Beneficiaries in the EU framework programs for research and innovation («Horizon 2020», «Horizon Europe»), European structural and investment funds
Authors: Gubina Ganna 
Published: October 2024

Problem setting. Nowadays, the issue of obtaining funding for scientific research, scientific and technical (experimental) developments is increasingly important. This practice is common, for example, in the EU. Many sources are offered: EU Framework Programs for Research and Innovation, European Structural and Investment Funds, etc. However, to understand the financing procedure itself, it is necessary to have some knowledge, including regarding EU legislation. First of all, attention should be focused on the terms, because this is the foundation, the alphabet. One of them is the beneficiary. It is found in many EU legal acts, but does not always have a fixed definition. Analysis of recent researches and publications. The main goal of the program or fund is to receive project funding. Foreign scholars focus their research in this area (for example, Mario J. Al Sayah, Pierre-Antoine Versini, Daniel Schertzer, Olatz Ukar Arrien, Marta Enciso-Santocildes). This situation is due to the fact that they have more modern and updated research infrastructures than Ukraine. Terms remain beyond their attention. However, there are isolated works with only the mention of the term in the issue without any analysis of it (for example, Glybko S., Kokhan V.). Purpose of the research is to clarify the term «beneficiary» in the EU Framework Programs for Research and Innovation, European Structural and Investment Funds. Article’s main body. An attempt is made to conduct a comparative analysis of the considered term in the EU Framework Programs for Research and Innovation («Horizon 2020», «Horizon Europe») and the European Structural and Investment Funds. Each of them has its own EU legal framework. However, only Regulation (EU) № 1303/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 laying down common provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the Cohesion Fund, the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and laying down general provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the Cohesion Fund and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and repealing Council Regulation (EC) № 1083/2006, defines the term «beneficiary». Regulation (EU) 2021/695 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 April 2021 establishing Horizon Europe – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, laying down its rules for participation and dissemination, and repealing Regulations (EU) № 1290/2013 and (EU) № 1291/2013 refers to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 July 2018 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union, amending Regulations (EU) № 1296/2013, (EU) № 1301/2013, (EU) № 1303/2013, (EU) № 1304/2013, (EU) № 1309/2013, (EU) № 1316/2013, (EU) No 223/2014, (EU) № 283/2014, and Decision № 541/2014/EU and repealing Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012, which defines the term «beneficiary». The EU Framework Programmes for Research and Innovation («Horizon 2020», «Horizon Europe») contain definitions of the types of beneficiary. It is the target final beneficiary and beneficiary of the Accelerator. The possibility of achieving synergy between the specified programs and the European Structural and Investment Funds is being investigated, if there are already differences regarding the definition of the term «beneficiary». Conclusions and prospects for the development. The author states the following conclusions according to the obtained results: EU legal acts do not contain a single vision for the same term «beneficiary». We believe that it is necessary to review this situation in order to achieve the synergy established in the Regulations (EU).