Frequently asked questions about Horizon Europe

The European Commission is introducing Gender Equality Plan (GEP) as a new eligibility criterion at the organisational level for applicants and partners in Horizon Europe calls. This applies to calls with a deadline in 2022 or later. The requirements do not apply to the business sector, special interest organisations or the non-profit sector.

The requirements apply to organisations whose project proposals are approved for funding. This means that they must have drawn up a GEP when they sign the Grant Agreement.

If several institutions are involved in a Collaborative Project, all the organisations that receive funding must satisfy the requirement. If one of the participants does not satisfy the GEP requirement, the entire project funding may be withdrawn for all the participants.

The organisation’s GEP must satisfy the following four requirements:

1. Publication: a formal document published on the institution’s website and signed by the top management.
2. Dedicated resources: commitment of resources and expertise in gender equality to implement the plan.
3. Data collection and monitoring: sex/gender disaggregated data on personnel (and students, for the establishments concerned) and annual reporting based on indicators.
4. Training: awareness raising/training on gender equality and unconscious gender biases for staff and decision-makers.

Content-wise, The European Commission recommends including more target areas in the GEP, on top of the compulsory requirements.

Recommended target areas:

• organisational culture and the balance between work and private life
• gender balance in management and decision-making
• gender balance in recruitment and career development
• integration of a gender perspective in research and teaching content
• measures against gender-based violence and sexual harassment

The requirements apply to:

• public bodies, including ministries, research funding institutions, municipalities, and county authorities
• research institutes, both public and private
• higher education and research institutions; universities and university colleges, both public and private

The requirements apply to organisations in EU Member States and associated countries like Norway.

The requirements do not apply to private for-profit organisations, including SMEs, non-governmental or civil society organisations. Institutions from non-associated third countries are not affected.

For more information about legal entities in Horizon Europe, see the EU Rules for Legal Entity Validation (pdf).

The requirements apply to all calls with a deadline in 2022 or later. The requirements must be satisfied when the Grant Agreement is signed.

You apply via the central application portal, Funding &; Tenders Portal. Here you will find all relevant calls for proposals for all parts of Horizon Europe.

In order to participate in a Horizon Europe application, your organisation must be registered in the Funding and Tenders Portal and have a Participant Identification Code (PIC). You get such a code by filling in the information on the page with the participant register, Participant Register.

When an organisation/company is awarded an application for the first time, the information provided at the time of application must be checked. This is called "validation" and is carried out by the European Commission's validation service.

No, but your organization/business must be registered in the Funding and Tenders Portal and have its own Participant Identification Code (PIC). There is no problem participating in a Horizon Europe application with a temporary PIC code that has registered status but not validated. The information provided by the organisation in the Funding and Tender Portal will eventually be verified. Your organisation will then be contacted and asked to complete, supplement, or verify this information.

How long validation takes varies from a few days to several weeks or months. It depends both on the extent of the validation and the level of dialogue between the EU validation service and the applicant.

How long validation takes varies from a few days to several weeks or months. It depends both on the extent of the validation and the level of dialogue between the EU validation service and the applicant.

To be validated, you will be asked to upload the required documents proving legal status and origin.

All organizations and businesses that are validated must complete and upload a Legal Entity Form. The form contains the organisation's legal information, which can generally be obtained from the Brønnøysund Register Centre. Remember to register the organisation's/company's name as registered in the Brønnøysund Register Centre. Do not use English versions that are not officially registered.

In addition, documents confirming:

1. Official name
2. Legal form/status
3. Official address

The types of documents that need to be uploaded depend on your organization's legal status:

Individuals

• Copy of passport or identity card and
• If the person is VAT registered; an official VAT document/VAT certificate

Government agencies

• Copy of a resolution, law, regulation or decision to establish the public body, or any other official document proving the status of a public body and
• If VAT-registered; an official VAT document, otherwise proof of VAT exemption may be required.

Companies and other types of organizations

• Copy of an official document showing the legal name, address and national registration number.
• Copy of the VAT registration document if the organization is VAT registered.
• In Norway, the VAT number is shown on the Brønnøysund certificate and no additional document showing VAT registration is required.
• If the organisation is not VAT registered, proof of VAT exemption must be provided. 

Startups, SMB-er og mid-caps

• SME status is basically based on the applicant declaration in the Funding & Tenders Portal. The status can be verified through a so-called SME Self-Assessment.
•  If the call requires that the company has status as a startup, SME or mid-cap, this must be confirmed during validation by uploading the following documents related to the last completed financial period:
  • Balanseregnskap (“balance sheet”)
  • Resultatregnskap (“profit and loss accounts”)
  • Number of employees measured in annual work units

Newly established companies (start-ups) that have not yet finalized their accounts should upload a self-declaration, which contains a bona fide estimate (in the form of a business plan) for the entire accounting period (fiscal year) that will be necessary for the company to generate turnover.

Companies with no turnover with an activity that involves a long time before commercialization must upload:

• Balance sheet, income statement and number of employees measured in annual work units related to the last completed accounting period
• A self-declaration containing a bona fide estimate (in the form of a business plan) for the entire period that will be required to generate turnover, including a statement of investments and expected returns, to show that the business is engaged in economic activity, despite the lack of turnover.