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Research and innovation
News article8 May 2020Directorate-General for Research and Innovation

The European Commission grants the first EIC COVID-19 Response Seals of Excellence and funding authorities learn how to best support them

On 8 May, the European Commission granted the first batch of the EIC COVID-19 Response Seal of Excellence to 82  excellent proposals addressing the challenges of the COVID-19 outbreak. The proposals were submitted under European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator Pilot March 20 cut-off. A second batch of COVID-Seals (and standard Seals) will be awarded at the end of May, when the final selection of the funded projects will be announced. On the same day also the Seals for the previous cut-offs (October and January) were issued.

The Seal certificate, co-signed now by Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, Mariya Gabriel, and by Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira, is addressed to excellent proposals from the EIC Accelerator call which have been evaluated worth of funding but for which Horizon 2020 does not have enough resources in the call. The co-signature is a demonstration of concrete synergies between Horizon 2020 and the Structural Funds and the commitment to strengthen those now and in the future. Structural Funds could be one of the alternative sources of funding that these outstanding ideas need now. The aggregated figures of seals in your region, will soon be published on the dashboard. Contact details will be made available pending consent.

National and regional funding authorities, members of the Community of Practice, had the opportunity to learn how to best support these seals at their meeting, which took place on 27 April. Presentations available here on how to use DG REGIO Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative  and DG COMP Temporary Framework for State Aid applicable to aid for Research and Innovation.

Background

The EIC COVID-19 Response Seal of Excellence is one of the actions outlined in the ERAvsCorona Action Plan. The 10 priority actions contained in the Action Plan help to address the current health crisis by strengthening close coordination, cooperation, data sharing and joint funding efforts between the European Commission and EU Member States.

Documents

Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative (CRII) - Anna Wagner, DG REGIO

EIC Seals of Excellence & introduction of special COVID-19 Seal - Keith Sequeira, DG R&I

State Aid Rules and COVID-19 - Bernhard Von Wendland, DG R&I

The Seal of Excellence Community of Practice, Video workshop, 27 April 2020 - Magda De Carli

Details

Publication date
8 May 2020
Author
Directorate-General for Research and Innovation