Following the adoption of the Strategic Innovation Agenda (SIA) and the EIT’s amended Regulation by the European Parliament and Council, the Selection Criteria for the 2014 Call for KICs have been published.
As established in the EIT’s Strategic Innovation Agenda (SIA) and Horizon 2020, the first two new KICs, to be established in 2014, will address the thematic fields of:
Innovation for healthy living and active ageing; and
Raw materials: sustainable exploration, extraction, processing, recycling and substitution.
The first step in the process leading up to the designation of the new KICs in December 2014 is the publication of the Selection Criteria. These criteria build on the principles set in the EIT Regulation and the EIT’s core values of impact, excellence and partnership. Aligned with the EIT’s mission, these criteria will ensure that the designated KICs have all the elements that make a KIC a KIC.
The EIT will then publish the Framework of Guidance, the EIT Financial Rules and the EIT Principles for financing, monitoring and evaluating KIC activities in January 2014 followed by the launch of the Call on 14 February 2014.
1. Principles for selection of new KICs
The selection process will follow the requirements set in the EIT Regulation and look at the 2009 call for lessons learnt.
2. Indicative timeline for the selection and designation of new KICs
12 December 2013: Publication of the Selection Criteria
January 2014: Publication of the Framework of Guidance*, the EIT Financial Rules and the EIT Principles for financing, monitoring and evaluating KIC activities
14 February 2014: Launch of the 2014 call for KICs
14 March 2014: Information Day in Budapest
10 September 2014: Closure of the 2014 call for KICs
December 2014: Designation of the new KICs
* The Framework of Guidance is a document that will provide information on the rationale, the mission and the future of the EIT; examples of how to organise a KIC and how to build a strong partnership, including recommendations; information on operational, contractual and financial issues; information on monitoring. This document will not be legally binding.
3. How will the proposals be evaluated?
The EIT will organise the evaluation of proposals with a view to ensure a fully transparent and fair process. The evaluation will be conducted by high level independent external experts.
4. Where can more information about the 2014 Call for KICs proposals be obtained?
In addition to the Information Day which will be organised, all information relating to the call will be posted on the EIT’s website. This information will be updated regularly and will include answers to questions that have been submitted to the EIT by potential proposers.
Source: European Institute of Innovation