Eligibility

Universities, research institutions, companies and other legal entities are eligible to apply. The specific requirements are set out in the respective call text for the cluster work programmes and in the current General Annexes (Part B) (currently for 2025).

Consortia:

• For collaborative projects (e.g. Research and Innovation Actions (RIA), Innovation Actions (IA)), the three-country rule applies: at least three independent partners from three different EU Member States or associated countries, at least one of which must be from an EU Member State.
• In practice, consortia are often significantly larger – between 6 and 20 partners. The appropriate consortium size depends on the call topic.

Coordination & consortium agreement:

• One partner takes on the coordination, submits the proposal in the EU Portal and is the main contact person for the European Commission. Before the project begins, a consortium agreement is concluded. This regulates roles, rights and obligations in the project.

Project structure:

• The project is divided into work packages. A responsible partner is appointed for each WP. A clear and logical distribution of tasks is essential.

Amount of EU Funding:

• The amounts that can be applied for vary depending on the cluster and call. Particularly large projects (e.g. flagships) can also receive significantly higher funding amounts.

👉 National Contact Points (NCPs) for Horizon Europe in Germany: ****Overview