RFPs: Europe as a Global Powerhouse of Design for Sustainable Competitiveness

Scope

• The challenge is to deepen evidence-based understanding of the European design sector and design professionals, and devise effective methods to strengthen the sector and make Europe a global powerhouse of design for sustainable competitiveness. Such methods may include new or adapted technological solutions, conceptual frameworks as well as innovative business models and policies. The proposed solutions should to the extent possible be effective as well as economically and politically feasible and culturally acceptable across the diversity of EU member states and associated countries, as well as across different economic sectors. Thus, a wide range of stakeholders should be involved, in accordance with the focus chosen.
• Proposals are not expected to address all aspects, subsectors or applications of design, but should choose a focus that can be expected to deliver a significant impact.
• Solutions may involve the use of platforms or networks to facilitate sharing investments, facilities or competencies among actors. In such cases, established platforms, networks or clusters should be taken into account, to avoid duplication of efforts.
• Proposals should, to the extent appropriate, build on existing knowledge, activities and networks, notably the ones funded by the European Union. In particular, findings and results from projects funded under the topics ‘Cultural and creative industries for a sustainable climate transition’ of the 2023 and 2024 calls of Horizon Europe Cluster 2 may be taken into consideration, and cooperation may be sought with the collaborative platform ‘EKIP’ or its successor.

Funding Information

• Budget (EUR) – Year 2025: 13 500 000
• Contributions: 3500000 to 4500000

Expected Outcomes

• Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:
  • Enhanced and updated understanding of the European design sector and design professionals, including its cross-sectoral relevance for innovation and key strengths, opportunities and challenges, is made available to scientists, policy makers, designers, private companies and other key stakeholders.
  • Methods, techniques and applications based on research and knowledge that enable the European design sector and design professionals to stay at the forefront of design for sustainable competitiveness are developed and put into practice.
  • Significant contributions are made to boost Europe as a global powerhouse of design for sustainable competitiveness.

Eligibility Criteria

• Entities eligible to participate:
  • Any legal entity, regardless of its place of establishment, including legal entities from nonassociated third countries or international organisations (including international European research organisations) is eligible to participate (whether it is eligible for funding or not), provided that the conditions laid down in the Horizon Europe Regulation have been met, along with any other conditions laid down in the specific call/topic.
  • A ‘legal entity’ means any natural or legal person created and recognised as such under national law, EU law or international law, which has legal personality and which may, acting in its own name, exercise rights and be subject to obligations, or an entity without legal personality.
• To become a beneficiary, legal entities must be eligible for funding.
• To be eligible for funding, applicants must be established in one of the following countries:
  • the Member States of the European Union, including their outermost regions:
    • Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden.
  • the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) linked to the Member States:
    • Aruba (NL), Bonaire (NL), Curação (NL), French Polynesia (FR), French Southern and Antarctic Territories (FR), Greenland (DK), New Caledonia (FR), Saba (NL), Saint Barthélemy (FR), Sint Eustatius (NL), Sint Maarten (NL), St. Pierre and Miquelon (FR), Wallis and Futuna Islands (FR).
  • countries associated to Horizon Europe;
    • Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Faroe Islands, Georgia, Iceland, Israel, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Tunisia, Türkiye, Ukraine, United Kingdom.

For more information, visit EC.