The ERA-NET scheme has been used by the European Commission since 2002 in its EU Framework Programmes for Research and Technological Development (FP6, FP7 and H2020). The main objective is to support the coordination and cooperation of national research programmes in the countries of the European Research Area (ERA). The scheme creates the conditions for reducing research fragmentation, supports the exchange of experience and the sharing of access to infrastructure in ERA countries. These objectives are achieved through the implementation of joint research activities, in particular joint multilateral calls for submitting project proposals (Joint Transnational Calls). The product of these calls is consortium projects, the costs of which are covered by financing organisations at the national or regional level from their own budget to the individual consortium members. Already in FP7, the European Commission introduced the ERA-NET Plus scheme, which contributed to the financing of projects from the EU budget. This support has been increased in the H2020 programme by the ERA-NET Cofund scheme. In Horizon Europe, the principles of the ERA-NET scheme are included in the support of the European Partnerships.
SAS is one of the funding organisations involved in ERA-NET schemes. The Presidium of SAS decides on the entry into the programme as well as on the involvement of the SAS in international calls. By its resolution, it defines the amount of the budget of its participation in the call or specifies other conditions for grant applicants in this scheme.
SAS in ERA-NET and European Partnerships scheme programmes
| Research area | Acronym and programme name | Duration of the programme |
Status of the call |
|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental research | BiodivScen Promoting and implementing joint programming at the international level to reinforce research on the development of scenarios of biodiversity and ecosystem services | 10/2017-6/2023 | Not planned |
| BiodivClim Promoting and implementing joint programming to reinforce transnational research at the crossroad between biodiversity and climate change | 9/2019-8/2024 | Not planned | |
| BiodivRestore Promoting & implementing joint programming to reinforce transnational research for the conservation and restoration of degraded ecosystems and their biodiversity, including a focus on aquatic systems | 10/2020-9/2025 | Not planned | |
| BIODIVERSA+: European Biodiversity Partnership | 01/2021-12/2028 | Open until 08/11/2024 | |
| Agroecology Partnership | 01/2024-12/2031 | Planned for December 2024 | |
| Water4All: Water Security for the Planet | 01/2022-12/2029 | Open until 13/11/2024 | |
| Materials research | |||
| ERA-MIN 3 Raw Materials for the Sustainable Development and the Circular Economy | 12/2020-11/2025 | Not planned | |
| M-ERA.NET3 ERA-NET for research and innovation on materials and battery technologies, supporting the European Green Deal | 3/2021-2/2026 | Planned for the spring 2025 | |
| Medical research | Era4Health Partnership: Fostering a European Research Area for Health Research | 01/2022-12/2029 | Planned for November 2024, planned for 2025 |
| ERDERA: European Partnership for Research on Rare Diseases | 09/2024-08/2031 | Planned for 2025 | |
| NEURON cofund 2 – ERA NET NEURON in the area of brain-related diseases and disorders of the nervous system | 01/2021-12/2025 | Planned for January 2025 | |
| TRANSCAN-3 – ERA-NET: Sustained collaboration of national and regional programmes in cancer research | 03/2021-2/2025 | Not planned | |
| Research of new technologies | EJP RD – European Joint Programme on Rare Diseases | 1/2019-12/2023 | Not planned |
| QuanERA 2 ERA-NET Cofund in Quantum Technologies | 01/2021-12/2025 | Not planned | |
| FLAG ERA III The Flagship ERA-NET | 12/2018-11/2023 | Not planned | |
| CHIST ERA IV European Coordinated Research on Long-term ICT and ICT-based Scientific and Technological Challenges | 12/2019-11/2024 | In preparation | |
| Humanities and social sciences | CHANSE Collaboration of Humanities And Social Sciences in Europe | 1/2021-2/2026 | Not planned |
European Partnerships are supported by the Horizon Europe programme (2021 – 2027) and belong to the 2nd pillar of the programme. Partnerships can cover a wide range of activities – from funding research and innovation projects, regulatory activities, supporting the commercialization of innovation, to working with users to create synergies with national and regional programmes. Horizon Europe expects the creation of 49 partnerships in three different forms (jointly programmed, jointly funded, institutional). Partnerships have a wider range of persons involved with greater reach, better visibility and increased transparency. They will also contribute to making European ecosystems of science, research and innovation more open (eraportal.sk). More information on European Partnerships in Horizon Europe is available directly on the European Commission’s website.
SAS is a partner in the European Biodiversity Partnership (Biodiversa+) project. The duration of the Biodiversa + European Partnership project is from 2021 to 2028. Calls for submitting research projects will be opened annually.
Slovak Academy of Sciences became a partner of the Era4Health Partnership: Fostering a European Research Area for Health Research from October 11, 2023. The EU-funded ERA4Health partnership brings together 33 partners and 27 funding organizations from 22 countries with the common goal of supporting translational research to address public health needs. ERA4Health has a duration of 7 years from 1 November 2022 to 31 October 2029. It is divided into two phases: Phase 1: Four joint calls focusing on nutrition and lifestyle diseases, cardiovascular diseases and nanomedicine are implemented. The first two, Cardinnov and HealthEquity, were launched and closed in 2023. Two more calls are currently in progress, are expected to be launched in 2024: NANOTECMEC and NutriBrain. Phase 2. Additional joint calls focused on multinational investigator initiated clinical studies.
The Water4All Partnership – Water Security for the Planet – is a funding program for scientific research on water. The European Union participates in the co-financing within the Horizon Europe program. It brings together partners from 81 organizations from 31 countries of the world (23 EU states, Brazil, Georgia, Israel, South Africa, Moldova, Norway, United Kingdom, Turkey and Tunisia). These are representatives of the entire chain of water research, development and innovation (academic and private sector), research funding organizations, national water authorities and associations. The partnership started its activities in June 2022. Until 2029, its activities will contribute to the solution of water-related problems, whether in connection with climate change, the sustainable development of the use of water resources, or the competitiveness and growth of the EU. The Water4All strategic research and innovation agenda seeks to harmonize national programs and remove research fragmentation in the field. It sets out the key research and innovation themes that the partnership should address in the coming years to address the grand challenge of water for all. In fulfilling the set goals, the Water4All partnership will cooperate with other and highly innovative initiatives, especially with the EU mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030” and with other EU partnerships (Biodiversity partnership, Sustainable Blue economy partnership, Driving Urban Transition partnership). SAS has been part of the Water4All partnership since the beginning of its creation in 2020. The SAS Presidency has allocated an indicative budget of €240,000 for the annual Water4All calls for project submissions with the aim of supporting 2 research projects in each call.
SAS is part of the European Partnership for Research on Rare Diseases (ERDERA). ERDERA builds on the European Joint Program for Rare Diseases (EJPRD) as well as several previously funded EU projects in the field of rare diseases. The partnership is coordinated by the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research INSERM. ERDERA is officially the fifth co-financed partnership in the field of health within the Horizon Europe program. With almost 170 partners from 37 countries, a total budget estimated at €380 million, of which around €150 million will be provided by the European Union through the Horizon Europe program and the rest covered by EU Member States, associated countries as well as public and private partners, and with a planned duration of seven years, this partnership is the largest ever in the field of rare disease research and innovation. The partnership aims to transform rare disease research across Europe and bring significant health benefits to the more than 30 million people who suffer from these diseases through better prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
Agroecology Partnership, which SAS has also joined – the partnership focuses on the support of a sustainable, resilient and farmer-friendly agricultural sector and solves the issues of climate change, loss of biodiversity and food security, etc. A large and ambitious European research and innovation effort by the European Commission and 70 organizations from 26 Member States, associated countries and third countries aims to support an agricultural sector that is fit to meet the objectives and challenges related to climate change, biodiversity loss, food security, sovereignty and environment, while ensuring a profitable and attractive activity for farmers. The total budget of the partnership is €120 million, of which approximately €60 million is planned to provide EC.