HORIZON 2020 – WORK PROGRAMME 2014-2015
Part I – Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
Eligibility conditions
[This annex will be located under the Common provisions of the WP, clearly identified as applying
to MSCA]
Eligibility conditions
PROPOSAL
A proposal will only be considered eligible if it meets all of the following conditions:

It is received by the Commission or by the Research Executive Agency before the
deadline given in the call text.

It involves at least the minimum number of participants according to the eligibility
conditions for participants, as described in this annex.

It is complete (i.e. both the requested administrative forms and the proposal description
are present).
PARTICIPANTS
To address the inter-sector mobility in Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, the following
sectors are defined:
Academic sector
Academic sector includes the following organisation: universities (public and private), higher
education institutions (public and private), non-profit research institutions (public and
private), non-profit research institutions (public and private), research foundations, research
institutions associated to foundations and international European interest organisations as they
are define in article XX of the Horizon 2020 rules for participation.
Non-academic sector
Non-academic sector includes any socio-economic actor not included in the academic sector
and fulfilling the requirements of the Horizon 2020 rules for participation
Participants are organisations from the academic or the non-academic sector actively
contributing to the project. They can be divided in two groups based on their level of
participation:

Beneficiaries (Participants - Level 1): signatory to the agreement
Beneficiaries are organisations that are full partners of a network. They contribute directly to
the implementation of the joint training programme by supervising, hosting and training
researchers. They may also provide secondment opportunities. Beneficiaries take complete
responsibility for executing the proposed training programme and other requirements of the
project.

Partner organisations (Participants - Level 2): non-signatory of the agreement
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HORIZON 2020 – WORK PROGRAMME 2014-2015
Part I – Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
Eligibility conditions
Partner organisations provide trainings and host researchers during secondments. Partner
organisations do not employ the researchers within the project. Partner organisations shall
include a letter of commitment in the proposal to ensure their real and active participation in
the proposed network. The experts will be instructed to disregard the contribution of any
partner organisations for which no such evidence of commitment is submitted.
Minimum network composition
Innovative Iraining Networks (ITN) can take the form of collaborative European Training
Networks (ETN), European Industrial Doctorates (EID) or European Joint Doctorates (EJD).
They must be created by at least three beneficiaries (or at least two for EID) located in
different Member States or Associated Countries. Above this minimum, the participation of
institutions from any country or international organisations is possible under the conditions
provided by the Horizon 2020 Rules for Participation. However, not more than 40% of the
project budget shall be dedicated to hosts in the same country (except for two-partner EID). In
the case of EID, at least one beneficiary must be entitled to award doctoral degrees 1 and at
least one beneficiary must come from the non-academic sector. For EJD, at least three
beneficiaries must be entitled to award doctoral degrees.
The overall European Union contribution for ETN and EJD is limited to the recruitment of a
maximum 500 researcher-months. For EID projects with only two participants, this limit is set
to 180.
Participants in the Research and Innovation Staff Exchange (RISE) shall be established in
at least three different countries. For international stream, there should be at least one
institution outside Europe and two institutions from different Member States (MS) and/or
Associated Countries (AC). For inter-sector stream, there should be at leas one participant
from each of the two sectors and from at least two different Member States (MS) and/or
Associated Countries (AC). Above this minimum, the participation of institutions from any
country or international organisations is possible under the conditions provided by the
Horizon 2020 Rules for Participation.
The overall European Union contribution for RISE is limited to the secondment of a
maximum 500 researcher-months.
Participants in the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Co-funding of regional, national and
international programmes (COFUND) shall be legal entities established in a Member State
or associated country that fund or manage doctoral programmes or fellowship programmes for
researchers. International European interest organisations, as defined in Article XX of the
Horizon 2020 Rules for Participation, that fund or manage doctoral programmes or fellowship
programmes for researchers can also participate in this action.
1
Every time the document refers to doctoral degrees, this means that the degrees have to be recognised as such
by the relevant authorities of the country or countries concerned
2
HORIZON 2020 – WORK PROGRAMME 2014-2015
Part I – Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
Eligibility conditions
RESEARCHERS
Researchers may be of any nationality.
Global Fellowships panel in IF is open to nationals or long –term residents2 of Member
States and associated countries.
Supported researchers fall into two categories: early-stage or experienced researchers:
Early-stage researchers shall at the time of recruitment (ITN) or secondment (RISE) by the
host organisation, be in the first four years (full-time equivalent research experience) of their
research careers and have not yet been awarded a doctoral degree.
Experienced researchers shall, at the time of the relevant deadline for submission of
proposals (IF) or secondment (RISE) by the host organisation, be in possession of a doctoral
degree or have at least four years of full-time equivalent research experience.
Full-time equivalent research experience is measured from the date when a researcher
obtained the degree which would formally entitle him or her to embark on a doctorate, either
in the country in which the degree was obtained or in the country in which the researcher is
recruited or seconded, irrespective of whether or not a doctorate is or was ever envisaged.
Researchers shall comply with the rule for mobility.
Mobility: at the time of the relevant deadline for submission of proposals, or
recruitment/secondment by the host organisation, depending on the action, researchers shall
not have resided or carried out their main activity (work , studies, etc) in the country of their
host organisation for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to the reference
date. Compulsory national service and/or short stays such as holidays are not taken into
account. As far as international European interest organisations or international organisations
are concerned, this rule does not apply to the hosting of eligible researchers. However the
appointed researcher shall not have spent more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately
prior to the reference deadline for submission of proposals or recruitment by the host
organisation, depending on the action, in the same appointing organisation.
In the 'career restart' panel in IF, researchers shall not have resided or carried out their main
activity in the country of their host organisation for more than 3 years in the 5 years
immediately prior to the relevant deadline for submission of proposals.
Duration of support
Support for early-stage researchers in ITN will be for periods of 3 to 36 months.
The periods supported (full-time equivalent) in IF shall be as follows:
2
Long-term residence means a period of at least three years.
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HORIZON 2020 – WORK PROGRAMME 2014-2015
Part I – Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
Eligibility conditions

European or Reintegration Fellowship: 12-24 months

Global Fellowship: 12-24 months plus 12 month return phase in Europe.
To be eligible for secondments in RISE, the staff of the participating institutions shall be
actively engaged in or linked to research activities for at least six months (full-time
equivalent) at the sending institution prior to the first period of secondment. Secondments
may last from 1 to 12 months. The exchanged staff shall be reintegrated into the sending
institution for at least the same time period of the secondment, thus maximising the impact
of this action for knowledge sharing and long-term collaborations between the partner
institutions.
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HORIZON 2020 – WORK PROGRAMME 2014-2015
Part I – Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
Selection and award criteria
[This annex will be located under the Common provisions of the WP, clearly identified as applying
to MSCA]
Selection and award criteria
The evaluation criteria against which proposals will be judged are set out in Article XX of the
Horizon 2020 Rules for Participation.
The purpose of this annex is to set out specifications for the criteria, weightings and
thresholds applied to calls for proposals in Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions.
Evaluation scores will be awarded for each of the criteria, and not for the sub-criteria. Each
criterion will be scored from 0 to 5. The total score will be subject to a threshold of 70%.
A proposal that contravenes fundamental ethical principles, fails to comply with the relevant
security procedures, or which does not fulfil any other of the conditions set out in the specific
programme, the work programme or in the call for proposals shall not be selected. Such a
proposal may be excluded from the evaluation, selection and award procedures at any time.
Details of the procedure to be followed are given in the Commission rules mentioned above.
TABLE: AWARD CRITERIA, THRESHOLDS AND WEIGHTINGS
1. ITN - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Networks
Excellence
Impact
Implementation
Quality, innovative aspects and
credibility of the research
programme (including
inter/multidisciplinary and
intersectoral aspects)
Enhancing research- and
innovation-related human resources,
skills, and working conditions to
realise the potential of individuals
and to provide new career
perspectives
Overall coherence and
effectiveness of the work plan,
including appropriateness of the
allocation of tasks and resources
(including awarding of the
doctoral degrees for
EID and EJD projects)
Quality and innovative aspects of
the training programme
Contribution to structuring doctoral
/ early-stage
(including transferable skills,
inter/multidisciplinary and
intersectoral aspects)
research training at the European
level and to strengthening European
innovation capacity, including the
potential for:
Appropriateness of the
management structures and
procedures, including quality
management and risk
management (with a mandatory
joint governing structure for EID
and EJD projects)
a) meaningful contribution of the nonacademic sector to the
doctoral/research training, as
appropriate to the implementation mode
and research field
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HORIZON 2020 – WORK PROGRAMME 2014-2015
Part I – Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
Selection and award criteria
b) developing sustainable joint doctoral
degree structures (for EJD projects
only)
Quality of the supervision
(including mandatory joint
supervision for EID and EJD
projects)
Appropriateness of the
infrastructure and operational
capacity of the participating
organisations
Quality of the proposed
interaction between the
participating organisations
Effectiveness of the proposed
measures for communication and
dissemination of results
Competences, experience and
complementarity of the
participating organisations
and their commitment to the
programme
50%
30%
20%
Weighting
1
2
3
Priority in case of ex aequo
2. IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action: Individual Fellowships
Excellence
Impact
Implementation
Quality, innovative aspects and
credibility of the research
(including inter/multidisciplinary
aspects)
Enhancing research- and
innovation-related human resources,
skills and working conditions to
realise the potential of individuals
and to provide new career
perspectives
Overall coherence and
effectiveness of the work plan,
including appropriateness of the
allocation of tasks and resources
Clarity and quality of the
research objectives in terms of
transfer of knowledge/training for
the development of researcher
Effectiveness of the proposed
measures for communication and
results dissemination
Appropriateness of the
management structures and
procedures, including quality
management and risk
management
Quality of the supervision and the
hosting arrangements
Appropriateness of the
institutional environment
(infrastructure and operational
capacity)
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HORIZON 2020 – WORK PROGRAMME 2014-2015
Part I – Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
Selection and award criteria
Capacity of the researcher to
reach or re-enforce a position of
professional maturity in research
50%
Competences, experience and
complementarity of the
participating organisations and
institutional commitment
30%
20%
Weighting
1
2
3
Priority in case of ex aequo
3. RISE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action: Research and Innovation Staff Exchange
Excellence
Impact
Implementation
Quality, innovative aspects and
credibility of the research
(including inter/multidisciplinary
aspects)
Enhancing research- and
innovation-related human resources,
skills and working conditions to
realise the potential of individuals
and to provide new career
perspectives
Overall coherence and
effectiveness of the work plan,
including appropriateness of the
allocation of tasks and resources
Clarity and quality of the
research objectives
To develop new and lasting research
collaborations, to achieve transfer of
knowledge between research
institutions and to improve research and
innovation potential at the European
and global levels]
Appropriateness of the
management structures and
procedures, including quality
management and risk
management
Effectiveness of the proposed
measures for communication and
results dissemination
Appropriateness of the
institutional environment
(infrastructure and operational
capacity)
in terms of knowledge sharing
among the participants.
Quality of the interaction
between the participating
organisations
Competences, experience and
complementarity of the
participating organisations and
institutional commitment
50%
30%
20%
Weighting
1
2
3
Priority in case of ex aequo
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HORIZON 2020 – WORK PROGRAMME 2014-2015
Part I – Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
Selection and award criteria
4. COFUND - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action: Co-funding of regional, national and international
programmes
Excellence
Impact
Implementation
Quality of the selection /
recruitment process for the
researchers (transparency,
composition and organisation of
selection committees, evaluation
criteria, equal opportunity)
Enhancing research- and innovationrelated human resources, skills and
working conditions to realise the
potential of individuals and to
provide new career perspectives
Overall coherence,
effectiveness and
appropriateness of the work
plan
Quality of the research options
offered by the programme in
terms of science, interdisciplinarity,
intersectorality and level of
transnational mobility
Impact of the programme on aligning
practices at participating
organisations with principles set out
by the EU for the human resources
development in research and
innovation
Appointment conditions of
researchers
Quality of career guidance and
training, including supervision
arrangements, training in
transferable skills
Effectiveness of the proposed
measures for communication and
results dissemination of the
programmes
Competence and operational
capacity of the participant to
implement the programme
50%
30%
20%
Weighting
1
2
3
Priority in case of ex aequo
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HORIZON 2020 – WORK PROGRAMME 2014-2015
Part I – Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
Evaluation procedure
[This annex will be located under the Common provisions of the WP, clearly identified as applying
to MSCA]
Evaluation procedure
In Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, proposals are allocated to one of the eight main
evaluation panels: Chemistry (CHE), Social Sciences and Humanities (SOC), Economic
Sciences (ECO), Information Science and Engineering (ENG), Environment and Geosciences
(ENV), Life Sciences (LIF), Mathematics (MAT), Physics (PHY). Separate multidisciplinary
panels will be created for the European Industrial Doctorates (EID) and the European Joint
Doctorates (EJD) in ITN. Separate multidisciplinary panels will be created for the Career
Restart Panel in IF.
For each panel a ranked list is established. The distribution of the indicative budget of the call
over the research disciplines will be proportional to the number of eligible proposals received
in each panel. If the budget allocated to any panel exceeds the requirements of all proposals
positively evaluated3 in that panel, the excess budget will be reallocated to the other panels
based on the distribution as above. Equally, if the allocated funding to a panel is insufficient
to fund the highest ranked proposal in that panel, the necessary budget will be transferred
from the other panels based on the distribution as above, in order to ensure that the highest
ranked proposal can be funded.
Proposals will not be evaluated anonymously. Proposals may be evaluated remotely.
As part of the evaluation by independent experts, a panel review will recommend one or more
ranked lists for the proposals under evaluation, following the scoring systems indicated in this
work programme.
If necessary, the panel will determine a priority order for proposals which have been awarded
the same score within a ranked list. When the total scores are equal, priority will be based on
scores for individual evaluation criteria. For each action the priority order of the criteria is
detailed in table XX of the annex XX to this work programme.
If necessary, any further prioritisation will be based on other appropriate characteristics, to be
decided by the panel, related to the contribution of the proposal to the European Research
Area and/or general objectives mentioned in the work programme (e.g. inter-sectoral
mobility, international co-operation, favourable employment and working conditions).
Whether or not such a prioritisation is carried out will depend on the available budget or other
conditions set out in the call fiche.
3
Measured as proposals having passed all relevant evaluation thresholds.
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HORIZON 2020 – WORK PROGRAMME 2014-2015
Part I – Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
Reimbursement rates
[DN: This annex will be located under the Common provisions of the WP, clearly identified as
applying to MSCA]
European Union contribution and applicable rates
The host organisation shall appoint each eligible researcher under an employment contract
except where national regulation would prohibit this possibility. For short stays the host
organisation can opt between recruiting him/her under an employment contract or under a
fixed amount fellowship.
Table XX gives the yearly reference rates for calculating the monthly living allowances of
each eligible researcher. The amounts per year are given in Euros per category of researchers
who are recruited under an employment contract complying with the social security
legislation applicable4. These amounts include the provisions for all compulsory deductions
under national applicable legislation.
Table XX: Yearly reference rates for monthly living allowances
under employment contracts
(Correction Coefficient index 100)5
Researchers Categories
EUR/year
Early-stage researchers
XX
Experienced researchers
XX
When an employment contract cannot be provided, the host organisation shall recruit the
researcher under a status equivalent to a fixed-amount fellowship. The rates applicable in
these cases, which shall be duly justified, will be 50% of the rates for researchers under an
employment contract. The host organisation shall ensure that researchers enjoy social security
coverage at least equal to the one of employed persons. This social security coverage does not
necessarily have to be paid from the European Union contribution for the fixed-amount
fellowship.
The host organisation receiving European Union funding under Table XX above shall pay to
the selected researchers a minimum contribution according to these reference allowances,
taking into account all compulsory deductions under national legislation in the context of the
4
Council Regulation (EC) N° 883/2004 of 29 April 2004, as amended by Regulation (EC) No 988/2009 of the
European Parliament and of the Council of 16 September 2009, Commission Regulation (EU) No 1244/2010 of
9 December 2010 and Corrigendum, OJ L 200, 7.6.2004, p. 1 (883/2004)
5
Rates for individual countries are obtained by applying to these rates the correction coefficients for cost of living, as
referred in Table 3.3.
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HORIZON 2020 – WORK PROGRAMME 2014-2015
Part I – Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
Reimbursement rates
project. The host organisation may pay a top-up to the eligible researchers in order to
complement this contribution.
Concerning parental leave benefits it has to be noted that the Commission can decide, on
request by the researchers and the host organisation, to augment the sum of the European
Union contribution for the reimbursement of compulsory and non-recoverable costs under the
applicable national law. Such a request, supported by the pertinent documents, has to be
submitted with the final reports at the end of the project. Calculated on a monthly basis, the
contribution shall not exceed the difference between the compensation received from the
national social insurance regime and the amount of the European Union contribution
mentioned in Table XX.
In addition to the living allowance, a mobility allowance and a family allowance will be paid
for some categories of researchers as specified in Table YY. In this context family is defined
as persons linked to the researcher by (i) marriage, or (ii) a relationship with equivalent status
to a marriage recognised by the national legislation of the country of the host organisation or
of the nationality of the researcher; or (iii) dependent children who are actually being
maintained by the researcher.
The various rates resulting from Tables XX and YY are for researchers devoting themselves
to their project on a full-time basis (pro-rata for parts of years). In exceptional cases, where
researchers, in agreement with the host organisation, and with prior approval by the Research
Executive Agency, execute their project on a part-time basis, the rates will apply
proportionally without the possibility that the total amounts will exceed those that apply for
full-time equivalent periods. The same principle will also apply in case of split of a project
into several distinct periods.
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HORIZON 2020 – WORK PROGRAMME 2014-2015
Part I – Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
Reimbursement rates
Table YY: Structure of the European Union contribution [EUR]
Researcher unit cost*
[person/month]
Marie
SkłodowskaCurie Action
Innovative
Training
Networks
Individual
Fellowships
Marie
SkłodowskaCurie Action
Research and
Innovation Staff
Exchange
Institutional unit cost
[person/month]
Living allowance*
Mobility allowance*
Family allowance*
Research, training and
networking costs
Management and
overheads
XX
XX
XX
XX
XX
XX
XX
XX
XX
XX
Institutional unit cost
[person/month]
Researcher unit cost*
[person/month]
XX
Research, training and
networking costs
Management and
overheads
XX
XX
* A correction coefficient applies to these unit costs. This coefficient is the one applicable to the country of the researchers host organisation and is equivalent to the seven-year average of the
respective correction coefficients published in the FP7 People Work Programmes from 2007 to 2013.
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HORIZON 2020 – WORK PROGRAMME 2014-2015
Part I – Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
Reimbursement rates
Marie
SkłodowskaCurie Action
Co-funding of
regional,
national and
internatial
programmes
Researcher unit cost
[person/month]
Early-stage researchers:
Institutional unit cost
[person/month]
XX
XX
Experienced researchers:
XX
The EU contribution for the co-funding of regional, national and international programmes (COFUND) shall be used exclusively as contribution to
the management of the programme and to the living allowance of the researchers, which is exclusively for the benefit of the researchers appointed
under the project and includes all compulsory deductions under national legislation. Other cost items (such as research costs, travel and mobility
allowances, overheads) may be funded through own resources or EU programmes other than Horizon 2020. Applicants shall specify in their
proposal the amounts that will be provided for the benefit of the researcher and for the organisation that is hosting the researcher. This information
will be needed for the expert evaluators to assess the adequateness of employment and working conditions of the researchers.
The living allowance provided by the programmes for the benefit of the researchers with employment contract shall in no case be lower than 70%
of the living and mobility allowances provided to researchers funded under Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Networks (early-stage
researchers) or Individual Fellowships (experienced researchers). These amounts will be reduced by 50% in case that the researchers are not
recruited under an employment contract.
The EU contribution for existing programmes should not substitute or replace existing funding but contribute to an increased number of supported
researchers with transnational mobility or the amelioration of working/employment conditions.
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