Note: The costs associated with the preparation of a consortium agreement are not reimbursable, as the consortium agreement should be signed before the grant agreement is signed. However, costs related to the updating of the consortium agreement shall be eligible if they are incurred during the duration of the action. Continued regulation of NP issues is not mandatory, but is strongly recommended for unionized partners. The following IP issues can be taken into account in the consortium agreement: this process summarizes the main steps in concluding the signature of your grant agreement: the consortium agreement complements the Horizon 2020 grant agreement. While the grant agreement establishes the binding legal relationship between the European Commission and the project partners, the consortium agreement establishes and regulates the relationship between the partners themselves. Unlike the grant agreement (which is firm and cannot be changed), the Horizon 2020 consortium agreement is essentially a trade agreement between the partners. As such, it is flexible and can be adapted to the specific needs of the project and its partners. Remember that as soon as horizon 2020 is funded, the unionized partners will work together for a long time. That is why it is very important to have a binding agreement that takes into account the different expectations, requirements and circumstances that may arise. There is a clear motivation to start working out the agreement as quickly as possible.

This may be the case during the preparation phase of the offer, during which operational relations between the partners are formed and tasks are assigned. It is a good practice to ensure that the project is well planned before submission, including all legal aspects. This practice can help avoid unwanted disputes between partners. DESCA or any other CA model will definitely help you manage your project – if you are conducting a risk assessment analysis and if part of the advance is to be retained; when certain processes are required to manage delays or troubled partners; whether the coordination team obtains additional authority; where issues relating to safeguards need to be clearly specified; where notification rules should include internal measures, etc. Let us say at the outset that the DESCA model is an extremely useful tool for anyone involved in a Horizon 2020 project. There is no doubt about that. So what needs to be done to meet the needs of consortium members at an early stage, without having to devote the necessary resources and time before being clearer about funding? Since the consortium agreement is indeed a commercial agreement, we strongly recommend the services of legal counsel with expertise in the development of such agreements. As with FP7, several institutions and groupings have developed model consortia agreements for Horizon 2020, sometimes with different approaches. Most of these agreements are modular, allowing for different options to be chosen to meet the specific needs of a project. The most common models are as follows: we also believe that the signature of the standard model only serves to fulfill the basic condition of a CA to complete the process of preparation of the grant agreement (CAP).

It will only effectively support the implementation of the project if the standard text is adapted to the needs of the project and the individual needs of the consortium. A professional legal advisor experienced in such consortium agreements offers you the following services: A consortium agreement is a binding contract signed between the partners of a Horizon 2020 interconnection project. The Horizon 2020 grant agreement (Article 41(3)) states that `beneficiaries shall have internal provisions in place as regards their implementation and coordination in order to ensure that the action is properly implemented. . . .