European Partnership Help Center

Co-funded European Partnerships receive EU co-funding at a fixed rate, typically thirty per cent of total eligible costs, although some partnerships may receive fifty per cent for specific activities. The EU contribution is calculated as a flat rate on eligible costs reported in the Funding and Tenders Portal and is transferred to the coordinator as pre‑financing, interim and final payments. The coordinator then distributes the funds among beneficiaries in accordance with the consortium agreement.

A Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda provides a long term strategic compass for the partnership, identifying the vision, expected impacts, priority domains and a roadmap of activities. It is prepared through foresight, stakeholder consultation and evidence review and is updated every three to four years to remain relevant. The annual or multi‑annual work programme translates this strategy into calls, budgets, timelines and deliverables and specifies governance arrangements for implementation. Governing bodies use these documents to set priorities, align national contributions and monitor progress. Without them, partnerships risk fragmentation or misalignment with European and national objectives.

The grant agreement is the legal contract between the European Commission and the beneficiaries. It sets out the project duration, funding rules, eligible costs, reporting and payment schedules. There is only one grant agreement covering both the active and winding‑up phases, and any amendments require Commission approval. The consortium agreement is a private law contract among beneficiaries that must be concluded before the grant agreement is signed. It governs internal procedures such as the distribution of EU funding, voting rights, conflict‑of‑interest management and the organisation of calls. The consortium agreement cannot contradict the grant agreement; in case of inconsistency, the grant agreement prevails.

If a consortium member intends to apply for funding under a joint call, stringent measures must be taken to avoid conflicts of interest. The consortium agreement must include provisions to prevent exchanges of information that could give an applicant an unfair advantage. Beneficiaries planning to apply must be excluded from meetings and discussions related to call preparation and evaluation. A firewall arrangement should ensure impartiality between those administering the call and those seeking funding. These arrangements must be described in the Description of the Action and the consortium agreement, and any exceptions require explicit approval in the grant agreement.

Partnerships establish several bodies to carry out strategic and operational functions. A governing board or general assembly provides high level strategic planning and approves budgets and work programmes. Management boards and work package leaders coordinate day‑to‑day implementation, communication and reporting. A call secretariat or call management board organises and administers joint calls and serves as the primary contact point for applicants. Regular exchanges with Commission officers ensure compliance and alignment with EU policies. Additional functions may include national and regional alignment groups, impact monitoring teams, stakeholder advisory boards and compliance structures to manage conflicts of interest.

Beneficiaries are organisations that sign the grant agreement and generate EU co-funding based on their eligible costs. They are responsible for strategy, alignment with national policies, and reporting to the Commission. Typical beneficiaries include ministries, national research funding agencies and public research organisations. Associated partners are named in the grant agreement but do not sign it; they can contribute to tasks, but their costs cannot be declared as eligible. Funded researchers and consortia are selected through the partnership’s joint calls and are not party to the grant agreement; they receive cascade funding via their national funding bodies and must comply with the requirements of both Horizon Europe and national rules.