Library FAQ
How are honoraria and expenses authorised for payment?
Payments are authorised by the Agency based on an attendance list validated by the EIC Board President and the Director of the Agency or their deputies.
How are members of the EIC Board remunerated for their services?
Members are remunerated with honoraria for participation at plenary and other meetings, travel allowances and per diems for in-person meetings; honoraria are paid by the Agency.
How many winners will the jury propose and how are they ranked?
The jury will review eligible applications and propose up to three winners, ranked 1st, 2nd and 3rd.
What are the award criteria for the competition?
Degree of innovation; usability and inclusiveness; positive social impact; viability and sustainability; scalability and replicability; and decentralisation and governance.
What are the expected results of the European Social Innovation Competition?
Raising awareness about social innovation, sparking new socially innovative ideas, creating a network of practitioners, and supporting finalists to transform ideas into structured businesses.
What are the honoraria rates for EIC Board plenary attendance?
EUR 2,000 for full attendance at a plenary meeting; EUR 1,000 for partial attendance (up to 50% of the meeting time).
What are the indicative budgets for expert contracts and communication/outreach actions?
Expert contracts: indicative budget EUR 4,980,000. Communication, outreach, events: indicative budget EUR 4,500,000.
What are the limits on the number of Booster grants per project?
A maximum of three EIC Booster grants can be awarded for each EIC Pathfinder project (more in exceptional cases). A maximum of one EIC Booster grant can be awarded for each EIC Transition project.
What are the objectives and key features of the EIC Data management and IT systems integration action?
To provide IT developments and data integration (new functionalities, cloud infrastructure, helpdesk, security) including consolidating data sources, improving tools, updating platforms, and following open-source and open data standards; indicative budget EUR...
What are the prize amounts for the three winners?
The three winners will receive EUR 75,000 (1st), EUR 50,000 (2nd) and EUR 25,000 (3rd), totalling EUR 150,000.
What is the EIC Booster Grant scheme and what is the maximum grant amount?
The scheme provides financial support to third parties linked to EIC Pathfinder or Transition projects in the form of grants of a fixed maximum amount not exceeding EUR 50,000.
What is the indicative timetable for the competition stages?
Opening Q1–Q2 2024; deadline for submission Q2–Q3 2024; award of the prize Q3 2024–Q1 2025.
What is the special allowance for external experts acting in their personal capacity?
A special allowance of EUR 450 per day will be paid to experts appointed in their personal capacity.
What type of action is the competition classified as and what is the indicative budget for the challenge prize?
Type of Action: Recognition Prize. Indicative budget for the challenge prize (3 winners) is EUR 150,000.
Where can further details on evaluation and award criteria be found?
Further details will be specified in the rules for the contest published at the launch of the yearly contest.
Who can apply for an EIC Booster grant and how are proposals evaluated?
EIC Awardees or other potential beneficiaries (Technology Transfer Offices, EIC Inventors and others) can be invited to apply after a positive recommendation; proposals are evaluated by a committee of 3 evaluators and selected if they receive at least two GO.
Are digital and AI-based tools for transport in scope?
Yes; breakthroughs in digital tools such as sensors and AI to enhance autonomous transport, sustainable energy use, connectivity and efficiency, including capacity management and smart bi‑directional charging, are in scope.
Are links with industrial partnerships encouraged?
Yes; links with relevant industrial partnerships and alliances are encouraged, including the Renewable and Low‑Carbon Fuels Value Chain Industrial Alliance.
Are sustainable fuels part of the Challenge scope?
Yes; sustainable fuels for hard‑to‑abate sectors such as aviation and maritime, including retrofitting solutions, are in scope.
Are there specific requirements for proposals involving AI?
Yes; AI‑based systems must be developed in a safe, secure and reliable manner, be technically robust (resilient to attack, secure and safe, with fallback plans, accurate, reliable and reproducible) and demonstrate compliance with Trustworthy Artificial Intelli...
Is there a limit on the number of consortium participants?
Yes; consortia of more than five eligible entities will be deemed ineligible.
Must projects comply with the 'Do No Significant Harm' principle?
Yes; projects must comply with the Do No Significant Harm principle (see Introduction) and comply with Article 17 of the EU Taxonomy Regulation as part of the eligibility criteria.
What are the specific objectives applicants should address?
Applicants must address at least one of: breakthroughs in design/manufacture/assembly/operation of road, waterborne, aircraft or rail to reduce environmental footprint; disruptive technologies improving operational efficiency and reducing GHG, other emissions...
What environmental design and assessment frameworks must projects consider?
Projects must take into account the Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) framework, including Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and circularity approaches.