4.3 Horizon 2020 and other centrally managed Union programmes in the areas of research and innovation

Member States and the Commission shall have due regard to strengthening coordination, synergies and complementarities between the ESI Funds and Horizon 2020, the Programme for the Competitiveness of Enterprises and small and medium-sized enterprises (COSME) in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 1287/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council Regulation (EU) No 1287/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 establishing a Programme for the Competitiveness of Enterprises and small and medium-sized enterprises (COSME) (2014 - 2020) and repealing Decision No 1639/2006/EC (See page 33 of this Official Journal). , and other relevant centrally managed Union funding programmes while also establishing a clear division of areas of intervention between them. Member States shall develop national and/or regional 'smart specialisation' strategies in line with the National Reform Programme, where appropriate. Such strategies may take the form of or be included in a national or a regional research and innovation strategic policy framework for 'smart specialisation'. Smart specialisation strategies shall be developed through involving national or regional managing authorities and stakeholders such as universities and other higher education institutions, industry and social partners in an entrepreneurial discovery process. The authorities directly concerned by Horizon 2020 shall be closely associated with that process. Smart specialisation strategies shall include: "Upstream actions" to prepare regional R&I players to participate in Horizon 2020 ("stairways to excellence") to be developed, where necessary, through capacity- building. Communication and cooperation between Horizon 2020 national contact points and managing authorities of the ESI Funds shall be strengthened. "Downstream actions" to provide the means to exploit and diffuse R&I results, stemming from Horizon 2020 and preceding programmes, into the market with particular emphasis on creating an innovation-friendly environment for business and industry, including SMEs and in line with the priorities identified for the territories in the relevant smart specialisation strategy. Member States shall encourage the use of the provisions in this Regulation that allow the ESI Funds to be combined with resources under Horizon 2020 in the relevant programmes used to implement parts of the strategies referred to in point 2. Joint support shall be provided to national and regional authorities for the design and implementation of such strategies, to identify opportunities for joint financing of R&I infrastructures of European interest, the promotion of international collaboration, methodological support through peer reviews, exchange of good practice, and training throughout regions. Member States and, where appropriate under Article 4(4), regions, shall consider additional measures aimed at unlocking their potential for excellence in R&I, in a manner that is complementary to and creates synergies with Horizon 2020, in particular through joint funding. Those measures shall consist of: linking excellent research institutions and less developed regions as well as low- performing Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Member States and regions to create new or upgrade existing centres of excellence in less developed regions as well as in low-performing RDI Member States and regions; building links in less developed regions as well as in low-performing RDI Member States and regions between innovative clusters of recognised excellence; establishing "ERA Chairs" to attract outstanding academics, in particular to less developed regions and low-performing RDI Member States and regions; supporting access to international networks for researchers and innovators who lack sufficient involvement in the European Research Area (ERA) or are from less developed regions or low-performing RDI Member States and regions; contributing as appropriate to the European Innovation Partnerships; preparing national institutions and/or clusters of excellence for participation in the Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT); and hosting high-quality international researcher mobility programmes with co-funding from the "Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions". Member States shall endeavour to use where appropriate, and in accordance with Article 70, the flexibility to support operations outside the programme area, with a level of investment sufficient to attain a critical mass, in order to implement the measures referred to in the first subparagraph as effectively as possible.

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Source: EUR-Lex (Cellar) · retrieved 2026-10-29 · Text as adopted (Official Journal); later amendments are not incorporated in this text.