Overall Description

The Project Establishment Scheme (PES) supports Norwegian organisations preparing applications for Horizon Europe or the European Defence Fund (EDF). It finances proposal-development activities intended to improve the quality and success rate of applications involving Norwegian participants.

Support is linked to the applicant’s role and the type and budget of the planned European project. Funding is generally paid only when the resulting EU proposal reaches the applicable evaluation threshold. The scheme does not cover applications to programmes such as Digital Europe, COSME, InvestEU or the EU Innovation Fund.

Funding Amount

Total funding available for 2026: Up to NOK 41 million, including:

• NOK 2 million earmarked for cooperation with African countries.
• NOK 3 million earmarked for cooperation with Ukraine.

Funding is paid as a fixed lump sum per submitted European application.

Collaborative Horizon Europe projects

Norwegian coordinators of RIA, IA, CSA or PCP proposals may receive:

• NOK 150,000 additional support for including formal beneficiaries from one or more African countries.
• NOK 150,000 additional support for including formal beneficiaries from Ukraine.

Other instruments

Research organisations without a PES framework grant may receive no more than NOK 500,000 per year from this scheme.

Submission Deadlines

• Application deadline: Open-ended.
• Applications should be submitted as early as possible and no later than four weeks before the relevant European deadline.
• A Norwegian coordinator of a collaborative proposal should contact the relevant National Contact Point at least 12 weeks before the EU deadline.
• PES applications for EIC Accelerator, Women TechEU and EDF may follow the specific arrangements stated for those instruments.
• Applications are normally processed within four weeks.
• Latest permitted project start: 1 December 2027.
• Latest permitted completion: 31 December 2027.
• Maximum project duration: 12 months.

Submission Conditions

• The applicant must have a formal role in the planned Horizon Europe or EDF proposal.
• The Project Owner must satisfy the eligibility requirements of the relevant European call.
• Applications must be submitted through My RCN Web.
• Applications and attachments may be written in Norwegian or English.
• A mandatory project-description template must normally be used.
• Companies must submit a declaration of de minimis aid.
• The requested amount must correspond to the relevant PES rate.
• When several eligible Norwegian organisations without framework grants participate in the same EU proposal, they must submit one joint PES application.
• The Project Owner submits a collaborative application on behalf of all participating organisations.
• Applications must be complete when submitted; late or unspecified attachments are not accepted.
• Web links and documents other than the specified attachments are not considered.
• Companies participating in Eurostars must document at least NOK 500,000 in equity.
• EIC Accelerator applicants must provide their Stage 1 evaluation or Plug-In eligibility confirmation.
• EIC STEP Scale Up applicants must document involvement of a pre-qualified investor covering at least 20% of the funding round.
• Public-sector bodies and research organisations receiving funding must have a published Gender Equality Plan.
• Enterprises receive funding as de minimis aid, subject to the ceiling of €300,000 over three years.

Payment condition

Funding is generally paid only after the resulting EU or EDF application reaches the applicable evaluation threshold:

• Standard Horizon Europe/EDF proposals: threshold score or higher.
• ERC: grade A or B at Stage 1.
• MSCA: at least 70 points.
• Women TechEU: overall score of at least 10.
• Eurostars: at least 3.6 for each evaluation criterion and successful legal and financial viability checks.

For two-stage European calls, PES support is normally paid only if the proposal reaches the threshold after Stage 2. Limited exceptions may be considered for first-time Horizon Europe applicants.

Eligible Types of Businesses and Organisations

Eligible Norwegian applicants include:

• Small and medium-sized enterprises.
• Large companies, where eligible under the relevant European call.
• Universities and higher-education institutions.
• Research institutes and other research organisations.
• Public-sector organisations.
• Healthcare and public-service institutions.
• Non-profit and voluntary organisations.
• Other Norwegian legal entities eligible under the relevant European programme.

Research organisations holding a PES framework grant for 2025–2027 generally cannot submit an individual application. Exceptions apply to EDF proposals and additional support for Norwegian-coordinated proposals involving African or Ukrainian beneficiaries.

Eligible Countries

Direct PES applicants:

Norway

The applicant must be a Norwegian organisation with a formal role in the planned European application.

International project participation:

The resulting Horizon Europe, Eurostars or EDF proposal may include organisations from countries eligible under the relevant European call. Additional PES funding is specifically available where a Norwegian coordinator includes formal beneficiaries from:

• African countries.
• Ukraine.

African and Ukrainian organisations must be beneficiaries with their own budgets in the Horizon Europe proposal. Associated-partner status alone does not qualify for the additional support.