Who is eligible for support?

To be eligible to benefit from access to the infrastructure under the contract, a User Group (research team of one or more researchers given access to the infrastructure) must satisfy the following two conditions:

  • The main applicant must work in an institution (Academic, Industry) established in a Member State or Associated State; (including postgraduate researchers)
  • Both the main applicant and the majority of the users must work in a country other than the country(ies) where the legal entity(ies) operating the infrastructure is(are) established.

Eligible countries are:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark (including Greenland), Estonia, Finland, France (including Guadeloupe, Martinique, Guyane, La Réunion), Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom.

Plus the Associated Countries of the EU: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Faroe Islands, FYR Macedonia, Iceland, Israel, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, Norway, Republic of Serbia, Switzerland and Turkey.

Users based in International Cooperation Partner Countries (ICPCs) are not eligible for funding in their own right as Users, but they are eligible for funding as part of a larger User Group where the majority of Users are from a Member State or Associate State.  For a full list of ICPCs check here.

Third countries Up to 20% of the allocated access can be provided to user teams with a majority of users working in third countries. Consequently it is suggested that applications include a European based researcher.

Researchers from non-eligible countries can join the research team but may not  be supported/reimbursed by EUROPLANET RI

A user with a third country nationality but working in a Member State or Associated country is treated like a MS or AC user. Therefore it is the country where the user works that must be used for the eligibility criteria, not his/her nationality.

Users from third countries (i.e. working in third countries) are eligible in the following two cases:

  • They are members of a user group/team with at least half of the users working in Member States or Associate countries.  
  • They are members of a user group  with a majority of users not working in a EU or associated country but the total quantity of access given under the grant to such user groups is less than 20% of the total quantity of access provided under the grant

Question about Eligibility  (link sends e-mail)

For example

I am a British citizen, and I work in Nantes, and would like to visit the Grenoble facility - This is NOT possible

I am a German citizen and I work in The Netherlands and I want to visit the DLR facility - This IS possible as it is not dependent on your Nationality.

I am working in Ethiopia and want to visit the Rio Tinto facility. Ethiopia is a iCPC country so you are eligible providing no more than 20% of the total access is provided to non EU or Associated countries or if you come as part of a research team based in an Eu or Associated Country.

I am working in the US and want to visit a French laboratory.  The US is classed as a non EU or Third Country so you are eligible to visit, providing no more than 20% of the total access is provided to non EU or Associated countries or if you come as part of a research team based in an Eu or Associated Country.

What are the units of access for the facilities?

TA1 facilties have units of access of typically 1 week (5 days) with this being the standard, TA2 and TA3 typically have units of access of 1 day with 5 days being the standard.
Longer visits (ie two weeks 10 days rather than the standard) maybe permitted if there is a clear science case (e.g. preparation of samples).  This must be discussed with your Host and the Europlanet Office.

How many researchers will be funded & how many researchers can visit the facility?

The expenses of up to two researchers will be covered per access visit. Upon agreement with the host facility additional researchers will be allowed to visit the facility but will not have their expenses paid.

Additional funding from other sources (COST actions for example) can be used to specifically extend the duration of a TA visit or to arrange a follow up visit for data interpretation and preparation of a publication with the agreement of facility.
 

Is there any text I need to add to my report or publication?

It is essentail and a requirement of your TA application approval that the  Europlanet official Acknowledgement below iis added to each publication and dissemination activity
“Europlanet 2020 RI has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 654208”
 

Do I need to have many years experience to apply? 

No, Phd and postdocs are very welcome.

 

Can I be a co-applicant on an application using a facility in the country where I work? 

No, neither the Project Leader or co-applicant(s) should apply for a facility/site located in the country in which they are employed.

 

Typical Unit of Access

For TA2 and TA3 the unit of access is a day with typical visits lasting 5 working days

For TA1 the unit of access is 1 week.

 

What expenses are covered?

Travel (economy class)

Accommodation (up to 100 Euros/night)

Contribution to living expenses (up to 50 Euros/day)

Finances to cover TA visits are limited so applicants are expected to make efficient use of the funds by using economy travel, and hotels suggested by the host institution. Living expenses with depend upon the host city.

 

Are expenses paid before during or after the visit?

Travel tickets and accommodation costs will only be reimbursed on production of receipts and the final visit report. Generally accommodation will be arranged by the host facility and in exceptional circumstances travel tickets can be booked by the host facility.

 

Can a named person on an application be replaced by another?

As long as the person fits the rules (i.e. nobody from the host country) then it is ok for a replacement.

 

How are expenses paid?

Expenses will be transferred to the applicant’s bank account on production of receipts and the final visit report.

 

Must all data be Open access?

Only users working in Small and Medium sized enterprises (SME) are specifically exempted from the requirement to disseminate results generated under Trans-national access

 

Can multiple applications be made for TA access? 

It is recommended that separate applications are made so that sample characterisation and the results from an initial visit are fully evaluated before any follow up work. Sequential applications are encouraged; for example a field visit followed by analyses elsewhere.

 

I have a visit planned but need to go back later in the year to the facility. Can my application/proposal fund 2 visits relating to same work? 

This is not allowed.  We fully fund one visit and then hope/expect that additional funds are found from other sources if a follow up visit is needed.