FantasticSearch

1. Research and innovation activities carried out under the specific programme referred to in point (a) of Article 1(2) and under the EIT shall have an exclusive focus on civil applications. Budgetary transfers between the amount allocated to the specific programme referred to in point (a) of Article 1(2) and the EIT and the amount allocated to the specific programme referred to in point (c) of Article 1(2) shall not be allowed and unnecessary duplication between the two programmes shall be avoided.

2. The Programme shall ensure a multidisciplinary approach and shall, where appropriate, provide for the integration of SSH across all clusters and activities developed under the Programme, including specific calls for proposals on SSH related topics.

3. The collaborative parts of the Programme shall ensure a balance between lower and higher TRLs, thereby covering the whole value chain.

4. The Programme shall ensure the effective promotion and integration of cooperation with third countries and international organisations and initiatives based on mutual benefits, the Union interests, international commitments and, where appropriate, reciprocity.

5. The Programme shall assist widening countries to increase their participation in it and to promote a broad geographical coverage in collaborative projects, including through spreading scientific excellence, boosting new collaborative links, stimulating brain circulation as well as through the implementation of Article 24(2) and Article 50(5). Those efforts shall be mirrored by proportional measures by Member States, including through setting attractive salaries for researchers, with the support of Union, national and regional funds. Without undermining the excellence criteria, particular attention shall be paid to geographical balance, subject to the situation in the field of R&I concerned, in evaluation panels and bodies such as boards and expert groups.

6. The Programme shall ensure the effective promotion of equal opportunities for all and the implementation of gender mainstreaming, including the integration of the gender dimension in R&I content. It shall aim to address the causes of gender imbalance. Particular attention shall be paid to ensuring, to the extent possible, gender balance in evaluation panels and in other relevant advisory bodies such as boards and expert groups.

7. The Programme shall be implemented in synergy with other Union programmes while aiming for maximal administrative simplification. A non-exhaustive list of synergies with other Union programmes is included in Annex IV.

8. The Programme shall contribute to increasing public and private investment in R&I in Member States, thereby helping to reach an overall investment of at least 3 % of Union GDP in research and development.

9. When implementing the Programme, the Commission shall continue to aim for administrative simplification and a reduction of the burden for the applicants and beneficiaries.

10. As part of the general Union objective of mainstreaming climate actions into Union sectoral policies and Union funds, actions under this Programme shall contribute at least 35 % of the expenditure to climate objectives where appropriate. Climate mainstreaming shall be adequately integrated in R&I content.

11. The Programme shall promote co-creation and co-design through the engagement of citizens and civil society.

12. The Programme shall ensure transparency and accountability of public funding in R&I projects, thereby preserving the public interest.

13. The Commission or the relevant funding body shall ensure that sufficient guidance and information is made available to all potential participants at the time of publication of the call for proposals, in particular the applicable model grant agreement.