C 421/10
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
4.11.2022
MAs for cohesion policy in the Member States can follow a simplified selection procedure when deciding on funding operations with a Seal of Excellence (6) from ERDF programmes.
Such operations have to meet three criteria: — Firstly, they must be consistent with the programme (and with the relevant strategies underlying the programme) and provide an effective contribution to the achievement of the specific objectives of the programme. — Secondly, where they fall within the scope of an enabling condition, they have to be consistent with the corresponding strategies and planning documents for the fulfilment of that enabling condition. — Thirdly, they must fall within the scope of the relevant fund and be attributed to a type of intervention (7).
Relevant legislation
Related legislation
CPR
Articles 2(45) and 73(4) and Recital (61)
HE
Articles 2(23), 15(2), 24(4), and 48(7)
General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER)
Articles 25a and 25b (State aid)
Policy considerations The Seal of Excellence is a quality label awarded to project proposals submitted to HE (the EU’s R&I funding programme until 2027) and to its predecessor programme, Horizon 2020.
The Seal of Excellence certifies that these proposals are excellent and raises their profile in the eyes of possible funding bodies (private or public; national or regional; including MAs of the cohesion policy funds) interested in investing in promising R&I projects.
The Seal of Excellence thereby helps these proposals find alternative funding.
Funding bodies can also take advantage of the well-established and high-quality HE evaluation process to promote territorial development.
This allows Member States and regions to identify and benefit from a pipeline of excellent R&I project proposals in their territory that would improve their R&I performance and capacity.
Project applicants who receive a positive evaluation in an HE call and a Seal of Excellence may apply for possible ERDF funding if the project is aligned with the priorities of the cohesion policy programmes of the project promoters’ Member State or region.
The Seal of Excellence certificate contains all the basic information on the proposal that is needed by a funding body that wants to identify the proposal and understand its key features and value (title of the proposal, reference to the call/topic, and name and address of the proposer’s legal entity).
It is digitally sealed against fraud, as are the project proposal and the evaluation summary report (this is indicated in the documents).
Finally, the signatures of the Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms and the Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth demonstrate their political commitment to mobilising alternative funding for these projects.
The Seal of Excellence is particularly suitable for single-beneficiary HE components (such as EIC Accelerator and EIC Transition, MSCA, ERC Proof of Concept, Teaming).
While multi-beneficiary Seals of Excellence could also be considered in the future, the current intention is to award the Seal of Excellence only to mono-beneficiary components during the first phase of HE.
This condition will need to be specified in the relevant call.
Components granting the Seal of Excellence will be indicated in the relevant work programme.
(6) While this document focuses on the Seals of Excellence envisaged under Horizon Europe, the possibility of granting Seals of Excellence is also laid down in the basic acts of 14 other programmes within the EU’s multiannual financial framework (Digital Europe, Single Market Programme, LIFE, Creative Europe, Erasmus+, Space Programme, European Solidarity Corps, Connecting Europe Facility, Justice Programme, Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme, Euratom, Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, Integrated Border Management Fund and Internal Security Fund).
(7) See points (a), (b),(g) of Article 73(2) and Article 73(4) of the CPR.