European Partnerships

European Partnerships

European Partnerships create a platform for strengthened and structured collaboration and knowledge exchange between various actors in the European R&I system and enhanced coordination of strategic research agendas and/or R&I funding programmes. They are based on agreed objectives and a long-term vision, underpinned by Strategic Research and Innovation Agendas (SRIAs) to which all partners in the partnership commit. This is a key feature that distinguishes European Partnerships from other collaborative research instruments. Partnerships also enhance cross-disciplinary and cross-sectoral collaboration and integration of value chains and ecosystems, improving integration of sectoral R&I policies, notably through more systematic and extended reach and engagement of stakeholders such as end-users and public authorities.

In Horizon Europe, there are three different implementation modes for European Partnerships.

Co-funded

  • Co-funding of joint programmes of R&I activities between R&I funders. They are based on a Horizon Europe Grant Agreement signed by the Commission and a consortium of partners, generally composed of R&I funders and other public authorities. 

Institutionalised partnerships

  • Joint Undertakings (JUs): long-term collaborations with private (sometimes also public) partners requiring a high degree of integration. 
  • Article 185 initiatives: long-term collaborations with public partners requiring a high degree of integration. 
  • European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT) – Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs): Europe-wide innovation ecosystems that integrate education, research and entrepreneurship. They are established in compliance with the EIT regulation and the EIT strategic Innovation Agenda.

Co-programmed

  • Joint programming of R&I activities and mobilisation of additional activities by partners in line with the objectives of the partnership. They are based on a Memorandum of Understanding, generally with industry associations. The EU contribution is implemented through the Horizon Europe mechanisms (work programmes and their calls for proposals), and matching partners’ contributions are implemented under their responsibility.

The main differences between these forms of European Partnership are in their preparation and how they function, as well as in the overall impact they can trigger. The Co-funded and Co-programmed Partnerships are linked to the strategic plan and the Horizon Europe work programmes. Article 185 and JU Institutionalised Partnerships require the adoption of separate legislation and are subject to an ex-ante impact assessment. 

European Partnerships are established only if there is evidence that they will support the achievement of EU policy objectives more effectively than other Horizon Europe actions.

The Horizon Europe strategic plan 2025-2027 includes a list of new candidate Co-Funded and Co-programmed European Partnerships to be launched during the second half of Horizon Europe.

 

Participation of Spain

Spain currently participates in all of the European Partnerships, demonstrating the country’s global interest and commitment in all thematic areas. Spain's participation is carried out through different national (AEI, CEDTI, ISCIII, etc.) and regional funding agencies (Innobasque, SPRI, etc.) depending on the thematic area.

_______

Source: European Commission

European Partnership's projects

nEUrotalk: Disruption of the spatio-temporal dialogue between migrating cortical neurons as underlying factor in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Specific programme: Network of European Funding for Neuroscience Research (NEURON)
UPV/EHU Partner Status: Coordinator
UPV/EHU PI: Ola Peñagarikano
Project start: 01/12/2017
Project end:   30/09/2020

Brief description:   Although the precise etiology of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is unknown, one of the most accepted theories is an abnormal proportion of excitatory projection neurons (PNs) and inhibitory cortical interneurons (cINs). During cortical development, migrating PNs and cINs interact in such a way that impaired migration of each of these major classes of neurons affects the number and location of the other.

In the present project we propose an impaired spatio-temporal crosstalk between migrating PNs and cINs as shared pathomechanism in ASD. We will test this hypothesis by studying several ASD-linked genes (Cntnap2, FMR1, Agtpbp1) involved in neuronal migration of PNs and/or cINs at different levels, which all show increased PNs/cINs ratio. We will carry out a multidisciplinary approach to study different systems, from animal models to state of the art in vitro cultures including ‘next generation’ patient-derived brain organoids harboring mutations in each of these ASD-associated genes. We will characterize the contribution of these genes to the reciprocal interaction of migrating PNs and cINs by conditionally deleting them in each of these major classes of neurons in animal models. Brain organoids will be used to study patient’s molecular and cellular specific features and their contribution to the abnormal circuit wiring. In short, we will be able provide important new insights into a potential new signature driving neurodevelopmental pathological mechanisms in autism.