European Partnership for Brain Health
HORIZON Programme Cofund Actions
Basic Information
- Identifier
- HORIZON-HLTH-2025-02-DISEASE-01
- Programme
- Partnerships in Health (2025)
- Programme Period
- 2021 - 2027
- Status
- Closed (31094503)
- Opening Date
- May 13, 2025
- Deadline
- June 3, 2025
- Deadline Model
- single-stage
- Budget
- €77,000,000
- Min Grant Amount
- €77,000,000
- Max Grant Amount
- €77,000,000
- Expected Number of Grants
- 1
- Keywords
- HORIZON-HLTH-2025-02-DISEASE-01HORIZON-HLTH-2025-02Brain researchClinical neurologyClinical researchDementiaMedical biotechnologyNeuro-ethicsNeuroanatomy and neurophysiologyNeurodegenerative disordersNeuroimaging and computational neuroscienceNeurosciences (including psychophysiology)PsychiatryPsychosomaticsPublic health
Description
This topic aims at supporting activities that are enabling or contributing to one or several expected impacts of destination “Tackling diseases and reducing disease burden”. To that end, proposals under this topic should aim to deliver results that are directed, tailored towards and contributing to all the following expected outcomes:
- The position of the EU and Associated Countries is strengthened as an internationally recognised driver of research and innovation on brain health[1], thereby contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals related to neurological and mental health.
- Research funders align, adopt and implement their brain health research policies allowing for the optimal generation and translation of knowledge into tailored health products and interventions to (i) promote brain health throughout the lifetime, (ii) prevent neurological and mental disorders, and (iii) improve diagnosis, treatment and care to enhance the quality of life of those living with brain disorders, as well as their caregivers, whilst also considering cultural, ethical, legal and social aspects.
- Research funders, policymakers, relevant agencies and authorities, researchers, innovators, citizens, people living with brain disorders and their caregivers and advocates enhance their collaboration forming a strong, structured and integrated research and innovation ecosystem with shared evidence, tools and methodologies cutting across sectors.
- The brain health research community at large benefits from and uses an improved comprehensive knowledge framework integrating the EU, national/regional data and information infrastructures to improve transnational research.
- People living with a brain disorder benefit from (i) a more timely, equitable access to accurate diagnosis and tailored care and treatment options in an innovative, sustainable and high-quality healthcare system that is well integrated with the research community, and from (ii) less discrimination and stigma, and social inclusion.
- Public and private actors, including civil society (e.g. Non-Governmental Organisations, charities), establish coordinated and efficient multi-stakeholder collaborations at national level in the EU and Associated Countries, allowing for more effective basic and clinical research and enhanced translation into tailored products and interventions.
The partnership should contribute from the research and innovation angle to priorities set in the “Healthier Together - EU Non-Communicable Diseases Initiative” (2022-2027), which includes a focus area on mental health and neurological disorders[2], as well as to the “Communication on a comprehensive approach to mental health” (COM(2023) 298 final)[3].
The partnership should also contribute from the research and innovation angle to achieving the objectives of the Pharmaceutical Strategy for Europe[4], in terms of fulfilling unmet medical needs (numerous in the fields of neurological and mental disorders) and to ensuring that the benefits of innovation reach patients in the EU and Associated Countries. Moreover, it should support the objectives of the EU4Health Programme[5].
Additionally, the partnership should contribute from the research and innovation angle to the “Communication on the European Care Strategy” (for caregivers and care receivers; COM(2022) 440 final)[6], which aims to ensure high quality, affordable and accessible care services for all ages. By fostering data sharing and boosting FAIR[7] and open data, the partnership should also contribute to the implementation of the European Health Data Space (EHDS)[8].
Thanks to its capacity to bring together different stakeholders (e.g. research funders, health authorities, citizens, healthcare providers, innovators, policymakers), the partnership will create a critical mass of resources to implement a long-term Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA), based on the work of the Coordination and Support Action BrainHealth[9].
The co-funded European Partnership for Brain Health should be implemented based on the priorities identified in the SRIA and through a joint programme of activities ranging from coordinating and funding transnational research to integrative activities aimed at structuring and enhancing the broader research and innovation ecosystem and facilitating the way research and innovation is carried out, and also delivering impact. Examples include (i) facilitating the sharing and analysis of data and samples, (ii) promoting harmonisation and standardisation efforts, (iii) providing input to shape the services provided by research infrastructures (based on the needs of the research community), as well as (iv) networking, training and dissemination activities.
It should be structured along the following main objectives:
- Strengthening collaboration, strategic alignment and global dialogue: engage and collaborate with key stakeholders, not only those participating in existing EU-supported brain research initiatives but also beyond them, whilst also seeking alignment with these and international initiatives, including other European partnerships.
- Jointly supporting research and innovation: launch joint transnational calls underpinning the brain health research and innovation priorities, as defined in the SRIA, and based on annual work plans. Calls include research calls, networking calls, and those that relate to ethical, legal and social/societal aspects.
- Facilitating the use of infrastructures and platforms in the EU and Associated Countries: improve access to and use of these infrastructures and platforms (e.g. ECRIN[10], EATRIS[11], EBRAINS[12], BBMRI[13], EuroBioImaging[14], European Genomic Data Infrastructure[15], etc.), whilst also providing input for shaping the services for the brain health research and funding community. This also covers the facilitation of data sharing by boosting FAIR and open data and improving interoperability and harmonisation.
- Bridging with healthcare providers, the private sector, regulators, and policymakers: enable the translation of research results into accessible, tailored products, technologies, interventions and policies through collaborations, including with institutionalised European partnerships (e.g., Innovative Health Initiative).
- Empowering citizens, people living with brain disorders and patients, families and caregivers (including informal): enable them to be active in their health trajectories via the dissemination of good practices and scientific outputs, as well as trainings to engage them along the whole spectrum of the research process.
- Capacity building in research: support networking and training of scientists, healthcare practitioners, health policy experts, innovators and other professionals contributing to preserve and improve brain health.
The partnership is open to all EU Member States, as well as to countries associated to Horizon Europe and will remain open to third countries wishing to join. Importantly, the EU contribution will not be increased should countries join after signing of the grant agreement.
The partnership should include or engage with the following actors: (i) Ministries in charge of R&I policy, as well as national and regional R&I and technology funding agencies and foundations; (ii) Ministries in charge of health and care policy, as well as national and regional healthcare authorities, organisations and providers; (iii) academic researchers; (iv) research infrastructures; (v) patients organisations; (vi) industry; (vii) research and technology organisations; (viii) private sector; and (ix) charities.
The partnership may also encourage engagement with other relevant Ministries (e.g., related to employment, education, etc.) and research funders. It should involve other key actors from civil society and end-users, research and innovation community, innovation owners, health and care systems owners/organisers and health and care agencies.
The partnership should build on and go beyond existing and previous initiatives, including the ERA-NET actions under (i) the EU Joint Programme for Neurodegenerative Disease Research (JPND)[16], (ii) the Network of European Funding for Neuroscience Research (NEURON)[17], and (iii) the Human Brain Project[18] (HBP, a FET Flagship project), as well as the digital research infrastructure EBRAINS[19], which was put in place by HBP, and the Coordination and Support Actions (CSAs) BrainHealth[9] and European Brain Research Area (EBRA)[21].
The partnership’s governance structure should engage upfront the relevant actors to coordinate, steer and frame the research and innovation activities, and facilitate the use and uptake of the results. The governance should involve key stakeholders, including but not limited to the research and innovation community, patients and citizens, health and care professionals, formal and informal care organisations, and innovation owners. Transparency in governance should be secured (e.g. in calls, governing bodies, etc.).
To ensure coherence and complementarity of activities and leverage knowledge and investment possibilities, the partnership is expected to establish relevant collaborations with other Horizon Europe partnerships (institutionalised and co-funded) and missions, as set out in the working document on ‘Coherence and Synergies of candidate European Partnerships under Horizon Europe’[22], as well as to explore collaborations with other relevant activities at EU and international level. The proposal should also elaborate on possible synergies with other EU programmes, including EU4Health and the Digital Europe Programme (DIGITAL). The Partnership should align with EU-wide initiatives on open access and FAIR data, including the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC)[23].
To tackle the ambitious challenges, cooperation with international organisations, private sector and non-European institutions and experts may be considered. Participation of third countries is encouraged. Applicants should describe in their proposal the methodology for their collaboration and the aims they want to achieve with this kind of collaboration.
Proposals should pool the necessary financial resources from the participating national research programmes with a view to implementing joint calls for transnational proposals resulting in grants to third parties. Financial support provided by the participants to third parties is one of the activities of this action in order to be able to achieve its objectives.
When defining calls for proposals, this partnership needs to consider the effective contribution of social sciences and humanities (SSH) disciplines and the involvement of SSH experts, institutions as well as the inclusion of relevant SSH expertise, in order to produce meaningful and significant effects enhancing the societal impact of the related research activities. In addition, this partnership needs to integrate robust sex and gender considerations, applying an intersectional lens to investigate variations in mental, neurological and neurodegenerative conditions. This includes examining how characteristics such as sex, gender, age, racial/ethnic background, and disability intersect to influence disease/disorder prevalence, prevention, and outcomes.
The expected duration of the partnership is seven to ten years.
Projects funded by the European Partnership for Brain Health will be strongly encouraged to participate in networking and joint activities with relevant projects at European and national levels.
[1] In the context of the partnership, ‘brain health’ should be interpreted along the lines of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) definition (‘Brain health is the state of brain functioning across cognitive, sensory, social-emotional, behavioural and motor domains, allowing a person to realise their full potential over the life course, irrespective of the presence or absence of disorders’) and includes both neurological and mental health.
[3] https://health.ec.europa.eu/publications/comprehensive-approach-mental-health_en
[4] https://health.ec.europa.eu/medicinal-products/pharmaceutical-strategy-europe_en
[5] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32021R0522
[6] https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?langId=en&catId=89&furtherNews=yes&newsId=10382
[7] See definition of FAIR data in the introduction to this work programme part.
[8] https://health.ec.europa.eu/ehealth-digital-health-and-care/european-health-data-space_en
[9] https://www.brainhealth-partnership.eu
[10] https://ecrin.org
[11] https://eatris.eu
[13] https://www.bbmri-eric.eu
[14] https://www.eurobioimaging.eu
[15] https://gdi.onemilliongenomes.eu
[16] https://www.neurodegenerationresearch.eu
[17] https://www.neuron-eranet.eu
[18] https://www.humanbrainproject.eu/en
[19] https://ebrains.eu
[20] https://www.brainhealth-partnership.eu
[21] https://www.ebra.eu
Destination & Scope
Topics under this destination are directed towards the Key Strategic Orientation 3 “A more resilient, competitive, inclusive, and democratic Europe” of Horizon Europe’s strategic plan 2025-2027.
Research and Innovation supported under this destination should contribute to the following expected impact, set out in the strategic plan impact summary for the Health Cluster: “healthcare providers improve their ability to tackle and manage diseases (infectious diseases, including poverty-related and neglected diseases, non-communicable and rare diseases) thereby reducing the disease burden on patients and enabling healthcare systems to perform more effectively. It can be achieved through better understanding, prevention, diagnostics, treatment, management, and cure of diseases and their co- and multi-morbidities, more effective and innovative health technologies and medical countermeasures, better ability and preparedness to manage pandemic and/or epidemic outbreaks, and improved patient safety”.
Communicable and non-communicable diseases cause the greatest amounts of premature death and disabilities and pose a major health, societal and economic threat and burden in the EU and worldwide. Many people are still suffering from these diseases and too often dying prematurely. Although many of these diseases are preventable to a large extend, only around 6% of the healthcare budgets are currently spent on preventive measures[1]. Therefore, there is the urgent need to develop new public health interventions, preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, alternatives to antimicrobials, as well as to improve existing preparedness and response strategies to create tangible impacts, taking into account sex/gender-related issues. In this regard, Research and Innovation will require international cooperation to pool the best expertise and know-how available worldwide, to access world-class research infrastructures and to leverage critical scales of investments on priority needs through a better alignment with other funders of international cooperation in health Research and Innovation. The continuation of international partnerships and cooperation with international organisations is particularly needed to combat infectious diseases, to address brain health, to respond to public health needs, including the global burden of non-communicable diseases.
In this work programme part, Destination “Tackling diseases and reducing disease burden” will focus on major societal challenges linked to the Commission’s political priorities such as the fight against non-communicable and communicable diseases, mental health and better treatment of mental, behavioural and neurodevelopmental diseases, preparedness and response to and surveillance of health threats and epidemics, reduction and treatment of the number of antimicrobial-resistant infections. In particular, the topics under this destination will support activities aiming at: i) new effective treatment options for patients suffering from antimicrobial resistant (AMR) infections; ii) innovative therapeutic interventions and complementary approaches for patients suffering from mental, behavioural and neurodevelopmental disorders; iii) new prevention and treatment options for infectious diseases with epidemic potential; iv) Artificial Intelligence (AI) based tools and technologies for pandemic preparedness and response; v) implementation research on strengthening health systems in the context of non-communicable diseases; vi) supporting the Global Research Collaboration for Infectious Disease Preparedness; vii) setting up the European Partnership for Brain Health; and viii) supporting efforts of the European Partnership fostering a European Research Area for health research (ERA4Health)[2] in particular in funding large-scale multi-country Investigator-Initiated Clinical Studies (IICS) on various health interventions addressing important public health needs.
In view of increasing the impact of EU investments under Horizon Europe, the European Commission welcomes and supports cooperation between EU-funded projects to enable cross-fertilisation and other synergies. This could range from networking to joint activities such as the participation in joint workshops, the exchange of knowledge, the development and adoption of best practices, or joint communication activities. Opportunities for potential synergies exist between projects funded under the same topic but also between other projects funded under another topic, Cluster or pillar of Horizon Europe (but also with ongoing projects funded under Horizon 2020). In particular, this could involve projects related to European health research infrastructures (under pillar I of Horizon Europe), the EIC strategic challenges on health and EIT-KIC Health (under pillar III of Horizon Europe), or in areas cutting across the health and other Clusters (under pillar II of Horizon Europe). For instance, with Cluster 3 “Civil security for society” such as on health security/emergencies (preparedness and response, medical countermeasures, epidemic outbreaks/pandemics, natural disasters and technological incidents, bioterrorism); with Cluster 4 “Digital, Industry and Space” such as on AI-based tools and technologies (e.g. detection, management and monitoring of an epidemic at population levels, and the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention at the level of individuals); or with Cluster 6 “Food, bioeconomy, natural resources, agriculture and environment” such as on antimicrobial resistance - AMR (e.g. new effective treatment options, alternatives to antibiotics).
Some Research and Innovation actions under this destination should support the mission of the European Health Emergency and Response Authority (HERA) to strengthen Europe’s ability to prevent, detect, and rapidly respond to cross-border health emergencies by ensuring the availability and access to key medical countermeasures. Furthermore, synergies will be sought between this destination and the implementation of the EU4Health Programme (2021-2027)[3]. These synergies and complementarities could be achieved, notably through mechanisms based on feedback loops, enabling on the one hand to identify policy needs that should be prioritised in Research and Innovation actions and facilitating on the other hand the implementation of research results into policy actions and clinical practice, thereby providing an integrated response across sectors and policy fields.
Expected impacts:
Proposals for topics under this destination should set out a credible pathway to contributing to tackling diseases and reducing disease burden, and more specifically to several of the following impacts:
- Disease burden in the EU and worldwide is reduced through effective disease management, including through the development and integration of innovative preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, digital and other people-centred solutions for healthcare.
- Premature mortality from non-communicable diseases is reduced by one third (by 2030), mental health and wellbeing are promoted, and the voluntary targets of the WHO Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of NCDs[4] 2013-2020 are attained (by 2025), with an immediate impact on the related disease burden (Disability-Adjusted Life Years - DALYs)[5],[6],[7].
- Healthcare systems benefit from strengthened Research and Innovation expertise, human capacities and know-how for combatting communicable and non-communicable diseases, including through international cooperation.
- Citizens benefit from reduced (cross-border) health threat of epidemics and AMR pathogens, in the EU and worldwide[8],[9].
- Patients and citizens are knowledgeable of disease threats, involved and empowered to make and shape decisions for their health, and better adhere to knowledge-based disease management strategies and policies (especially for controlling outbreaks and emergencies).
The protection of European communication networks has been identified as an important security interest of the Union and its Member States. Entities that are assessed as high-risk suppliers[10] of mobile network communication equipment (and any entities they own or control) are not eligible to participate as beneficiaries, affiliated entities and associated partners to topics identified as “subject to restrictions for the protection of European communication networks”. Please refer to the Annex B of the General Annexes of this Work Programme for further details.
[1] Preventive healthcare expenditure as a share of the current expenditure on healthcare https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=File:Preventive_healthcare_expenditure_as_a_share_of_current_expenditure_on_healthcare,_2021_(%25)_HCE2024.png
_HCE2024.png){kind=link}
[3] https://health.ec.europa.eu/funding/eu4health-programme-2021-2027-vision-healthier-european-union_en
[4] Non-communicable diseases
[5] https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241506236
[6] Including for instance the following voluntary targets (against the 2010 baseline): A 25% relative reduction in the overall mortality from cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, or chronic respiratory diseases; Halt the rise in diabetes and obesity; An 80% availability of the affordable basic technologies and essential medicines, including generics, required to treat major non-communicable diseases in both public and private facilities.
[7] Disability-adjusted life year (DALY) is a quantitative indicator of overall disease burden, expressed as the number of years lost due to ill-health, disability or early death.
[8] WHO global action plan on antimicrobial resistance, 2015
[9] EU One Health Action Plan against AMR, 2017
[10] Entities assessed as “high-risk suppliers”, are currently set out in the second report on Member States’ progress in implementing the EU toolbox on 5G cybersecurity of 2023 (NIS Cooperation Group, Second report on Member States’ progress in implementing the EU Toolbox on 5G Cybersecurity, June 2023) and the related Communication on the implementation of the 5G cybersecurity toolbox of 2023 (Communication from the Commission: Implementation of the 5G cybersecurity Toolbox, Brussels, 15.6.2023 C(2023) 4049 final).
Eligibility & Conditions
General conditions
1. Admissibility Conditions, Proposal page limit and layout
2. Eligible Countries
Eligible Countries are described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.
A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.
3. Other Eligible Conditions
In recognition of the opening of the US National Institutes of Health’s programmes to European researchers, any legal entity established in the United States of America is eligible to receive Union funding. Because the US contribution will be considered for the calculation of the EU contribution to the partnership, the concerned consortium of research funders from eligible EU Members States and Associated Countries must expressly agree to this participation.
The following exceptions apply: subject to restrictions for the protection of European communication networks.
Other Eligible Conditions are described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.
4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion
Financial and operational capacity and exclusion are described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
5a. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds
Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.
5b. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes
The thresholds for each criterion will be 4 (Excellence), 4 (Impact) and 4 (Implementation). The cumulative threshold will be 12.
Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.
5c. Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement
Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.
6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants
Beneficiaries may provide financial support to third parties. The support to third parties can only be provided in the form of grants. Financial support provided by the participants to third parties is one of the primary activities of the action in order to be able to achieve its objectives. Given the type of action and its level of ambition, which could entail costly pilot clinical studies, the maximum amount to be granted to each third party is EUR 3.00 million. However, if the objectives of the action would otherwise be impossible or overly difficult (and duly justified in the proposal) the maximum amount may be higher.
The funding rate is up to 30% of the eligible costs.
Legal and financial set-up of the grants are described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Specific conditions
Specific conditions are described in the specific topic of the Work Programme.
Application and evaluation forms and additional documents:
Application and evaluation form templates
Standard application form (HE COFUND) - the application form specific to this call is available in the Submission System
Standard evaluation form (HE COFUND) - will be used with the necessary adaptations
Guidance
Model Grant Agreement (MGA)
Call-specific instructions
Additional documents
HE Main Work Programme 2025 – 1. General Introduction
HE Main Work Programme 2025 – 4. Health
HE Main Work Programme 2025 – 14. General Annexes
HE Framework Programme 2021/695
HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764
EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509
Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme
Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment
EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement
Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual
Support & Resources
Online Manual is your guide on the procedures from proposal submission to managing your grant.
Horizon Europe Programme Guide contains the detailed guidance to the structure, budget and political priorities of Horizon Europe.
Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ – find the answers to most frequently asked questions on submission of proposals, evaluation and grant management.
Research Enquiry Service – ask questions about any aspect of European research in general and the EU Research Framework Programmes in particular.
National Contact Points (NCPs) – get guidance, practical information and assistance on participation in Horizon Europe. There are also NCPs in many non-EU and non-associated countries (‘third-countries’).
Enterprise Europe Network – contact your EEN national contact for advice to businesses with special focus on SMEs. The support includes guidance on the EU research funding.
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CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk and ETSI Research Helpdesk – the European Standards Organisations advise you how to tackle standardisation in your project proposal.
The European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for their recruitment – consult the general principles and requirements specifying the roles, responsibilities and entitlements of researchers, employers and funders of researchers.
Partner Search help you find a partner organisation for your proposal.
Latest Updates
The results of the evaluation are as follows:
- Number of proposals submitted (including proposals transferred from or to other calls): 2
- Number of inadmissible proposals: 1
- Number of ineligible proposals: 0
- Number of above-threshold proposals: 1
- Total budget requested for above-threshold proposals: EUR 148,282,698.18
- Number of proposals retained for funding: 1
- Number of proposals in the reserve list: 0
- Funding threshold: 12
- Number of proposals with scores lower or equal to 15 and higher or equal to 14: 0
- Number of proposals with scores lower than 14 and higher or equal to 13: 0
- Number of proposals with scores lower than 13 and higher or equal to 12: 1
We recently informed the applicants about the evaluation results for their proposals.
For questions, please contact the Research Enquiry Service.
Please note that due to a technical issue, during the first days of publication of this call, the topic page did not display the description of the corresponding destination. This problem is now solved. In addition to the information published in the topic page, you can always find a full description of the relevant destination in the Work Programme 2025 part for "Health". Please select from the work programme the destination relevant to your topic and take into account the description and expected impacts of that destination for the preparation of your proposal.