European Research Council Executive Agency (2014-24)

The European Research Council (ERC) focuses on research in new and emerging fields, sometimes known as frontier research. This may be cross-disciplinary and involve unconventional approaches. This Commission implementing decision establishes the European Research Council Executive Agency (ERCEA), which implements the ERC's programme.

ACT

Commission Implementing Decision 2013/779/EU of 17 December 2013 establishing the European Research Council Executive Agency and repealing Decision 2008/37/EC.

SUMMARY

The ERCEA is the agency that manages the activities of the ERC.

The ERC operates as an autonomous science-led funding body and promotes world-class frontier research. It does this by providing competitive funding for scientific excellence in new and most challenging research areas which fall within the scope of Horizon 2020.

The ERCEA is entrusted with:

• managing the activities under the ERC's specific objective of strengthening frontier research which fall within Part I, Excellent science, of the EU's Horizon 2020 framework programme for research and innovation (2014-20);
• the legacy of the Ideas specific programme which ran under the seventh framework programme for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007-13).

Structure

The ERC comprises an independent Scientific Council and a dedicated implementation structure in the form of the ERCEA.

Horizon 2020 flagship

The ERC's programme is a key component of Horizon 2020. The programme is aimed at fundamental advances at and beyond the knowledge frontier. In awarding ERC grants, the EU aims to generate new and unpredictable scientific and technological discoveries which will serve as a basis for the innovations of the future.

Potential beneficiaries

ERC actions are open to researchers of any nationality and at different stages of their careers who intend to conduct their research activity in any EU country or associated country (countries that have signed agreements with the EU). The ERC principal investigators do not have to be based full time in Europe. This ensures that the EU, in addition to supporting the work of Europe's smartest researchers, is also seeking to attract talented researchers from outside the EU.

Programme implementation

Unlike other programmes falling within Horizon 2020, it is the ERC Scientific Council which establishes the overall scientific strategy and has the authority over decisions on the type of research to be funded.

The ERCEA has proven experience of managing similar ERC activities under the seventh framework programme. As shown by the external evaluation and the cost-benefit analysis performed by the European Commission, the ERCEA will ensure high-quality programme management of the ERC actions under Horizon 2020.

RELATED ACTS

Commission Decision C(2013)8915 of 12 December 2013 establishing the European Research Council (Official Journal C 373, 20.12.2013, pp. 23-26).

Council Regulation (EC) No 58/2003 of 19 December 2002 laying down the statute for executive agencies to be entrusted with certain tasks in the management of Community programmes (Official Journal L 11, 16.1.2003, pp. 1-8).

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1653/2004 of 21 September 2004 on a standard financial regulation for the executive agencies pursuant to Council Regulation (EC) No 58/2003 laying down the statute for executive agencies to be entrusted with certain tasks in the management of Community programmes (Official Journal L 297, 22.9.2004, pp. 6-16).

06.11.2014