European Partnership Help Center

KICs, as independent legal entities, remain eligible to apply for competitive funding under Horizon Europe, just like any other eligible entity. It is important to distinguish between such participation in competitive calls and ring-fenced funding. What is being phased out is the latter – dedicated, ring-fenced funding streams – not the possibility for KICs to compete successfully for project funding alongside other applicants. If applicable, partnerships may also propose similar models under their additional or optional scenarios to sustain certain activities in the future.

This process is connected to the partnership portfolio because it supports the overall life cycle. However, it does not influence decision-making or selection. Its main purpose is to ensure compliance with legal obligations under the current Framework Programme, strengthen the resilience of each partnership, and safeguard their legacy so that the achievements built so far are preserved for the future. Developing a phasing out strategy is not about activating it or comparing partnerships. The purpose is to encourage everyone to consider possible futures and be prepared, not to evaluate or trigger the phase-out process. Creating a strong strategy does not mean it will be implemented, nor is it used for selection or assessment purposes. However, failure to comply with this legal requirement may be considered a weakness when assessing the partnership's performance and future prospects.

Strategies are not timebound. The current duration of the partnership under Horizon Europe sets the earliest possible transition point.

The partnership itself is responsible for selecting and implementing the scenario that best fits its context, in consultation with its members and governance bodies. The Commission services may provide feedback and guidance but do not decide the chosen pathway. While the Commission does not chose the phasing-out scenario, the configuration of the future partnership portfolio may influence which scenario is most relevant or ultimately implemented (e.g. mergers or integration with other initiatives).

Phasing-out strategies are an ex-ante selection criterion for European Partnerships under Horizon Europe. A mandatory section on the phasing-out strategy is included in the proposal template and as such part of the evaluation. While the level of detail may evolve (as the proposal allows for limited space for elaboration), the requirement applies from the outset. Since you are in a pre-evaluation stage, the expected exit strategy could be less detailed, possibly only outlining the mandatory scenario, and may be elaborated further later on. As long as it is conceptually sound and credible it should be sufficient. However, passing from the evaluation to the Grant Agreement preparation phase later, we advise to foresee and include a specific activity to update the exit strategy at regular intervals, possibly producing corresponding dedicated deliverable reports, where the strategy could be presented in more detail.

All partnerships must comply with this legal requirement (which was intended as an ex-ante selection criterion), and new partnerships are strongly encouraged to make use of this ongoing support and feedback exercise, both to learn from others and to benefit from direct feedback from the Commission services. Moreover, the guidance and checklist are designed to offer flexibility. For newer partnerships, a less detailed but conceptually sound strategy is acceptable, provided it meets the criteria. The document is a living one and can evolve as implementation advances.