Early phase implementation of ESFRI Projects that entered the ESFRI Roadmap in 2021

Topic updates

10 February 2026
Summary of observer report:

The evaluation of the HORIZON-INFRA-2025-01 call was carried out in accordance with established Horizon Europe procedures and demonstrated a high level of transparency, fairness, and procedural integrity. The call covered 18 topics across four destinations and involved the assessment of 159 submitted proposals, of which 155 were found to be eligible and admissible.

The evaluation was implemented through a fully remote process, comprising individual expert assessments, consensus report preparation, virtual consensus meetings, and online panel meetings. All key milestones were respected, and the overall duration of the process was efficient. The observer did not identify any indications that the compact duration of the evaluation had a negative impact on the quality, robustness, or transparency of the assessments.

Throughout all phases, REA placed strong and consistent emphasis on procedural transparency, equal treatment of proposals, and the independence of expert judgement. Comprehensive briefing materials, structured evaluation support tools, and consistent moderation practices supported a coherent and well-calibrated application of the evaluation criteria across topics. Project and Programme Officers and moderators fulfilled a clearly facilitative role, ensuring structured deliberations without influencing the substance of expert discussions.

Conflicts of interest were managed in a systematic and rigorous manner, with all identified cases duly declared and handled in line with the applicable rules. Confidentiality requirements were repeatedly reinforced during evaluation activities, and no breaches of confidentiality, impartiality, or compliance with the rules were observed.

Overall, the observer concludes that the evaluation of HORIZON-INFRA-2025-01 was conducted in full conformity with the applicable rules and guidance documents, providing a sound, credible, and transparent basis for the selection and ranking of proposals in line with the objectives of the Research Infrastructures Work Programme.

18 September 2025

PROPOSAL NUMBERS

Call HORIZON-INFRA-2025-01 has closed on 18/09/2025.

159 proposals have been submitted.

The breakdown per topic is:

HORIZON-INFRA-2025-01-DEV-02: 11 proposals

Evaluation results are expected to be communicated in Feb. 2026.

Early phase implementation of ESFRI Projects that entered the ESFRI Roadmap in 2021

TOPIC ID: HORIZON-INFRA-2025-01-DEV-02

Type of grant: Call for proposals

General information

Programme:

Call: Research Infrastructures 2025 (HORIZON-INFRA-2025-01)

Type of action: HORIZON-CSA HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions

Type of MGA: HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS]

Status: Open for submission

Deadline model: single-stage

Opening Date: 06 May 2025

Deadline dates: 18 September 2025 17:00 (Brussels time)

Topic description

Expected Outcome:

Project results are expected to contribute to several of the following expected outcomes:

• Faster and larger implementation of the ESFRI Projects that entered the ESFRI Roadmap in 2021;
• enhanced ERA excellence and attractiveness through the availability of additional capacities from the targeted ESFRI Projects;
• solid Member States/Associated Country engagement in pan-European research infrastructures, leading to their full implementation;
• long-term perspective for investments in research infrastructures;
• synergies and complementarities between new and existing research infrastructures.

Scope:

This topic targets the research infrastructure projects that entered the ESFRI Roadmap in 2021^[1], due to their scientific excellence and organisational maturity as well as to their strategic importance for the European Research Area and the structuring of the European research infrastructure ecosystem. Proposals must explicitly state which ESFRI Project they target.

Although these ESFRI Projects have received EU funding for their preparatory phase and initial commitment from Member States/Associated Countries, the early stages of the research infrastructure life cycle are particularly challenging. Past monitoring exercises on ESFRI infrastructures highlighted recurrent bottlenecks hampering their full implementation and start of operation phase. Building on such experiences, proposals are expected to identify and address the most critical issues that could prevent or delay the entering of these ESFRI Projects into the implementation phase.

Support can be provided for activities, such as enlargement of the membership; establishment of the governance structure and legal entity; securing the funding; finalisation of the distributed architecture; development of ICT and data management solutions (including data management according to the FAIR principles and possible open access to data); development of access policies and users’ strategies; consolidation of the international dimension; consolidation of the service offer; assessing possible expansion to new user communities/new needs; or addressing staff and procurement related issues. Proposals should focus on the activities addressing the identified bottlenecks.

Proposals should involve all stakeholders necessary to move the project forward and ensure financial commitments (including national/regional ministries/governments, research councils or funding agencies).

Proposals should explain any synergies and complementarities with previous or current EU grants.

[1] ESFRI Projects eligible for support under this topic are: EBRAINS, SLICES, SoBigData++, MARINERG‑I, EIRENE RI, ET, EuPRAXIA, GGP, GUIDE, OPERAS, RESILIENCE.

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