H2020 calls for proposals directed to researchers from the EaP countries
on

Nanotechnologies, Advanced Materials, Biotechnology and Advanced Manufacturing and Processing

There is a unique opportunity for the researchers in the EaP countries to participate in consortia with EU partners to prepare proposals under the H2020 Nanotechnologies, Advanced Materials, Biotechnology and Advanced Manufacturing and Processing workprogramme , since in the forthcoming Work Programme 2018 - 2020 (to be formally published on 27 October 2017) there is a whole batch of calls recommending "in particular" the cooperation with the Eastern Partnership countries.

More precisely, in the pre-published draft Work Programme: https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/sites/horizon2020/files/h2020-leit-nmbp-2018-2020_pre-publ.pdf , in the chapter 3.1 'Sustainable Process Industry' (SPIRE) (page 62), at the end of the introduction the aforementioned recommendation is included and is relevant for all the calls that follow (CE -SPIRE - 01-2018 to CE - SPIRE - 09 - 2020).

The deadline for the first calls (CE-SPIRE-02-2018; 03-2018 and 10-2018) is on 22 February 2018 , while the others will follow in 2019 and 2020.

For achieving a substantial participation of the EaP researchers in these calls , a pro-active mobilization from their side will be urgently needed . They should take the initiative to ' knock on the door ' of researchers in EU they know from:

•  Previous joint research work;

•  Conferences where they met;

•  Publications in the respective field.

They can also consult the SPIRE Association's (A.SPIRE) web site ( https://www.spire2030.eu/intro ), which includes:

• A list of all the (mainly) EU Research Organizations that are members of SPIRE: https://www.spire2030.eu/spire/members?field_partner_categorymeber_tid=176 ;
• A list of completed and ongoing SPIRE H2020 projects, in which the participating research organization are mentioned: https://www.spire2030.eu/projects/our-spire-projects ;
• A tool in which they can upload their contact details, research interest and collaboration they are seeking: https://www.spire2030.eu/funding/find-your-spire-partner .

In parallel, the 'EaP PLUS' project will implement a series of support actions to stimulate that process:

• Information Days in each EaP country, with particular focus on SPIRE calls;
• A Webinar on the SPIRE calls on 23 rd November, that the researchers can freely attend that day (December 2017-March 2018);
• Grants to travel in EU for meeting partners preparing SPIRE proposals (Call launch on 5 November 2017).

For further details and schedule of these activities please see: www.eap-plus.eu .

It is in the interest of the EU researchers to include scientist from EaP countries in order to fulfill all the recommendations of the SPIRE calls, increasing therefore the chances for acceptance of their proposal.

In that context, a pro-active action from the EaP side will result in numerous applications and certainly an enhanced number of funded projects.

24.10.2017 | ISTPD