### the agency may be requested to provide advice to member states with regard to the national systems ' connection to the central systems and ad - hoc support to member states . the requests for ad - hoc support shall be submitted to the commission which shall transmit them to the agency . it may also be requested to provide advice or support to the commission on technical issues related to existing or new systems including by way of studies and testing . ### the agency may be requested to provide advice to member states with regard to the national systems ' connection to the central systems and ad - hoc support to member states . the requests for ad - hoc support shall be submitted to the commission which shall transmit them to the agency . it may also be requested to provide advice or support to the commission on technical issues related to existing or new systems including by way of studies and testing . the agency shall bear all costs incurred . the budget of the agency should include a specific budget line that is exclusively dedicated to this purpose and additional to the financial resources allocated for the daily work .


### appoint , the executive director , and where relevant extend his / her term of office or remove him or her from office , in accordance with article 22 ; ### appoint , the executive director , check and assess his / her work , and where relevant extend his / her term of office or remove him or her from office , in accordance with article 22 ;


### the management board shall be composed of one representative from each member state and two representatives of the commission all with a right to vote , in accordance with article 20 . ### the management board shall be composed of one representative from each member state , two representatives of the commission and one member appointed by the european parliament , each of which shall have a right to vote , in accordance with article 20 .


### the executive director shall manage the agency . the executive director shall assist and be accountable to the management board . the executive director shall report to the european parliament on the performance of his or her duties when invited to do so . the council may invite the executive director to report on the performance of his / her duties . ### the executive director shall manage the agency and shall be completely independent in the performance of his or her duties . the executive director shall assist and be accountable to the management board . the executive director shall report to the european parliament on the performance of his or her duties when invited to do so . the council may invite the executive director to report on the performance of his / her duties .


### preparing the necessary security measures including a security plan , and a business continuity and disaster recovery plan and submitting them to the management board for adoption ; ### preparing the necessary security plan , including a proper information security risk management process and a business continuity and disaster recovery plan , and submitting them to the management board for adoption ;


### the management board shall appoint the executive director from a list of candidates proposed by the commission following an open and transparent selection procedure . the selection procedure shall provide for publication in the official journal of the european union and elsewhere of a call for expressions of interest . the management board shall appoint the executive director on the basis of personal merit , experience in the field of large - scale it systems and administrative , financial and management skills as well as knowledge in data protection . the management board shall take its decision to appoint the executive director by a two - thirds majority of all its members with a right to vote . ### the management board shall appoint the executive director from a list of at least three candidates proposed by the commission following an open and transparent selection procedure . the selection procedure shall provide for publication in the official journal of the european union and elsewhere of a call for expressions of interest . the management board shall appoint the executive director on the grounds of merit , documented high - level administrative and management skills , experience in the field of large - scale it systems and administrative , financial and management skills as well as knowledge in data protection .


### before appointment , the candidate selected by the management board shall be invited to make a statement before the competent committee of the european parliament and answer questions from the committee members . after the statement , the european parliament shall adopt an opinion setting out its view of the selected candidate and send it to the management board . the management board shall inform the european parliament of the manner in which that opinion has been taken into account . the opinion shall be treated as personal and confidential until the appointment of the candidate . ### before appointment , the candidates proposed by the commission shall be invited to make a statement before the competent committee of the european parliament and answer questions from the committee members . after the statement , the european parliament shall adopt an opinion setting out its view and may indicate a preferred candidate .


### the list of members of the management board shall be published on the agency’s internet site . ### the list of members of the management board and of members of the advisory groups shall be published on the agency’s internet site .


### the translation services necessary for the activities of the agency shall be provided by the translation centre for the bodies of the european union . ### the translation services necessary for the activities of the agency shall be provided by the translation centre for the bodies of the european union or other translation service providers in accordance with the procurement rules and within the limits established by the relevant financial rules .


### no later than five years from the entry into force of this regulation , and every five years thereafter , the commission shall assess the agency ' s performance in relation to its objectives , mandate , tasks and locations in accordance with the commission ' s guidelines . the evaluation shall also assess the contribution of the agency to the establishment of a coordinated , cost - effective and coherent it environment at union level for the management of large scale it systems supporting the implementation of justice and home affairs policies . the evaluation shall in particular assess the possible need to modify the mandate of the agency and the financial implications of any such modification . ### no later than four years from the entry into force of this regulation , and every four years thereafter , the commission shall assess the agency ' s performance in relation to its objectives , mandate , tasks and locations in accordance with the commission ' s guidelines . the evaluation shall also assess the contribution of the agency to the establishment of a coordinated , cost - effective and coherent it environment at union level for the management of large scale it systems supporting the implementation of justice and home affairs policies . the evaluation shall in particular assess the possible need to modify the mandate of the agency and the financial implications of any such modification .


### the annual work programme for the following year shall comprise detailed objectives and expected results including performance indicators . it shall also contain a description of the actions to be financed and an indication of financial and human resources allocated to each action , in accordance with the principles of activity - based budgeting and management . the annual work programme shall be coherent with the multiannual work programme referred to in paragraph 6 . it shall clearly indicate tasks that have been added , changed or deleted in comparison with the previous financial year . the management board shall amend the adopted annual work programme when a new task is given to the agency . any substantial amendment to the annual work programme shall be adopted by the same procedure as the initial annual work programme . the management board may delegate the power to make non - substantial amendments to the annual work programme to the executive director . ### the annual work programme for the following year shall comprise detailed objectives and expected results including performance indicators , in accordance with the principle of performance - based budgeting . it shall also contain a description of the actions to be financed and an indication of financial and human resources allocated to each action , in accordance with the principles of activity - based budgeting and management . the annual work programme shall be coherent with the multiannual work programme referred to in paragraph 6 . it shall clearly indicate tasks that have been added , changed or deleted in comparison with the previous financial year . the management board shall amend the adopted annual work programme when a new task is given to the agency . within this context , reprioritisation of activities shall always be considered as a valid alternative before potentially granting additional financial resources . any substantial amendment to the annual work programme shall be adopted by the same procedure as the initial annual work programme . the management board may delegate the power to make non - substantial amendments to the annual work programme to the executive director .


### the number and size of operators vary across the different stages of the food supply chain . differences in bargaining power relate to the different levels of concentration of operators and can enable the unfair exercise of bargaining power by using unfair trading practices . unfair trading practices are in particular harmful for small and medium - sized operators in the food supply chain . agricultural producers , who supply primary agricultural products , are largely small and medium - sized . ### the number and size of operators vary across the different stages of the food supply chain . differences in bargaining power relate to the different levels of concentration of operators and can enable the unfair exercise of bargaining power by using unfair trading practices , for which agricultural producers located in areas or regions characterized by remoteness or atomized production due to geographical constraints can be particularly vulnerable , such as in outermost regions , islands and mountainous aeas . unfair trading practices are in particular harmful for small and medium - sized operators in the food supply chain . agricultural producers , who supply primary agricultural products , are largely small and medium - sized .


### a minimum union standard of protection against certain manifestly unfair trading practices should be introduced to reduce the occurrence of such practices and to contribute to ensuring a fair standard of living for agricultural producers . it should benefit all agricultural producers or any natural or legal person that supplies food products , including producer organisations and associations of producer organisations , provided that all those persons meet the definition of micro , small and medium - sized enterprises set out in the annex to commission recommendation 2003 / 361 / ec12 . those micro , small or medium suppliers are particularly vulnerable to unfair trading practices and least able to weather them without negative effects on their economic viability . as the financial pressure on small and medium - sized enterprises caused by unfair trading practices often passes through the chain and reaches agricultural producers , rules on unfair trading practices should also protect small and medium - sized intermediary suppliers at the stages downstream of primary production . protection of intermediary suppliers should also avoid unintended consequences of trade diversion away from agricultural producers and their associations , who produce processed products , to non - protected suppliers . __________________ 12 oj l 124 , 20 . 5 . 2003 , p . 36 . ### a minimum union standard of protection against certain manifestly unfair trading practices should be introduced to reduce the occurrence of such practices and to contribute to ensuring a fair standard of living for agricultural producers . it should benefit all agricultural producers or any natural or legal person that supplies agricultural and food products , including producer organisations and associations of producer organisations . those suppliers are particularly vulnerable to unfair trading practices and least able to weather them without negative effects on their economic viability . as the financial pressure caused by unfair trading practices often passes through the chain and reaches agricultural producers , rules on unfair trading practices should also protect intermediary suppliers at the stages downstream of primary production . protection of intermediary suppliers should also avoid unintended consequences of trade diversion away from agricultural producers and their associations , who produce processed products , to non - protected suppliers . __________________ 12 oj l 124 , 20 . 5 . 2003 , p . 36 .


### a minimum union standard of protection against certain manifestly unfair trading practices should be introduced to reduce the occurrence of such practices and to contribute to ensuring a fair standard of living for agricultural producers . it should benefit all agricultural producers or any natural or legal person that supplies food products , including producer organisations and associations of producer organisations , provided that all those persons meet the definition of micro , small and medium - sized enterprises set out in the annex to commission recommendation 2003 / 361 / ec12 . those micro , small or medium suppliers are particularly vulnerable to unfair trading practices and least able to weather them without negative effects on their economic viability . as the financial pressure on small and medium - sized enterprises caused by unfair trading practices often passes through the chain and reaches agricultural producers , rules on unfair trading practices should also protect small and medium - sized intermediary suppliers at the stages downstream of primary production . protection of intermediary suppliers should also avoid unintended consequences of trade diversion away from agricultural producers and their associations , who produce processed products , to non - protected suppliers . _________________ 12 oj l 124 , 20 . 5 . 2003 , p . 36 . ### a minimum union standard of protection against certain manifestly unfair trading practices should be introduced to reduce the occurrence of all such practices and to contribute to ensuring a fair standard of living for agricultural producers . it should benefit all agricultural producers or any natural or legal person that supplies food products , including producer organisations and associations of producer organisations , provided that all those persons meet the definition of micro , small and medium - sized enterprises set out in the annex to commission recommendation 2003 / 361 / ec12 . those micro , small or medium suppliers are particularly vulnerable to unfair trading practices and least able to weather them without negative effects on their economic viability . as the financial pressure on small and medium - sized enterprises caused by unfair trading practices often passes through the chain and reaches agricultural producers , rules on unfair trading practices must also protect small and medium - sized intermediary suppliers at the stages downstream of primary production . protection of intermediary suppliers should also avoid unintended consequences of trade diversion away from agricultural producers and their associations , who produce processed products , to non - protected suppliers .


### a minimum union standard of protection against certain manifestly unfair trading practices should be introduced to reduce the occurrence of such practices and to contribute to ensuring a fair standard of living for agricultural producers . it should benefit all agricultural producers or any natural or legal person that supplies food products , including producer organisations and associations of producer organisations , provided that all those persons meet the definition of micro , small and medium - sized enterprises set out in the annex to commission recommendation 2003 / 361 / ec1 . those micro , small or medium suppliers are particularly vulnerable to unfair trading practices and least able to weather them without negative effects on their economic viability . as the financial pressure on small and medium - sized enterprises caused by unfair trading practices often passes through the chain and reaches agricultural producers , rules on unfair trading practices should also protect small and medium - sized intermediary suppliers at the stages downstream of primary production . protection of intermediary suppliers should also avoid unintended consequences of trade diversion away from agricultural producers and their associations , who produce processed products , to non - protected suppliers . ____________________ 1 oj l 124 , 20 . 5 . 2003 , p . 36 . ### a minimum union standard of protection against certain manifestly unfair trading practices should be introduced to reduce the occurrence of such practices and to contribute to ensuring a fair standard of living for agricultural producers . it should benefit all agricultural producers or any natural or legal person that supplies agricultural or food products , including producer organisations and associations of producer organisations . those suppliers are particularly vulnerable to unfair trading practices and least able to weather them without negative effects on their economic viability . as the financial pressure caused by unfair trading practices often passes through the chain and reaches agricultural producers , rules on unfair trading practices should also protect intermediary suppliers at the stages downstream of primary production . protection of intermediary suppliers should also avoid unintended consequences of trade diversion away from agricultural producers and their associations , who produce processed products , to non - protected suppliers .


### the enforcement authorities of the member states should have the necessary powers that enable them to effectively gather any factual information by way of information requests . they should have the power to order the termination of a prohibited practice , where applicable . the existence of a deterrent , such as the power to impose fines and the publication of investigation results , can encourage behavioural change and pre - litigation solutions between the parties and should therefore be part of the powers of the enforcement authorities . the commission and the enforcement authorities of the member states should cooperate closely so as to ensure a common approach with respect to the application of the rules set out in this directive . in particular , the enforcement authorities should provide each other mutual assistance , for example by sharing information and assisting in investigations which have a cross - border dimension . ### the enforcement authorities of the member states should have the necessary powers that enable them to effectively gather any factual information by way of information requests . they should be impartial bodies with no conflicts of interest with operators in the agricultural and food supply chain and have an in depth knowledge of the functioning of the chain . they should guarantee the fair and proper functioning of the agricultural and food supply chain and promptly terminate a prohibited practice , where applicable . the existence of a deterrent , such as the power to impose fines and other equally effective sanctions and the publication of investigation results , can encourage behavioural change and pre - litigation solutions between the parties and should therefore be part of the powers of the enforcement authorities . repeated infringements should be taken into account when determining the sanction to be applied . the commission and the enforcement authorities of the member states should cooperate closely so as to ensure a common approach with respect to the application of the rules set out in this directive . in particular , the enforcement authorities should provide each other mutual assistance , for example by sharing all relevant information and assisting in investigations which have a cross - border dimension .


### the enforcement authorities of the member states should have the necessary powers that enable them to effectively gather any factual information by way of information requests . they should have the power to order the termination of a prohibited practice , where applicable . the existence of a deterrent , such as the power to impose fines and the publication of investigation results , can encourage behavioural change and pre - litigation solutions between the parties and should therefore be part of the powers of the enforcement authorities . the commission and the enforcement authorities of the member states should cooperate closely so as to ensure a common approach with respect to the application of the rules set out in this directive . in particular , the enforcement authorities should provide each other mutual assistance , for example by sharing information and assisting in investigations which have a cross - border dimension . ### the enforcement authorities of the member states should have the necessary powers that enable them to effectively gather any factual information by way of information requests . they should ensure the fair and proper functioning of the agricultural and food supply chain and promptly terminate a prohibited practice , where applicable . the existence of a deterrent , such as the power to impose fines or other sanctions and the publication of investigation results , can encourage behavioural change and pre - litigation solutions between the parties and should therefore be part of the powers of the enforcement authorities . repeated infringement shall be taken into account when determining the sanction to be applied . the commission and the enforcement authorities of the member states should cooperate closely so as to ensure a common approach with respect to the application of the rules set out in this directive . in particular , the enforcement authorities should provide each other mutual assistance , for example by sharing all relevant information and assisting in investigations which have a cross - border dimension .


### a buyer unilaterally and retroactively changes the terms of the supply agreement concerning the frequency , timing or volume of the supply or delivery , the quality standards or the prices of the food products ; ### a buyer unilaterally and retroactively changes the terms of the supply agreement concerning the frequency , manner , timing or volume of the supply or delivery , the quality standards or the prices of the food products ;


### a buyer unilaterally and retroactively changes the terms of the supply agreement concerning the frequency , timing or volume of the supply or delivery , the quality standards or the prices of the food products ; ### a buyer unilaterally and retroactively changes the terms of the supply agreement concerning the frequency , timing or volume of the supply or delivery , the quality standards , the prices or the terms of payment of the agricultural or food products ;


### a supplier pays for the wastage of food products that occurs on the buyer ' s premises and that is not caused by the negligence or fault of the supplier . ### a supplier pays for the unsuitable storage or marketing conditions of food products that can endanger consumer safety and that occur on the buyer ' s premises and are not caused by the negligence or fault of the supplier .


### a supplier pays for the wastage of food products that occurs on the buyer ' s premises and that is not caused by the negligence or fault of the supplier . ### a supplier pays for the wastage of food products supplied on time and and in the quality agreed in the contract that occurs on the buyer ' s premises and that is not caused by the negligence or fault of the supplier .


### if a payment is requested by the buyer for the situations described in points , and of paragraph 2 , the buyer shall , if requested by the supplier , provide the supplier with an estimate of the payments per unit or overall , whichever is appropriate , and insofar as the situations described in points and of paragraph 2 are concerned also an estimate of the costs and the basis for such estimate . ### if a payment is requested by the buyer for the situations described in points , and of paragraph 2 , the buyer shall , if requested by the supplier , provide the supplier with an estimate of the overall payment through a general set of parameters , such as the price and the services provided .


### if a payment is requested by the buyer for the situations described in points , and of paragraph 2 , the buyer shall , if requested by the supplier , provide the supplier with an estimate of the payments per unit or overall , whichever is appropriate , and insofar as the situations described in points and of paragraph 2 are concerned also an estimate of the costs and the basis for such estimate . ### if a payment is requested by the buyer for the situations described in points , and of paragraph 2 , the buyer shall provide the supplier with an estimate of the payments per unit or overall , whichever is appropriate , and insofar as the situations described in points and of paragraph 2 are concerned also an estimate of the costs and the basis for such estimate . those estimates shall be provided in written form by the buyer and agreed by the supplier before the provision of the service concerned .


### each member state shall designate a public authority to enforce the prohibitions laid down in article 3 at national level . ### each member state shall designate a national competent authority to supervise compliance with the prohibitions laid down in article 3 at national level .


### to publish its decisions relating to points and ; ### to publish systematically its decisions relating to points and ;


### 7cooperation between enforcement authorities ### 7union enforcement network


### the enforcement authorities shall meet once per year to discuss the application of this directive on the basis of the annual reports referred to in article 9 and best practices in the area it covers . the commission shall facilitate those meetings . ### the purpose of the network is to serve as a platform for structured cooperation between enforcement authorities of the member states and the commission and to streamline the practices of enforcement authorities within the union .


### by 15 march of each year , member states shall send to the commission a report on unfair trading practices in business - to - business relationships in the food supply chain . that report shall contain , in particular , all relevant data on the application and enforcement of the rules under this directive in the member state concerned in the previous year . ### by 15 march of each year , member states shall send to the commission a report on the implementation of the directive focusing in particular on unfair trading practices in business - to - business relationships in the agricultural and food supply chain . that report shall contain , in particular , all relevant data on the application and enforcement of the rules under this directive in the member state concerned in the previous year . member state authorities shall ensure dialogue with all relevant stakeholders , including consumers ' organisations , on the functioning of the supply chain in their territory and the effectiveness of their actions in meeting the objectives of this directive .


### by 15 march of each year , member states shall send to the commission a report on unfair trading practices in business - to - business relationships in the food supply chain . that report shall contain , in particular , all relevant data on the application and enforcement of the rules under this directive in the member state concerned in the previous year . ### by 15 march of each year , member states shall send to the commission a report on unfair trading practices in business - to - business relationships in the food supply chain . that report shall contain all relevant data on the application of the directive and its provisions and on the effectiveness of the measures taken by the enforcement authority in the member states in the previous year .


### it is the union ' s objective to strengthen its scientific and technological bases and encourage its competitiveness , including in its industry , while promoting all research and innovation activities to deliver on the union ' s strategic priorities , which ultimately aim at promoting peace , the union ' s values and the well - being of its peoples . ### it is the union ' s objective to strengthen its scientific and technological bases by achieving a balanced european research area in which researchers , scientific knowledge and technology circulate freely , and encouraging it to become more competitive , including in its industry , while promoting all research and innovation activities to deliver on the union ' s strategic priorities and commitments , which ultimately aim at promoting peace , tackling climate change , sustainable development , the union ' s values and the well - being of its peoples .


### to deliver scientific , economic and societal impact in pursuit of this general objective , the union should invest in research and innovation through horizon europe - a framework programme for research and innovation 2021 - 2027 to support the creation and diffusion of high - quality knowledge and technologies , to strengthen the impact of research and innovation in developing , supporting and implementing union policies , to support the uptake of innovative solutions in industry and society to address global challenges and promote industrial competitiveness ; to foster all forms of innovation , including breakthrough innovation , and strengthen market deployment of innovative solutions ; and optimise the delivery of such investment for increased impact within a strengthened european research area . ### to deliver scientific , economic and societal impact in pursuit of this general objective , the union should invest in research and innovation through horizon europe - a framework programme for research and innovation 2021 - 2027 to support excellence in research , fundamental research and the creation and diffusion of high - quality knowledge and technologies , to strengthen the impact of research and innovation in developing , supporting and implementing union policies , to support the uptake of innovative solutions in industry and society to address global challenges such as achieving sustainable development and to promote industrial competitiveness ; to foster all forms of innovation , including breakthrough innovation , and strengthen market deployment of innovative solutions ; and optimise the delivery of such investment for increased impact within a strengthened european research area .


### to deliver scientific , economic and societal impact in pursuit of this general objective , the union should invest in research and innovation through horizon europe - a framework programme for research and innovation 2021 - 2027 to support the creation and diffusion of high - quality knowledge and technologies , to strengthen the impact of research and innovation in developing , supporting and implementing union policies , to support the uptake of innovative solutions in industry and society to address global challenges and promote industrial competitiveness ; to foster all forms of innovation , including breakthrough innovation , and strengthen market deployment of innovative solutions ; and optimise the delivery of such investment for increased impact within a strengthened european research area . ### to deliver scientific , economic , educational , cultural and societal impact in pursuit of this general objective , the union should invest in research and innovation through horizon europe - framework programme for research and innovation 2021 - 2027 to support the creation and diffusion of high - quality knowledge and technologies , to strengthen the impact of research and innovation in developing , supporting and implementing union policies , to support the uptake of innovative solutions in industry whilst achieving the goal of establishing a more inclusive , educated , creative and ( sustainable society , to address global challenges and promote industrial and sme’s competitiveness ; to foster all forms of innovation , including breakthrough innovation , and strengthen market deployment of innovative solutions ; to optimise the delivery of such investment for increased impact within a strengthened european research area .


### to deliver scientific , economic and societal impact in pursuit of this general objective , the union should invest in research and innovation through horizon europe - a framework programme for research and innovation 2021 - 2027 to support the creation and diffusion of high - quality knowledge and technologies , to strengthen the impact of research and innovation in developing , supporting and implementing union policies , to support the uptake of innovative solutions in industry and society to address global challenges and promote industrial competitiveness ; to foster all forms of innovation , including breakthrough innovation , and strengthen market deployment of innovative solutions ; and optimise the delivery of such investment for increased impact within a strengthened european research area . ### to deliver scientific , economic and societal impact in pursuit of this general objective and maximize the eu added value of its rdi investments , the union should invest in research and innovation through horizon europe - a framework programme for research and innovation 2021 - 2027 to support the creation , diffusion and transfer of high - quality knowledge and technologies in the union , to strengthen the impact of research and innovation in addressing global societal challenges as defined by the sustainable development goals , and in developing , supporting and implementing union policies , to support the uptake of innovative sustainable solutions in the union’s industry and society to improve people’s well - being and promote its industrial competitiveness ; to foster all forms of innovation , including breakthrough innovation , and strengthen market deployment of innovative solutions ; and optimise the delivery of such investment for increased impact within a strengthened european research area .


### open science , open innovation , open to the world constitute general principles , which should ensure excellence and impact of the union ' s investment in research and innovation . they should be adhered in the implementation of the programme , in particular for the strategic planning in respect of the pillar ' global challenges and industrial competitiveness ' . ### a fair balance between the continuation of “open science , open innovation , open to the world” and the safeguard of union’s scientific and socio - economic interests constitute the general principle , which should ensure excellence and european impact of the union ' s investment in research and innovation . this balance should be adhered in the implementation of the programme .


### open science , including open access to scientific publications and research data , has the potential to increase the quality , impact and benefits of science and to accelerate the advancement of knowledge by making it more reliable , more efficient and accurate , better understandable by society and responsive to societal challenges . provisions should be laid down to ensure that beneficiaries provide open access to peer - reviewed scientific publications , research data and other research outputs in an open and non - discriminatory manner , free of charge and as early as possible in the dissemination process , and to enable their widest possible use and re - use . more emphasis should in particular be given to the responsible management of research data , which should comply with the fair principles of ‘ findability’ , ‘ accessibility’ , ‘ interoperability’ and ‘ reusability’ , notably through the mainstreaming of data management plans . where appropriate , beneficiaries should make use of the possibilities offered by the european open science cloud and adhere to further open science principles and practices . ### open science has the potential to increase the quality , impact and benefits of science and to accelerate the advancement of knowledge by making it more reliable , more efficient and accurate , better understandable by society and responsive to societal challenges . provisions should be laid down to ensure that beneficiaries provide open access to peer - reviewed scientific publications , research data and other research outputs in an open and non - discriminatory manner , free of charge and as early as possible in the dissemination process , and to enable their widest possible use and re - use . as far as research data is concerned , the principle should be “as open as possible , as closed as necessary” , therefore recognising the need for different access regimes because of the union’s economic interest , intellectual property rights , personal data protection and confidentiality , security concerns and other legitimate interests . more emphasis should be given to the responsible management of research data , which should comply with the fair principles of ‘ findability’ , ‘ accessibility’ , ‘ interoperability’ and ‘ reusability’ , notably through the mainstreaming of data management plans . where appropriate , beneficiaries should make use of the possibilities offered by the european open science cloud and the european data infrastructure and adhere to further open science principles and practices . provisions for reciprocity and fair open access should be laid down in all association and international cooperation agreements .


### the programme should maintain a balanced approach between bottom - up and top - down funding , according to the nature of the research and innovation communities that are engaged , the types and purpose of the activities carried out and the impacts that are sought . the mix of these factors should determine the choice of approach for the respective parts of the programme , all of which contribute to all of the programme’s general and specific objectives . ### the programme should maintain a balanced approach between bottom - up and top - down funding , according to the nature of the research and innovation communities that are engaged across the union , the success rates in a line of activity , the types and purpose of the activities carried out , the subsidiarity principle and the impacts that are sought . the mix of these factors should determine the choice of approach for the respective parts of the programme , all of which contribute to all of the programme’s general and specific objectives .


### the pillar ' global challenges and industrial competitiveness ' should be established through clusters of research and innovation activities , in order to maximise integration across the respective work areas while securing high and sustainable levels of impact in relation to the resources that are expended . it will encourage cross - disciplinary , cross - sectoral , cross - policy and cross - border collaboration in pursuit of the un sdgs and the competitiveness of the union ' s industries therein . ### european research priorities extend beyond scientific ambitions . they include support for human well - being , environmental stability and economic sustainability . the pillar ' global challenges and industrial competitiveness ' should be established through clusters of research and innovation activities , in order to maximise integration across the respective work areas while securing high and sustainable levels of impact in relation to the resources that are expended . it will also facilitate the development of appropriate metrics and evaluation criteria methodologies to measure policy and programme impact on all dimensions of sustainable development , including human development .


### the pillar ' global challenges and industrial competitiveness ' should be established through clusters of research and innovation activities , in order to maximise integration across the respective work areas while securing high and sustainable levels of impact in relation to the resources that are expended . it will encourage cross - disciplinary , cross - sectoral , cross - policy and cross - border collaboration in pursuit of the un sdgs and the competitiveness of the union ' s industries therein . ### the pillar ' global challenges and european industrial competitiveness ' should be established through clusters of research and innovation activities , in order to maximise integration across the respective work areas while securing high and sustainable levels of impact for the union in relation to the resources that are expended . it will encourage cross - disciplinary , cross - sectoral , cross - policy and cross - border collaboration in pursuit of the un sdgs , and where needed to address societal challenges , the reduction of the rdi divide within the union and the competitiveness of the union ' s industries therein . the activities under this pillar should cover the full range of research and innovation activities such as basic and applied research , development , piloting , demonstration , and support for public procurement , pre - normative research and standard setting , and market uptake of innovations to ensure that europe stays at the cutting - edge or research in strategically defined priorities .


### full engagement of industry in the programme , at all levels from the individual entrepreneur and small and medium - sized enterprises to large scale enterprises , should constitute one of the main channels through which the programme ' s objectives are to be realised , specifically towards the creation of sustainable jobs and growth . industry should contribute to the perspectives and priorities established through the strategic planning process which should support the development of work programmes . such engagement by industry should see its participation in the actions supported at levels at least commensurate with those under the previous framework programme horizon 2020 established by regulation no 1291 / 2013 of the european parliament and the council13 . _________________ 13 ### full engagement of industry in the programme , at all levels from the individual entrepreneur and small and medium - sized enterprises to large scale enterprises , should constitute one of the main channels through which the programme ' s objectives are to be realised , specifically towards the creation of sustainable and quality jobs and growth . industry should contribute to the perspectives and priorities established through the strategic planning process which should support the development of work programmes . such engagement by industry should see its participation in the actions supported at levels at least commensurate with those under the previous framework programme horizon 2020 established by regulation no 1291 / 2013 of the european parliament and the council13 . _________________ 13


### full engagement of industry in the programme , at all levels from the individual entrepreneur and small and medium - sized enterprises to large scale enterprises , should constitute one of the main channels through which the programme ' s objectives are to be realised , specifically towards the creation of sustainable jobs and growth . industry should contribute to the perspectives and priorities established through the strategic planning process which should support the development of work programmes . such engagement by industry should see its participation in the actions supported at levels at least commensurate with those under the previous framework programme horizon 2020 established by regulation no 1291 / 2013 of the european parliament and the council13 . __________________ 13 null ### full engagement of the union’s industry in the programme , at all levels from the individual entrepreneur and small and medium - sized enterprises to large scale enterprises , should continue specifically towards the creation of sustainable jobs and growth in europe . both civil society and industry should contribute to the perspectives and priorities established through the strategic planning process which should result in periodic strategic r&i plans under the form of delegated acts . strategic plans should then be implemented through the development of work programmes .


### it is important to support industry to stay or become world leader in innovation , digitisation and decarbonisation , notably through investments in key enabling technologies that will underpin tomorrow ' s business . the programme ' s actions should be used to address market failures or sub - optimal investment situations , in a proportionate manner , without duplicating or crowding out private financing and have a clear european added value . this will ensure consistency between the actions of the programme and eu state aid rules , avoiding undue distortions of competition in the internal market . ### it is important to support eu’s industry to stay or become world leader in innovation , digitisation and decarbonisation , notably through investments in key enabling technologies that will underpin tomorrow ' s business . the programme ' s actions should be used to address market failures or sub - optimal investment situations , in a proportionate manner , without duplicating or crowding out private financing and have a clear european added value . this will ensure consistency between the actions of the programme and eu rdi state aid rules which should be revised in order to take into account eu’s external competitiveness and the incentives to innovation in the union’s competitors .


### the programme should support research and innovation in an integrated manner , respecting all relevant provisions of the world trade organisation . the concept of research , including experimental development should be used in accordance with the frascati manual developed by the oecd , whereas the concept of innovation should be used in accordance with the oslo manual developed by the oecd and eurostat , following a broad approach that covers social innovation . the oecd definitions regarding technological readiness level should continue , as in the previous framework programme horizon 2020 , to be taken into account in the classification of technological research , product development and demonstration activities , and the definition of types of action available in calls for proposals . in principle grants should not be awarded for actions where activities go above trl 8 . the work programme for a given call under the pillar ' global challenges and industrial competitiveness ' could allow grants for large - scale product validation and market replication . ### the programme should support research and innovation in an integrated manner , respecting all relevant provisions of the world trade organisation . the concept of research , including experimental development should be used in accordance with the frascati manual developed by the oecd , whereas the concept of innovation should be used in accordance with the oslo manual developed by the oecd and eurostat , following a broad approach that covers human , social and cultural innovation . the oecd definitions regarding technological readiness level should continue , as in the previous framework programme horizon 2020 , to be taken into account in the classification of technological research , product development and demonstration activities , and the definition of types of action available in calls for proposals . in principle grants should not be awarded for actions where activities go above trl 8 . the work programme for a given call under the pillar ' global challenges and industrial competitiveness ' could allow grants for large - scale product validation and market replication .


### the programme should support research and innovation in an integrated manner , respecting all relevant provisions of the world trade organisation . the concept of research , including experimental development should be used in accordance with the frascati manual developed by the oecd , whereas the concept of innovation should be used in accordance with the oslo manual developed by the oecd and eurostat , following a broad approach that covers social innovation . the oecd definitions regarding technological readiness level should continue , as in the previous framework programme horizon 2020 , to be taken into account in the classification of technological research , product development and demonstration activities , and the definition of types of action available in calls for proposals . in principle grants should not be awarded for actions where activities go above trl 8 . the work programme for a given call under the pillar ' global challenges and industrial competitiveness ' could allow grants for large - scale product validation and market replication . ### the programme should support research and innovation in an integrated manner , respecting all relevant provisions of the world trade organisation . the concept of research , including experimental development should be used in accordance with the frascati manual developed by the oecd , whereas the concept of innovation should be used in accordance with the oslo manual developed by the oecd and eurostat , following a broad approach that covers social innovation . the oecd definitions regarding technological readiness level should continue , as in the previous framework programme horizon 2020 , to be taken into account as one of the criteria in the classification of technological research , product development and demonstration activities , and the definition of types of action available in calls for proposals . in principle grants should not be awarded for actions where activities go above trl 9 . the work programme for a given call under the pillar ' global challenges and industrial competitiveness ' could allow grants for large - scale product validation and market replication .


### the programme should seek synergies with other union programmes , from their design and strategic planning , to project selection , management , communication , dissemination and exploitation of results , to monitoring , auditing and governance . with a view to avoiding overlaps and duplication and increasing the leverage of union funding , transfers from other union programmes to horizon europe activities can take place . in such cases they will follow horizon europe rules . ### the programme should seek synergies with other union programmes , from their design and strategic planning , application and reporting forms to project selection , management , communication , dissemination and exploitation of results , to monitoring , auditing and governance , as well as ensuring interoperability with a view to avoiding overlaps and duplication and increasing the leverage of union funding , as well as decreasing administrative burden for the applicants and beneficiaries .


### in order to achieve the greatest possible impact of union funding and the most effective contribution to the union ' s policy objectives , the programme should enter into european partnerships with private and / or public sector partners . such partners include industry , research organisations , bodies with a public service mission at local , regional , national or international level , and civil society organisations such as foundations that support and / or carry out research and innovation , provided that desired impacts can be achieved more effectively in partnership than by the union alone . ### in order to achieve the greatest possible impact of union funding and the most effective contribution to the union ' s policy objectives , the programme should enter into european partnerships with private and / or public sector partners . such partners include industry , research organisations , bodies with a public service mission at local , regional , national or international level , and civil society organisations such as foundations that support and / or carry out research and innovation , provided that desired societal impacts can be achieved more effectively in partnership than by the union alone .


### in order to achieve the greatest possible impact of union funding and the most effective contribution to the union ' s policy objectives , the programme should enter into european partnerships with private and / or public sector partners . such partners include industry , research organisations , bodies with a public service mission at local , regional , national or international level , and civil society organisations such as foundations that support and / or carry out research and innovation , provided that desired impacts can be achieved more effectively in partnership than by the union alone . ### in order to achieve the greatest possible impact of union funding and the most effective contribution to the union ' s policy objectives , the programme may enter into european partnerships with private and / or public sector partners , on the basis of the outcome of the strategic planning . such partners include industry , research organisations including research infrastructures , bodies with a public service mission at local , regional , national or international level , and civil society organisations such as non - governmental organisations and foundations that support and / or carry out research and innovation , provided that desired impacts can be achieved more effectively in partnership than by the union alone .


### the programme should strengthen cooperation between european partnerships and private and / or public sector partners at the international level including by joining up research and innovation programmes and cross - border investment in research and innovation bringing mutual benefits to people and businesses while ensuring that the eu can uphold its interests in strategic areas . 14 __________________ 14 see e . g . the commission ' s proposal for a regulation establishing a framework for screening foreign direct investment into the eu 487 ) . ### the programme should strengthen cooperation between european partnerships and private and / or public sector partners at the international level including by joining up research and innovation programmes and cross - border investment in research and innovation bringing mutual benefits to people and businesses while ensuring that the eu can uphold its interests . __________________


### the joint research centre should continue to provide union policies with independent customer - driven scientific evidence and technical support throughout the whole policy cycle . the direct actions of the jrc should be implemented in a flexible , efficient and transparent manner , taking into account the relevant needs of the users of the jrc and the needs of union policies , and ensuring the protection of the financial interests of the union . the jrc should continue to generate additional resources . ### the joint research centre should continue to provide union policies with independent customer - driven scientific evidence and technical support throughout the whole policy cycle . the direct actions of the jrc should be implemented in a flexible , efficient and transparent manner , taking into account the relevant needs of the users of the jrc , the budgetary constraints , the rdi divide and the needs of union policies , and ensuring the protection of the financial interests of the union . the jrc should continue to generate additional resources .


### the pillar ' open innovation ' should establish a series of measures for integrated support to the needs of entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship aiming at realising and accelerating breakthrough innovation for rapid market growth . it should attract innovative companies with potential for scaling up at international and at union level and offer fast , flexible grants and co - investments , including with private investors . these objectives should be pursued through the creation of a european innovation council . this pillar should also support the european institute of innovation and technology and european innovation ecosystems at large , notably through co - funding partnerships with national and regional innovation support actors . ### the pillar ' innovative europe ' should establish a series of measures for integrated support to the needs of entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship aiming at realising and accelerating breakthrough innovation for rapid market growth as well as promoting eu’s technological autonomy in strategic areas . it should attract innovative companies , including smes and start - ups , with potential for scaling up at international and at union level and offer fast , flexible grants and co - investments , including with private investors . these objectives should be pursued through the creation of a european innovation council . this pillar should also support the european institute of innovation and technology and european innovation ecosystems at large , within the whole eu , notably through co - funding partnerships with national and regional innovation support actors .


### the eic through its instruments – pathfinder and accelerator – should aim at identifying , developing and deploying breakthrough market creating innovations and supporting their rapid scale - up to eu and international levels . through coherent and streamlined support to breakthrough innovation the eic should fill the current vacuum in public support and private investment for breakthrough innovation . the instruments of the eic call for dedicated legal and management features in order to reflect its objectives , in particular market deployment activities . ### the eic through its instruments – pathfinder and accelerator – should aim at identifying , developing and deploying breakthrough research targeted towards new technologies and market creating innovations and , together with investeu , supporting their rapid scale - up to eu and international levels . through coherent and streamlined support to breakthrough innovation the eic should fill the current vacuum in public support and private investment for breakthrough innovation . the instruments of the eic call for dedicated legal and management features in order to reflect its objectives , in particular market deployment activities .


### the eit , primarily through its knowledge and innovation communities , should aim at strengthening innovation ecosystems that tackle global challenges , by fostering the integration of business , research , higher education and entrepreneurship . the eit should foster innovation in its activities and should support the integration of higher education within the innovation ecosystem , in particular by : stimulating entrepreneurial education , fostering strong non - disciplinary collaborations between industry and academia ; and identifying prospective skills for future innovators to address global challenges , which includes advanced digital and innovation skills . support schemes provided by the eit should benefit to eic beneficiaries , while start - ups emerging from eit kics should have access to eic actions . while the eit’s focus on innovation ecosystems should make it naturally fit within the pillar ' open innovation ' , the planning of its kics should be aligned through the strategic planning process with the pillar ' global challenges and industrial competitiveness ' . ### the eit , primarily through its knowledge and innovation communities , should aim at strengthening innovation ecosystems that tackle global challenges , by fostering the integration of business , research , higher education and entrepreneurship , including social entrepreneurship . the eit should foster innovation in its activities and should support the integration of higher education within the innovation ecosystem , in particular by : stimulating entrepreneurial education ; fostering strong non - disciplinary collaborations between industry and academia ; and identifying prospective skills for future innovators to address global challenges , which includes advanced digital and innovation skills . support schemes provided by the eit should benefit eic beneficiaries , while start - ups emerging from eit kics should have access to eic actions . while the eit’s focus on innovation ecosystems should make it naturally fit within the ' open innovation ' pillar , the planning of its kics should be aligned through the strategic planning process with the ' global challenges and industrial competitiveness ' pillar . cooperation with pillar ii and the missions under development is also important ; the development of a smoothly - functioning distribution of tasks and coordination between the eic and the eit is also important if overlapping is to be avoided .


### the eit , primarily through its knowledge and innovation communities , should aim at strengthening innovation ecosystems that tackle global challenges , by fostering the integration of business , research , higher education and entrepreneurship . the eit should foster innovation in its activities and should support the integration of higher education within the innovation ecosystem , in particular by : stimulating entrepreneurial education , fostering strong non - disciplinary collaborations between industry and academia ; and identifying prospective skills for future innovators to address global challenges , which includes advanced digital and innovation skills . support schemes provided by the eit should benefit to eic beneficiaries , while start - ups emerging from eit kics should have access to eic actions . while the eit’s focus on innovation ecosystems should make it naturally fit within the pillar ' open innovation ' , the planning of its kics should be aligned through the strategic planning process with the pillar ' global challenges and industrial competitiveness ' . ### the eit , primarily through its knowledge and innovation communities , should aim at strengthening innovation ecosystems that tackle global societal challenges , by fostering the integration of business , research , higher education and entrepreneurship . in line with its founding act , the eit regulation1a and the strategic innovation agenda of the eit1b , the eit should foster innovation in its activities and should support the integration of higher education within the innovation ecosystem , in particular by : stimulating entrepreneurial education , fostering strong non - disciplinary collaborations between industry and academia ; and identifying prospective skills for future innovators to address global societal challenges , which includes advanced digital and innovation skills . support schemes provided by the eit should benefit to eic beneficiaries , while start - ups emerging from eit kics should have fast - track access to eic actions . while the eit’s focus on innovation ecosystems should make it naturally fit within the pillar ' innovative europe ' , it should also support all other pillars , as appropriate . the planning of its kics should be aligned through the strategic planning process with the pillar ' global challenges and industrial competitiveness ' . duplication between kics and other instruments in the same field , in particular other partnerships , should be avoided . __________________ 1a regulation 294 / 2008 of the european parliament and of the council of 11 march 2008 , as amended by regulation 1292 / 2013 of the european parliament and of the council of 11 december 2013 …… of the european parliament and of the council .


### the programme should promote and integrate cooperation with third countries and international organisations and initiatives based on common interest , mutual benefit and global commitments to implement the un sdgs . international cooperation should aim to strengthen the union ' s research and innovation excellence , attractiveness and economic and industrial competitiveness , to tackle global challenges , as embodied in the un sdgs , and to support the union ' s external policies . an approach of general opening for international participation and targeted international cooperation actions should be followed , including through appropriate eligibility for funding of entities established in low to middle income countries . at the same time , association of third countries to the programme should be promoted . ### the programme should promote and integrate cooperation with third countries and international organisations and initiatives based on union’s interest , reciprocity and mutual benefits and global commitments to implement the un sdgs . international cooperation should aim to strengthen the union ' s excellence in research and innovation , attractiveness and economic and industrial competitiveness , to tackle global societal challenges , as embodied in the un sdgs , and to support the union ' s external policies . an approach of general opening for reciprocal international participation and targeted international cooperation actions should be followed , appropriate eligibility criteria , considering different levels of r&i capacities , for funding of entities established in low to middle income countries need to be applied . at the same time , association of third countries to the programme could be promoted where relevant and where reciprocity is guaranteed for the access of eu entities access to similar funding programmes of the third country .


### with the aim of deepening the relationship between science and society and maximising benefits of their interactions , the programme should engage and involve citizens and civil society organisations in co - designing and co - creating responsible research and innovation agendas and contents , promoting science education , making scientific knowledge publicly accessible , and facilitating participation by citizens and civil society organisations in its activities . it should do so across the programme and through dedicated activities in the part ' strengthening the european research area ' . the engagement of citizens and civil society in research and innovation should be coupled with public outreach activities to generate and sustain public support for the programme . the programme should also seek to remove barriers and boost synergies between science , technology , culture and the arts to obtain a new quality of sustainable innovation . ### with the aim of deepening the relationship between science and society and maximising benefits of their interactions , the programme should engage and involve citizens and civil society organisations in co - designing and co - creating responsible research and innovation agendas and disseminating their findings , promoting science , technology , engineering , arts , social and humanistic education and entrepreneurship , making scientific knowledge publicly accessible , and facilitating participation by citizens and civil society organisations in its activities . it should do so across the programme and through dedicated activities in the part ' strengthening the european research area ' . the engagement of citizens and civil society in research and innovation should be coupled with public outreach activities to generate and sustain public support for the programme . the programme should also seek to remove barriers and boost synergies between science , technology , culture and the arts to obtain a new quality of sustainable innovation , for example through appropriate interaction with the creative europe programme .


### the activities developed under the programme should aim at eliminating gender inequalities and promoting equality between women and men in research and innovation , in compliance with articles 2 and 3 of the treaty on european union and article 8 of the tfeu . the gender dimension should be adequately integrated in research and innovation content and followed through at all stages of the research cycle . ### the activities developed under the programme should aim at eliminating gender inequalities , enhancing family / work life balance , promoting equality between women and men in , as well as ensuring accessibility of researchers with disabilities to , research and innovation , as well as access to the scientific community and decision - making positions in the field of research , in compliance with articles 2 and 3 of the treaty on european union and article 8 of the tfeu . these dimensions should be adequately integrated in research and innovation content and followed through at all stages of the research cycle .


### common rules across the programme should ensure a coherent framework which facilitates participation in programmes financially supported by the budget of the programme , including participation in programmes managed by funding bodies such as the eit , joint undertakings or any other structures under article 187 tfeu , and participation in programmes undertaken by member states pursuant to article 185 tfeu . flexibility to adopt specific rules should be ensured when justified . ### common rules across the programme should ensure a coherent framework which facilitates participation in programmes financially supported by the budget of the programme , including participation in programmes managed by funding bodies such as the eit , joint undertakings or any other structures under article 187 tfeu , and participation in programmes undertaken by member states pursuant to article 185 tfeu . adopting specific rules should be possible but exceptions must be limited to when strictly necessary and well justified .


### reflecting the importance of tackling climate change in line with the union ' s commitments to implement the paris agreement and the united nations sustainable development goals , this programme will contribute to mainstream climate actions and to the achievement of an overall target of 25 % of the eu budget expenditures supporting climate objectives . ### reflecting the importance of tackling climate change in line with the union ' s commitments to implement the paris agreement and the united nations sustainable development goals , this programme will contribute to mainstream climate actions and to the swift achievement of an overall target of 30 % of the eu budget expenditures supporting climate objectives .


### use of sensitive background information or access by unauthorized individuals to sensitive results may have an adverse impact on the interests of the union or of one or more of the member states . thus handling of confidential data and classified information should be governed by all relevant union law , including the institutions ' internal rules , such as commission decision 2015 / 444 , which lays down the provisions on security rules for protecting eu classified information . ### use of sensitive background information or access by unauthorized individuals to sensitive results and research data may have an adverse impact on the interests of the union or of one or more of the member states . thus handling of confidential data and classified information should be governed by all relevant union law , including the institutions ' internal rules , such as commission decision 2015 / 444 , which lays down the provisions on security rules for protecting eu classified information .


### it is necessary to establish the minimum conditions for participation , both as a general rule where the consortium should include at least one legal entity from a member state , and with regard to the specificities of particular type of actions under the programme . ### it is necessary to establish the minimum conditions for participation , both as a general rule where the consortium should include at least three legal entities from three different member states or eea countries , and with regard to the specificities of particular type of actions under the programme .


### it is appropriate to establish the terms and conditions for providing union funding to participants in actions under the programme . grants should be implemented taking into account all forms of contribution set out in the financial regulation , including lump sums , flat rates or unit costs , with the view to further simplification . ### it is necessary to establish the terms and conditions for providing union funding to participants in actions under the programme . grants should be implemented taking into account all forms of contribution set out in the financial regulation , including lump sums , flat rates or unit costs , with the view to further simplification .


### rules governing the exploitation and dissemination of results should be laid down to ensure that beneficiaries protect , exploit , disseminate and provide access to those results as appropriate . more emphasis should be given to exploiting the results , in particular in the union . beneficiaries should update their plans regarding the exploitation and dissemination of their results during and after the end of the action . ### rules governing the exploitation and dissemination of results should be laid down to ensure that beneficiaries protect , exploit , disseminate and provide access to those results as appropriate . when proposals are evaluated with the same rank , and taking into account the high oversubscription rates , priority should be given to exploiting the results in particular in the union and closing the european rdi divide . beneficiaries should update their plans regarding the exploitation and dissemination of their results during and after the end of the action .


### a wider cross - reliance on audits and assessments – including with other union programmes – should be envisaged , in order to reduce administrative burden for beneficiaries of union funds . cross reliance should be explicitly provided for by considering also other elements of assurance such as systems and processes audits . ### systematic cross - reliance on audits and assessments with other union programmes should be implemented , in order to reduce administrative burden for beneficiaries of union funds . cross reliance should be explicitly provided for by considering also other elements of assurance such as systems and processes audits .


### the types of financing and the methods of implementation under this regulation shall be chosen on the basis of their ability to achieve the specific objectives of the actions and to deliver results , taking into account , in particular , the costs of controls , the administrative burden , and the expected risk of non - compliance . for grants , this shall include consideration of the use of lump sums , flat rates and scales of unit costs . ### financing types and the methods of implementation under this regulation shall be chosen on the basis of their ability to achieve the specific objectives of the actions and to deliver results , taking into account , in particular , the costs of controls , the administrative burden , and the expected risk of non - compliance . in regard to grants , being the main form of financing , this shall include consideration of the use of lump sums , flat rates and scales of unit costs .


### ' open access ' means the practice of providing online access to research outputs resulting from actions funded under the programme , in particular scientific publications and research data , free of charge to the end - user ; ### ' open access ' means the practice of providing , as far as reasonably possible considering relevant intellectual property rights and confidentiality , privacy and security requirements , online access to research outputs resulting from actions funded under the programme , in particular scientific publications and research data , free of charge to the end - user ;


### “horizon europe or eic blended finance” means a single financial support to an innovation and market deployment action , consisting in a specific combination of a grant or a reimbursable advance with an investment in equity ; ### “horizon europe or eic blended finance” means a financial support to an innovation and market deployment action , consisting in a specific combination of a grant plus a follow - on reimbursable advance with an investment in equity ;


### ' research infrastructures ' mean facilities that provide resources and services for the research communities to conduct research and foster innovation in their fields . this definition includes the associated human resources , and it covers major equipment or sets of instruments ; knowledge - related facilities such as collections , archives or scientific data infrastructures ; computing systems , communication networks , and any other infrastructure , of a unique nature and open to external users , essential to achieve excellence in research and innovation . where relevant , they may be used beyond research , for example for education or public services and they may be ' single sited ' , ' virtual ' or ' distributed ' ; ### ' research infrastructures ' mean facilities that provide resources and services for the research communities to conduct research and foster innovation in their fields . this definition includes the associated human resources , and it covers major equipment or sets of instruments in particular those supported by other union funds as referred to in annex iv ; knowledge - related facilities such as collections , archives or scientific data infrastructures ; computing systems , communication networks , and any other infrastructure , of a unique nature and open to external users , essential to achieve excellence in research and innovation . where relevant , they may be used beyond research , for example for education or public services and they may be ' single sited ' , ' virtual ' or ' distributed ' ;


### ' mission ' means a portfolio of actions intended to achieve a measurable goal within a set timeframe , and impact for science and technology and / or society and citizens that could not be achieved through individual actions ; ### ' mission ' means a portfolio of cross - cluster actions intended to achieve a measurable goal within a set timeframe , and impact for science and technology and / or society , policy - making and / or diplomacy and citizens that could not be achieved through individual actions ;


### to support the creation and diffusion of high - quality new knowledge , skills , technologies and solutions to global challenges ; ### to promote scientific excellence and to support the creation and diffusion of high - quality new knowledge , skills , technologies and solutions to global challenges ;


### to strengthen the impact of research and innovation in developing , supporting and implementing union policies , and support the uptake of innovative solutions in industry and society to address global challenges ; ### to strengthen the impact of research and innovation in developing , supporting and implementing union policies , and support the uptake of innovative new solutions in industry and of modes of knowledge and of sharing scientific culture in society to address global challenges ;


### to strengthen the impact of research and innovation in developing , supporting and implementing union policies , and support the uptake of innovative solutions in industry and society to address global challenges ; ### to strengthen the role of research and innovation , and their ability to make an impact , in developing , supporting and implementing union policies , and support the uptake of innovative solutions for responsible innovation in industry and society to address global challenges ;


### the programme ' s general objective is to deliver scientific , economic and societal impact from the union ' s investments in research and innovation so as to strengthen the scientific and technological bases of the union and foster its competitiveness , including in its industry , deliver on the union strategic priorities , and contribute to tackling global challenges , including the sustainable development goals . ### the general objective of the programme shall be to deliver scientific , economic , cultural and societal impact from the union ' s investments in research and innovation so as to strengthen the scientific and technological bases of the union and foster its competitiveness , including in its industry , deliver on the union strategic priorities , and contribute to tackling global challenges , including the sustainable development goals .


### the programme has the following specific objectives : ### the specific objectives of the programme shall be :


### the programme is structured in the following parts contributing to the general and specific objectives set out in in article 3 : ### the programme shall contribute to the general and specific objectives set out in article 3 and shall consist of the following :


### pillar i ' open science ' , pursuing the specific objective set out in article 3 and also supporting specific objectives set out in article 3 and , with the following components : ### pillar i ' open science ' , pursuing the specific objective set out in article 3 and also supporting specific objectives set out in article 3 , , , and , with the following components :


### pillar ii ' global challenges and industrial competitiveness ' , pursuing the specific objective set out in article 3 and also supporting the specific objectives set out in article 3 and , with the following components : ### pillar ii ' global challenges and european industrial competitiveness ' , pursuing all the specific objectives set out in article 3with the following components :


### pillar iii ' open innovation ' , pursuing the specific objective set out in article 3 and also supporting the specific objectives set out in article 3 and , with the following components : ### pillar iii ' innovative europe ' , pursuing the specific objective set out in article 3 , and and also supporting the specific objectives set out in article 3 , , , with the following components :


### part ' strengthening the european research area ' , pursuing the specific objective set out in article 3 and also supporting the specific objectives set out in article 3 , and , with the following components : ### cross - cutting part ' strengthening the european research area ' , pursuing the specific objective set out in article 3 and also supporting the specific objectives set out in article 3 , , and , with the following components :


### missions shall be programmed within the pillar ' global challenges and industrial competitiveness ' , but may also benefit from actions carried out within other parts of the programme . ### missions shall be programmed within the pillar ' global challenges and industrial competitiveness ' , but may also benefit , if necessary and / or beneficial , from actions carried out within and funding from other parts of the programme .


### have a clear eu - added value and contribute to reaching union priorities ; ### have a clear eu added value and contribute to reaching union goals and priorities , taking into account the concerns and expectations expressed by citizens ;


### be bold and inspirational , and hence have wide societal or economic relevance ; ### be bold and inspirational , delivering wide societal or economic relevance , and focused solely on delivering the mission outcome ;


### be open to multiple , bottom - up solutions . ### be open to multiple bottom - up solutions and approaches .


### be bold and inspirational , and hence have wide societal or economic relevance ; ### be bold and inspirational , and thus have wide political , diplomatic , societal and economic relevance ; ;


### adhere to the principles of union added value , transparency , openness , impact , leverage effect , long - term financial commitment of all the involved parties , flexibility , coherence and complementarity with union , local , regional national and international initiatives ; ### adhere to the principles of union added value , transparency , fair openness , impact within and for the union , strong leverage effect , long - term financial commitment , as well as the commitment to achieve research excellence of all the involved parties , flexibility , coherence and complementarity with union , local , regional national and international initiatives ;


### adhere to the principles of union added value , transparency , openness , impact , leverage effect , long - term financial commitment of all the involved parties , flexibility , coherence and complementarity with union , local , regional national and international initiatives ; ### adhere to the principles of union added value , transparency , openness , societal impact , leverage effect , long - term financial commitment of all the involved parties , flexibility , coherence and complementarity with union , local , regional national and international initiatives ;


### be time limited and include conditions for phasing - out the programme funding . ### be time limited and include conditions for phasing out the programme funding . they may be renewed subject to a robust full assessment .


### be time limited and include conditions for phasing - out the programme funding . ### be time limited and where relevant include conditions for phasing - out the programme funding .


### participation in and financial contribution to a programme of research and innovation activities , based on the commitment of the partners for financial and in - kind contributions and integration of their relevant activities using a programme co - fund action ; ### participation in and financial contribution to a programme of research and innovation activities , based on the commitment of the partners for both financial and in - kind contributions and integration of their relevant activities using a programme co - fund action ;


### be established in cases where they will more effectively achieve objectives of horizon europe than the union alone ; ### be established only in cases where they will offer clearly quantified advantages as compared to other framework programme actions / instruments ;


### the financial envelope for the implementation of the framework programme for the period 2021 &#8211 ; 2027 shall be eur 94 100 000 000 in current prices for the specific programme referred to in article 1 and , in addition , the amount for the specific programme referred to in article 1 , as laid down in regulation&#8230 ; . establishing the european defence fund . ### the financial envelope for the implementation of the framework programme for the period 2021 &#8211 ; 2027 shall be eur 120 000 000 000 in constant prices [ eur 135 248 000 000 in current prices ] for the specific programme referred to in article 1 and , in addition , the amount for the specific programme referred to in article 1 , as laid down in regulation&#8230 ; . establishing the european defence fund .


### the amount referred to in paragraph 1 , first half sentence , may also cover expenses for preparation , monitoring , control , audit , evaluation and other activities and expenditures necessary for managing and implementing the programme , including all administrative expenditure , as well as evaluating the achievement of its objectives . it may moreover cover expenses relating to the studies , meetings of experts , information and communication actions , in so far as they are related to the objectives of the programme , as well as expenses linked to information technology networks focusing on information processing and exchange , including corporate information technology tools and other technical and administrative assistance needed in connection with the management of the programme . ### the amount for the specific programme referred to in article 1 may also cover expenses for preparation , monitoring , control , audit , evaluation and other activities and expenditures necessary for managing and implementing the programme , including all administrative expenditure , as well as evaluating the achievement of its objectives . those expenses shall not exceed 5% of the total amount of the programme . it may moreover cover expenses relating to the studies , meetings of experts , information and communication actions , in so far as they are related to the objectives of the programme , as well as expenses linked to information technology networks focusing on information processing and exchange , including corporate information technology tools and other technical and administrative assistance needed in connection with the management of the programme .


### open science practices beyond open access to research outputs and responsible management of research data shall be promoted . ### fair open science practices beyond open access to research outputs and responsible management of research data shall be internationally promoted .


### may receive support from the european regional development fund , the cohesion fund , the european social fund + or the european agricultural fund for rural development , in accordance with paragraph 5 of article [ 67 ] of regulation xx [ common provisions regulation ] and article [ 8 ] or regulation xx [ financing , management and monitoring of the common agricultural policy ] , provided that such actions are consistent with the objectives of the programme concerned . the rules of the fund providing support shall apply . ### may receive support from the european regional development fund , the cohesion fund , the european social fund + or the european agricultural fund for rural development , in accordance with paragraph 5 of article [ 67 ] of regulation xx [ common provisions regulation ] and article [ 8 ] or regulation xx [ financing , management and monitoring of the common agricultural policy ] , provided that the respective responsible administrations agree and that such actions are consistent with the objectives of the programme concerned , including with the respective research and innovation strategies for smart specialisation in the erdf . the rules of the fund providing support shall apply .


### complementary and combined funding ### complementary , combined and cumulative funding


### may receive support from the european regional development fund , the cohesion fund , the european social fund + or the european agricultural fund for rural development , in accordance with paragraph 5 of article [ 67 ] of regulation xx [ common provisions regulation ] and article [ 8 ] or regulation xx [ financing , management and monitoring of the common agricultural policy ] , provided that such actions are consistent with the objectives of the programme concerned . the rules of the fund providing support shall apply . ### may receive support from national or regional funds , including from the european regional development fund , the cohesion fund , the european social fund + or the european agricultural fund for rural development , in accordance with paragraph 5 of article [ 67 ] of regulation xx [ common provisions regulation ] and article [ 8 ] or regulation xx [ financing , management and monitoring of the common agricultural policy ] , without requiring any further application and evaluation and provided that such actions are consistent with the objectives of the programme concerned . with the exception of state aid rules , the rules of the fund providing support shall apply .


### commitment to a rules - based open market economy , including fair and equitable dealing with intellectual property rights , backed by democratic institutions ; ### commitment to a rules - based open market economy , including fair and equitable dealing with intellectual property rights and robust regulations on privacy and data protection , backed by democratic institutions ;


### acceding countries , candidate countries and potential candidates , in accordance with the general principles and general terms and conditions for the participation of those countries in union programmes established in the respective framework agreements and association council decisions , or similar agreements , and in accordance with the specific conditions laid down in agreements between the union and those countries ; ### acceding countries , candidate countries , potential candidates and members of previous framework programmes , in accordance with the general principles and general terms and conditions for the participation of those countries in union programmes established in the respective framework agreements and association council decisions , or similar agreements , and in accordance with the specific conditions laid down in agreements between the union and those countries ;


### countries covered by the european neighbourhood policy , in accordance with the general principles and general terms and conditions for the participation of those countries in union programmes established in the respective framework agreements and association council decisions , or similar agreements , and in accordance with the specific conditions laid down in agreements between the union and those countries ; ### countries covered by the european neighbourhood policy , in accordance with the general principles and general terms and conditions for the participation of those countries in union programmes established in the respective framework agreements and association council decisions , or similar agreements , and in accordance with the specific conditions laid down in agreements between the union and those countries , particularly with regard to compliance with international law and respect for fundamental rights ;


### active promotion of policies to improve the economic and social well - being of citizens . ### active promotion of policies to improve the economic and social well - being of citizens and their full integration into economic and social life .


### european free trade association members which are members of the european economic area , in accordance with the conditions laid down in the eea agreement ; ### european economic area members , in accordance with the conditions laid down in the eea agreement including those conditions concerning the level of their financial contribution , or european free trade association members in accordance with the specific conditions laid down in agreements between the union and those countries ;


### –ensures a fair balance as regards the contributions and benefits of the third country participating in the union programmes ; ### –ensures a fair balance as regards the contributions and benefits of the third country participating in the union programmes . that financial balance shall be reviewed , reported to the council and the parliament , and adjusted on a yearly basis ;


### the scope of association of each third country to the programme shall take into account the objective of driving economic growth in the union through innovation . accordingly , with the exception of eea members , acceding countries , candidate countries and potential candidates , parts of the programme may be excluded from an association agreement for a specific country . ### the scope of association of each third country to the programme shall take into account the objective of driving economic growth in the union through innovation . accordingly , countries associated under article 12 shall be excluded from the monobeneficiary parts of the programme .


### the conditions determining the level of financial contribution shall ensure an automatic correction of any significant imbalance compared to the amount that entities established in the associated country receive through participation in the programme , taking into account the costs in the management , execution and operation of the programme . ### the conditions determining the level of financial contribution shall ensure an automatic correction , on a yearly basis , of any significant imbalance compared to the amount that entities established in the associated country receive through participation in the programme , taking into account the costs in the management , execution and operation of the programme .


### eligible actions ### eligible actions and ethical principles


### proposals shall be systematically screened to identify those actions raising complex or serious ethics issues and submit them to an ethics assessment . the ethics assessment shall be carried out by the commission unless it is delegated to the funding body . for actions involving the use of human embryonic stem cells or human embryos , an ethics assessment shall be mandatory . ethics screenings and assessments shall be carried out with the support of ethics experts . the commission and the funding bodies shall ensure the transparency of the ethics procedures as much as possible . ### proposals shall be systematically screened to identify those actions raising complex or serious ethics issues and submit them to an ethics assessment . the ethics assessment shall be carried out by the commission unless it is delegated to the funding body . for actions involving the use of animals , human embryonic stem cells or human embryos , an ethics assessment shall be mandatory . ethics screenings and assessments shall be carried out with the support of ethics experts . the commission and the funding bodies shall ensure the transparency of the ethics procedures as much as possible .


### for actions related to union strategic assets , interests , autonomy or security , the work programme may provide that the participation can be limited to those legal entities established in member states only , or to those legal entities established in specified associated or other third countries in addition to member states . ### for actions related to union strategic assets , interests , autonomy or security , identified at an early stage in the strategic plan or work programme , the work programme may provide that the participation can be limited to those legal entities established in member states only , or to those legal entities established in specified associated or other third countries in addition to member states .