ERRIN & EARTO welcome guidance on H2020 and Structural Funds
The European Association of Research and Technology Organisations (EARTO) and the European Regions Research and Innovation Network (ERRIN) have welcomed the European Commission Staff Working Document on ‘Enabling synergies between European Structural and Investment Funds, Horizon 2020, and other research, innovation and competitiveness-related Union programmes’.
ERRIN and EARTO said they acknowledged the complexity of the topic. However, both organisations’ experts said they consider that the actual reality of the timing of the European Structural and Investment Funds and Horizon 2020 programmes means that the guide will most probably have a more significant impact on real synergy in the next EU funding period after 2020. In addition, the Commission’s expectations regarding possible synergies set out in the current document seem rather optimistic.
In spite of their reservations on timing, EARTO and ERRIN said they hope that their recommendations will be considered for the current implementation period of the Structural Funds, as well as for the preparation of the 2021-2027 funding period.
