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Implementation of Eurostars-2 1. The ESE shall organise continuously open calls for proposals, with cut-off dates for the award of financial support to indirect actions.

2. Applicants shall submit project proposals to the ESE as a single entry point.

3. After the closure of a call for proposals, a central eligibility check shall be carried out by the ESE on the basis of the eligibility criteria set out in the annual work plan. No different or further eligibility criteria may be added by the Participating States.

4. The NFBs, under the coordination of the ESE, shall verify the financial capacity of the participants according to common, clear and transparent rules.

5. Eligible proposals shall be evaluated centrally and ranked by a group of external independent experts in accordance with the criteria set out in Article 15(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1290/2013, on the basis of transparent procedures.

6. The ESE shall provide an evaluation review procedure in accordance with Article 16 of Regulation (EU) No 1290/2013.

7. The ranking list, approved as a whole by the Eurostars-2 high-level group referred to in Annex II, shall be binding for the allocation of funding from the national budgets for Eurostars-2 projects.

8. Once the ranking list is approved, each Participating State shall finance its national participants in those projects selected for funding through the designated NFB, making all possible efforts to ensure that the top-50 ranked projects and at least 50 % to 75 % of the projects above thresholds are funded. The financial contribution to the participants shall be calculated according to the funding rules of the national programme of the relevant Eurostars-2 Participating State. The Union’s financial contribution shall be transferred by the ESE to the NFBs provided that the NFBs have paid their financial contribution to the projects.

9. All eligible participants in projects selected centrally shall be funded. The granting of financial support by the NFBs to project participants selected centrally shall be subject to the principles of equal treatment, transparency and co-funding.

10. The ESE shall be responsible for evaluating proposals, informing NFBs, coordinating the synchronisation process, monitoring projects through project reporting and audits carried out by NFBs, and reporting to the Commission ensuring a short time-to-grant. It shall also take appropriate measures to encourage recognition of the Union’s contribution to Eurostars-2, both to the programme itself and to individual projects. It shall promote appropriate visibility for the Union’s contribution through the use of the Horizon 2020 logo in all published material, including printed and electronic publications, related to Eurostars-2.

11. ESE shall conclude Eurostars-2 bilateral agreements with the NFBs of Participating States. Those Eurostars-2 bilateral agreements shall set out the responsibilities of the contracting parties in accordance with the Eurostars-2 rules, objectives and implementation modalities. The Eurostars-2 bilateral agreements shall include the rules governing the transfer of the Union’s contribution and the minimum operational targets and national progressive milestones for further integration and synchronisation of national programmes, including a shorter time-to-grant in accordance with Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 and Regulation (EU) No 1290/2013. Those targets and milestones shall be agreed by the Eurostars-2 high-level group in consultation with the Commission. The signature of the Eurostars-2 bilateral agreement and compliance with the operational targets and milestones shall be a pre-condition for NFBs to receive the Union’s contribution.

12. The ESE may conclude Eurostars-2 bilateral agreements with the NFBs of partner countries. Those Eurostars-2 bilateral agreements shall set out the responsibilities of the contracting parties in accordance with the Eurostars-2 rules, objectives and implementation modalities, specify the conditions under which partnership with Eurostars-2 shall take place, and include the minimum operational targets, including a short time-to-grant.

13. Networking activities and exchange of best practices shall also be organised amongst the Participating States in order to promote stronger integration at scientific, managerial and financial level.

14. Other activities shall also include brokerage, programme promotion and networking activities with other stakeholders (investors, research and innovation providers, intermediaries) mainly to widen participation from beneficiaries in all Participating States and to involve SMEs with no prior experience in transnational research projects.