Call: EU-China cooperation on sustainable urbanisation

1. Excellent Science
2. Industrial Leadership
3. Societal Challenges

Reducing inequalities and social exclusion in Europe, overcoming the economic and financial crisis and tackling unemployment are crucial challenges for the future of Europe. At the same time, there is great potential for Europe through opportunities provided, for example, by new forms of innovation and by the engagement of citizens. Supporting inclusive, innovative and reflective societies is a prerequisite for a sustainable European integration.

The emergence of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS), and therefore of a multipolar world, the ageing of the EU population and the need for more innovation call for a renewed understanding of this rapidly changing world. This understanding is supported by strong multidisciplinary approaches, including social sciences and humanities and information and communication technologies. European and national policies need to continue modernisation while acknowledging the socio-economic and cultural diversity in Europe, and improved knowledge about how our modern societies work.

EU research and innovation will address social exclusion, discriminations and various forms of inequalities. It will explore new forms of innovation and strengthen the evidence base for the Innovation Union, the European Research Area and other relevant EU policies. It will promote coherent and effective cooperation with third countries. Finally, it will address the issues of memories, identities, tolerance and cultural heritage.

The approach adopted in the present calls is in line with the Horizon 2020 Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) cross-cutting issue, engaging multiple actors including society, integrating the gender and ethical dimensions, ensuring the access to research outcomes. Some Topics deal specifically with formal and informal (science) education.

To better anticipate and address challenges in key regions, it is essential to maximise the EU’s clout in global affairs. Research activities will look into the best means of ensuring synergies and consistency between Member States, EU foreign policy goals and instruments. Maximising its clout also presupposes understanding Europe in a global context and its historical and cultural legacy.

It is also imperative to implement the EU strategy for international cooperation in research and innovation by strengthening activities to promote the position of Europe on the global scene, attract international partners to Horizon 2020, enhance research and innovation exchanges and dialogue, and strengthen the European R&I presence in strategic partner countries and regions.

Proposals are invited against the following topic(s):

• Centres/Networks of European research and innovation
• EU-China cooperation on sustainable urbanisation
• The European Union and Central Asia
• The Asia-Pacific as a strategic region for Europe
• The strategic potential of EU external trade policy
• Science diplomacy for EU neighbourhood policies
• The European Union and the global challenge of migration
• Shifting global geopolitics and Europe's preparedness for managing risks, mitigation actions and fostering peace
• Strengthening Europe's position in the global context: science diplomacy and intercultural relations

In all Topics the participation of entities from the international partner countries and regions concerned is strongly encouraged.

The importance of innovation and socio-economic aspects in sustainable urbanisation has been recognised by the EU and China in their Joint Declaration on the EU-China Partnership on Urbanisation signed in 2012, as well as in the conclusions of the EU-China Innovation Cooperation Dialogue of 2013. This topic therefore covers two specific challenges:

• In China and elsewhere, the management of an exceptionally rapid urban growth poses considerable challenges to policy-makers and city planners. Urban infrastructures and public services call for a balanced and integrated planning so as to minimise or avoid the negative socio-economic, human and environmental impacts. Cities are also viewed as engines of growth and innovation, often attracting large shares of R&D investments and an innovative service sector.
• The challenge is to bring together a wide-ranging partnership of stakeholders in Europe and China to create an innovation platform for developing and piloting innovative solutions in sustainable urbanisation that rely on advanced knowledge and technologies, taking into account and adding value to the manifold on-going activities on various aspects of urbanisation. The platform should build on the activities carried out on an intergovernmental level (JPI Urban Europe) and via the EU-funded projects in support of joint funding initiatives (ERA-Net Smart Urban Futures, ERA-Net Smart Cities and Communities) and seek to use events and networks created by projects in support of the policy dialogue.

The calls include two types of action: Coordination and Support Action (08.12.2015-14.04.2016) and Research and Innovation Action (04.10.2016-02.02.2017).

For Research and Innovation Action : At least three legal entities. Each of the three must be established in a different EU Member State or Horizon 2020 associated country. All three legal entities must be independent of each other.

For Coordination and Support Action: At least one legal entity established in an EU Member State or Horizon 2020 associated country. 

Due to the specific challenge of the topic EU-China cooperation on sustainable urbanisation, in addition to the minimum number of participants as set out in the Rules of Participation, proposals shall include at least one participant from China. Under this topic, legal entities established in China are eligible for funding from the Union.

For Research and Innovation Action (04.10.2016-02.02.2017): The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU in the order of  2.5 million € would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. This does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

For Coordination and Support Action (08.12.2015-14.04.2016):  The Commission considers that a proposal requesting an EU contribution of EUR 1.5 million for a duration of 3 years would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. This does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts. 

A maximum of one proposal will be supported.

EU funding rate: 100%.

Electronic submission here. 

Link to the National Contact Point Finder.