The Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitalization announces funds of 5 million euros for the participation of Romanian researchers in the Horizon Europe mentoring programs

The Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitalization (MCID) announces the launch of Investment 6, intended for the development of Horizon Europe mentoring programs, which is part of Component 9 – Support for the private sector, Research, Development and Innovation of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) and which is financed with 5 million euros.

“We support the scientific community in Romania. Today we are launching Investment 6 from C9 PNRR, through which we finance with 500 vouchers worth 5 million euros the preparation of Romanian researchers to access the funds of over 90 billion euros from the Horizon Europe framework program”, stated Bogdan Ivan, the minister Research, Innovation and Digitalization.

Eligible beneficiaries of this investment can be enterprises with research and development activity mentioned in the statute (CAEN code 72), as well as research and development organizations that carry out an economic activity within the project, on the territory of Romania.

The activities encouraged for funding are:

• Activity A1 Writing project proposals, in the form of sub-activities;

A1.1 – Horizon Europe project proposal writing services, following which the aim is to increase the number of project proposals submitted within Horizon Europe competitions by CDI organizations from Romania, as project coordinator. Within this sub-activity, 55 vouchers x 10,000 EUR are allocated;

A1.2 -Participation in Horizon Europe project proposal writing and Horizon Europe project management courses, which aim to improve the skills of CDI system personnel to write project proposals for the Horizon Europe program. Within this sub-activity, 110 vouchers x 5,000 EUR are allocated;

• Activity A2 Carrying out staff exchanges in CDI organizations from the European Union with experience in writing and implementing projects financed in the CDI framework programs of the European Union, Horizon 2020 and/or Horizon Europe, with the objective of encouraging participation researchers/university teaching staff/doctors from Romania (in partnerships) in performing organizations in the CDI competitions of the European Union. Within this activity, 300 vouchers x EUR 9,900 are allocated. The sum of EUR 9,900 is awarded for a 3-month internship, resulting in an amount of EUR 3,300/month;
• Activity A3 Participation in brokerage/intermediation events on the specific subject of Horizon Europe, where it is desired to integrate researchers from the national R&D system into European consortia established in order to participate in Horizon Europe competitions. Within this investment, 130 vouchers x EUR 1,000 are allocated,
• Activity A4 Use of Extreme Light Infrastructure – Nuclear Physics, 80 vouchers x 10,000 EUR are allocated (max. 4 vouchers/project).

Depending on the interest shown by the scientific community, the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitization can decide to reallocate the vouchers between the 4 funding activities at the end of each quarter.

Project proposals are accepted for funding on a first-come, first-served basis. In the case of project proposals submitted under activity A4 – Use of Extreme Light Infrastructure – Nuclear Physics, a qualitative assessment will first be carried out by the International Scientific Advisory Committee.

The call for projects opens on 14.08.2024, and the submission of funding applications will be continuous until the allocated budget is exhausted, but no later than 30.11.2025.

Funding requests are submitted electronically, through the https://proiecte.pnrr.gov.ro platform.

Contracting of funding applications is ongoing as projects are accepted for funding, but no later than 12/31/2025.

This funding will be granted under a de minimis aid scheme. The payment of the aid is made until June 30, 2026, within the limits of the allocated budget.