The European Parliament adopted by 506 votes to 81 with 9 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down the rules for the participation and dissemination in 'Horizon 2020 – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation.
Parliament adopted its position in first reading following the ordinary legislative procedure. The amendments adopted in plenary were the result of a compromise between Parliament and Council. They amend the Commission proposal as follows:
Transparency and information: the Commission should publish open calls for proposals on the internet pages of Horizon 2020, through specific information channels, and should ensure their wide dissemination. It should consider the timings of calls for proposals and requests for information taking into account, where possible, standard holiday periods.
Furthermore, guidance and information must be made available to all potential participants at the time of publication of the call for proposals.
The selection and award criteria should be applied in a transparent way and based on objective and measurable parameters. The Commission shall ensure the existence of a procedure for participants to make enquiries or complaints about their involvement in Horizon 2020. In the case of unsuccessful proposals, the Commission should give feedback to the applicants concerned.
Lastly, the process of the ethics review must be transparent as possible.
Simplification: the new rules must provide easy access to all participants through simplified procedures, in particular with regard to SMEs. The period between the final date for the submission of complete proposals and the signing of grant agreements with applicants or notifying grant decisions to them should be shorter.
All exchanges with participants, including the conclusion of grant agreements, the notification of grant decisions and any amendments thereto, may be made through an electronic exchange system set up by the Commission or by the relevant funding body.
The portal for participants should function as the single entry point from the moment of publication of the calls for proposals, through submission of proposals, until implementation of the action, with the aim of establishing a one-stop shop. The system may also provide feedback to applicants on the progress and the timeline of their applications.
The Commission shall, in close cooperation with the Member States, draw up model grant agreements between the Commission or the relevant funding body and the participants.
Reimbursement rates: in principle, the reimbursement rates should be 100 % or 70 %.
Provisions were set out regarding eligible costs.
Financial instruments: in order to allow their most effective use, debt and equity financial instruments should be allowed to be combined with each other and with grants funded under the Union budget, including under Horizon 2020.
Furthermore, the Commission should:
ensure continuity of the Risk-Sharing Finance Facility (RSFF) set up under Decision No 1982/2006/EC and the early stage part of the High-Growth and Innovative SME Facility (GIF1) set up under Decision No 1639/2006/EC;
ensure sufficient complementarities between the SME instrument under Horizon 2020 and the financial instruments under Horizon 2020 and the COSME programme, as well as with schemes and instruments set up jointly with Member States, such as the Eurostars Joint Programme.
Delegated acts: the Commission would be empowered to adopt delegated acts concerning, for example:
the conditions for participation in calls for proposals issued by funding bodies established in the area of aeronautics;
the rules governing exploitation and dissemination of results, allowing funding bodies established in the area of innovative medicines to extend the possibilities of transfer and licensing of results and background for affiliated entities, purchasers and any successor entity, in accordance with the grant agreement and without the consent of other participants.
Participants that have received Union funding, and that plan to exploit the results generated with such funding primarily in third countries not associated with Horizon 2020, should indicate how the Union funding will benefit Europe's overall competitiveness (reciprocity principle), as set out in the grant agreement.
Evaluation: the interim evaluation of Horizon 2020 should include an evaluation of the new funding model, including its impact on funding levels, on participation in Horizon 2020 and on the attractiveness of the latter.