The partnership or its successor structure would continue independently. However, if other forms of EU funding or cooperation are maintained, some level of interaction may continue, although the nature of the relationship would likely evolve.
Are partnerships expected to describe alternative strategies in which they get funding elsewhere in order to carry on the network activity, for instance at other European calls?

Yes. Exploring other potential European, national, or private funding sources can form part of a credible scenario, provided it is realistic and consistent. The key is to show how the partnership’s core value proposition could remain relevant and viable through different funding models.
Which award/evaluation criteria need to be used in financial support to third parties (FSTP) calls?

The evaluation of FTSP calls must apply the same award/evaluation criteria as Horizon Europe calls, namely Excellence, Impact, Quality and Efficiency of the Implementation. Specific details for programme co-fund actions are provided under Part D of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General annexes. The applicable criteria depend on the type of action concerned, for example, for Research and Innovation Actions (RIAs), the award criteria defined for RIAs under Horizon Europe must be used.
FSTP calls must be open for 60 days. In two-step procedures, does the 60-days rule apply to both steps?

The minimum 60-day period applies from financial support to third parties (FSTP) call announcement to the final call deadline (second step). Further details can are provided in Annex 5 of the Annotated Model Grant Agreement (Specific rules for HE Co-funded European Partnerships).
When writing the proposal, it is often difficult to anticipate certain aspects (e.g. governance structures or additional activities intended to complement and build upon project results). How should this be addressed?

Minor changes such as smaller budget transfers between beneficiaries are acceptable during the implementation of the grant, but details should always be discussed with the responsible Project Officer in the respective Executive Agency. However, changes in the work plan (Description of the Action - Annex 1) need to be addressed through amendments to the Grant Agreement, which is the main mechanism for introducing changes during implementation. Proposed changes should always be discussed in detail with the Project Officer before the official submission of the amendment request.
When writing the proposal, it is often difficult to anticipate certain aspects (e.g. governance structures or additional activities intended to complement and build upon project results). How should this be addressed?

Minor changes such as smaller budget transfers between beneficiaries are acceptable during the implementation of the grant, but details should always be discussed with the responsible Project Officer in the respective Executive Agency. However, changes in the work plan (Description of the Action - Annex 1) need to be addressed through amendments to the Grant Agreement, which is the main mechanism for introducing changes during implementation. Proposed changes should always be discussed in detail with the Project Officer before the official submission of the amendment request.