CHAPTER III

The Commission and, where appropriate, funding bodies may appoint independent experts to evaluate proposals in accordance with Article 15 or to advise on or assist with: the evaluation of proposals; the monitoring of the implementation of actions carried out under Regulation (EU) No 1291/2013 as well as of previous Research and/or Innovation Programmes; the implementation of Union research and innovation policy or programmes including Horizon 2020, as well as the achievement and functioning of the European Research Area; the evaluation of Research and Innovation Programmes; the design of the Union research and innovation policy, including the preparation of future programmes. Independent experts shall be chosen on the basis of their skills, experience and knowledge appropriate to carry out the tasks assigned to them. In cases where independent experts have to deal with classified information, the appropriate security clearance shall be required before appointment. Independent experts shall be identified and selected on the basis of calls for applications from individuals and calls addressed to relevant organisations such as research agencies, research institutions, universities, standardisation organisations, civil society organisations or enterprises with a view to establishing a database of candidates. The Commission or the relevant funding body may, if deemed appropriate and in duly justified cases, select in a transparent manner any individual expert with the appropriate skills not included in the database. When appointing independent experts, the Commission or the relevant funding body shall take appropriate measures to seek a balanced composition within the expert groups and evaluation panels in terms of various skills, experience, knowledge, geographical diversity and gender, and taking into account the situation in the field of the action. Where appropriate, private-public sector balance shall also be sought. The Commission or the relevant funding body may call upon the advice of advisory bodies for the appointment of independent experts. In the case of ERC frontier research actions, the Commission shall appoint experts on the basis of a proposal from the Scientific Council of the ERC. The Commission or the relevant funding body shall ensure that an expert faced with a conflict of interest in relation to a matter on which the expert is required to provide an opinion does not evaluate, advise or assist on the specific matter in question. All exchanges with independent experts, including the conclusion of contracts for their appointment and any amendment thereto, may be done through electronic exchange systems set up by the Commission or by the relevant funding body as stipulated in Article 287(4) of Regulation (EU) No. 1268/2012. The names of experts appointed in a personal capacity, who have assisted the Commission or the funding bodies in implementation of Regulation (EU) No 1291/2013 and Decision 2013/743/EU shall be published, together with their area of expertise, at least once a year on the internet site of the Commission or the relevant funding body. Such information shall be collected, processed and published in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 45/2001.

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Source: EUR-Lex (Cellar) · retrieved 2026-11-04 · Text as adopted (Official Journal); later amendments are not incorporated in this text.