Participation of Hungarian entities in Horizon Europe consortia according to the Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/2506 of 15 December 2022
(Information from the National Research, Development and Coordination Office, Hungary, January 20, 2023)
[A]ccording to the Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/2506 of 15 December 2022, “no legal commitments (including grants and contracts) can be signed with Hungarian public interest trusts established under Hungarian Act IX of 2021 or any entity they maintain”. [T]he participation of these institutions in the consortium is granted during the evaluation phase and they have the right to participate in project proposals.
Given the temporary nature of the measures imposed, it is also in the interest of the European partners to continue the sound scientific relationship with the concerned research and innovation performing organisations, since their knowledge and human and infrastructural capacities are widening the impact of the proposed project.
In line with the Council Implementing Decision, the potential participation of the entities concerned in the application and selection procedures as a member of the consortium is ensured until the Grant Agreement Preparation Phase. The signature of the grant agreement is the point when the Parties – the European Commission and the beneficiaries – take legal commitment and when the European Commission (or its Executive Agency) should examine whether the Hungarian institutions are still under the effect of the restricting measures. The evaluation phase usually takes 5 months after submitting the Horizon Europe proposal. This will allow the Hungarian Government to clarify the questions with the European Commission and – since the measures are meant temporary – negotiations shall lead to lifting the prohibiting measures.
On 19th January the European Commission has confirmed that the Hungarian public interest trusts established under Hungarian Act IX of 2021 or any entity they maintain are still eligible to submit proposals and such proposals remain admissible and will be evaluated. During the grant agreement preparation phase the Commission will follow the same approach as for the UK applicants.
Therefore, the National Research, Development and Innovation Office, as the coordinating organization of the Horizon Europe National Contact Points in Hungary would like to encourage you to keep on cooperating also with the concerned Hungarian entities and consider them as full partners and eligible applicants within the consortium, since their participation in the consortium is granted during the evaluation phase and their presence as consortium member should not have any negative impact on the evaluation of a proposal.
For more information:
Csuzdi Szonja,
Nemzeti Kutatási, Fejlesztési és Innovációs Hivatal
1077 Budapest, Kéthly Anna tér 1.
e-mail: szonja.csuzdi@nkfih.gov.hu
Tel.: +36 1 896 3758
