Agreements
Administrative Arrangement Versão em português
between the European Commission, on the one side, and the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development, the Brazilian Funding Agency for Studies and Projects and the Brazilian National Council of State Funding Agencies, on the other side, on the mechanisms to support EU-Brazil cooperation in research and innovation activities in the context of Horizon Europe.
The European Commission, on the one side, and the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development ("CNPq"), the Brazilian Funding Agency for Studies and Projects ("FINEP"), and the Brazilian National Council of State Funding Agencies ("CONFAP"), on the other side, collectively referred to as "Brazilian Bodies", hereinafter referred to as the "Sides", put in place the following arrangement on the mechanisms to support EU-Brazil cooperation in research and innovation activities, in line with the "Agreement for Scientific and Technological Cooperation between the European Community and the Federative Republic of Brazil" (“S&T Agreement”), signed in Brasilia on 19 January 2004.
The Sides acknowledge the constructive cooperation so far under the Administrative Arrangement signed by them on 22 May 2018 in the context of Horizon 2020 and intend to work together to further intensify their cooperation in the context of Horizon Europe.
This Arrangement does not create rights and obligations under international law and it has no financial implications.
I. Objectives
The Sides intend to promote stronger and more comprehensive EU-Brazil cooperation in research and innovation based on mutual benefit.
For this purpose, the Sides intend to implement mechanisms to support and facilitate collaborative activities as well as to enhance mutual knowledge and awareness within the framework of their applicable laws, policies and regulations and rules governing their respective research and innovation funding programmes.
II. Programmes
The European Commission intends to implement this Arrangement through Horizon Europe – the European Union Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (“Horizon Europe”) and the Brazilian Bodies intend to implement this Arrangement through their respective research and innovation funding programmes.
III. Thematic areas of cooperation
The Sides intend to implement this Arrangement taking into consideration the key areas identified by the Steering Committee established by the S&T Agreement.
IV. Coordination among Brazilian Bodies
The Sides intend to define together the activities to be undertaken for the implementation of this Arrangement. For this purpose, each of the Brazilian Bodies should inform each other and the European Commission:
- about the mechanisms for cooperation it intends to use;
- if they intend to take part in the envisaged activities separately or together.
When acting separately, the activities undertaken by one of the Brazilian Bodies should be coordinated with the Brazilian Bodies and be complementary to other activities carried out under this Arrangement.
V. Mechanisms for cooperation
The Sides intend to enhance their cooperation mainly through the following mechanisms:
1) Support to collaborative activities
a. Financial support provided by the Brazilian Bodies to Brazilian legal entities taking part in Horizon Europe collaborative actions including those under Horizon Europe Partnerships and Missions.
The Sides recognise the work done so far and the value of the funding mechanism for Brazilian legal entities having taken part in Horizon 2020 collaborative actions. The Sides intend to continue cooperation via a similar funding mechanism under Horizon Europe and, without prejudice to this mechanism, intend to expand the support through the following operational steps:
- The Sides intend to jointly identify those topics or calls where funding should be provided by the Brazilian Bodies to successful applicants from Brazil.
- The Brazilian Bodies intend to issue guidelines to assist applicants from Brazil and should create awareness of the funding mechanisms and the topics covered.
- The European Commission intends to communicate the list of successful applicants from Brazil in due time to the Brazilian Bodies.
- Brazilian Bodies intend to provide funding to the successful applicants from Brazil and to communicate the list of supported institutions in due time to the European Commission.
b. Twinning of parallel collaborative activities
The Sides intend to facilitate the coordination of activities (twinning) in research and innovation projects funded separately by their respective funding programmes in specific areas of mutual interest through the following operational steps:
- The Sides intend to exchange information to commonly identify activities to be coordinated in fields of mutual interest and the forms of twinning. In particular, twinning activities may be implemented by the synchronization of calls for proposal that are similar or complementary in scope and content (or by the collaboration between parallel ongoing projects).
- The Sides intend to provide guidance to applicants to synchronized calls for proposal, where applicable (or to partners in ongoing projects).
c. Coordinated calls for proposals for collaborative activities
The Sides could decide to issue parallel coordinated calls for proposals in commonly selected fields through the following operational steps:
- After identifying the relevant fields, the Sides intend to address together the description of coordinated calls for proposals and commonly plan a timeline for their implementation.
- The Sides intend to publish and implement these coordinated calls for proposals under the respective work programmes of their research funding programmes in line with their applicable rules.
- The Sides intend to carry out evaluation of proposals according to their applicable rules and practices.
2 ) Enhancement of mutual knowledge and awareness
a. Exchange of information
The Sides intend to exchange information on policies, strategies and publications that are relevant for the implementation of this Arrangement.
b. Dissemination actions
The Sides intend to widely disseminate this Arrangement and its supported activities, as well as each other's existing mechanisms for cooperation under their respective funding programmes in accordance with their relevant applicable rules and procedures.
For this purpose, the Sides intend in particular to organise information days and other events bringing together their respective research and innovation community.
The Sides may also explore synergies through existing EU-Brazil policy dialogues to support the implementation of this Arrangement.
VI. Technical working meetings
The Sides intend to have regular technical working meetings with the participation of one representative from the European Commission, CNPq, FINEP and CONFAP. As necessary, a limited number of additional representatives may be designated.
Practical aspects for planning, implementing and reviewing the mechanisms and specific activities carried out under this Arrangement are expected to be developed and coordinated during the technical working meetings and be stated in the meeting minutes.
These meetings are expected to take place at least twice a year, and they can be held virtually or in presence if necessary.
Outcome of the discussions during the technical working meeting are intended to be reported to the Steering Committee established by the S&T Agreement.
VII. Duration
Cooperation under this Arrangement is intended to commence from signature by the representatives of the Sides and to continue for the duration of Horizon Europe.
Signed in Brasília on November 19, 2021, in eight originals, four in the English language and four in the Portuguese language.