During the first period, a major activity was to launch the JTC 2017, evaluate the submitted proposals and select the projects recommended for funding. 23 projects could be selected, representing a total requested funding of 14.2 M€. This represents an overall 33% success rate in term of the number of projects. Regular exchanges with the two Flagships took place at the occasion of FLAG-ERA workshop or Flagship events.
The work carried out during the second period was centred around the following activities:
1. Manage FLAG-ERA II project, in parallel with FLAG-ERA III project (WP 1);
- Maintaining the momentum of the FLAG-ERA – Flagship Core Project collaboration. Its quality has been increasing over the years and is excellent.
- The coordination of the coordinated response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The activities in FLAG-ERA were adapted without difficulty to the new context created by the pandemic. The consortium of FLAG-ERA successfully established a coordinated procedure to support the funded projects.
2. Work in cooperation with the Flagship Core Projects (WPs 6 & 7)
- Implement and improve the association mechanisms between FLAG-ERA funded projects and respective Flagships.
- Analyse the research landscape in the domains of the Flagships, considering the needs of the respective Flagships. Two analysis for each Flagship were produced. In both cases, their design was co-constructed with the concerned Flagship.
- Select the research areas for the JTC 2019 and the JTC 2021. The topics were selected consensually and with the objective to meet the expectations of the Flagship Core Projects and FLAG-ERA funding organisations.
3. Manage FLAG-ERA website and communicate about FLAG-ERA activities (WP 5)
The website proved useful to manage the daily work of the consortium of FLAG-ERA. The publicly accessible website contains pages on the objectives of FLAG‐ERA, its partners and associates, thematic research domains, events, publications and reports, links to related initiatives including the Flagships, and contact points.
4. Concentrate on the follow-up and monitoring of the JTC 2015 (WP 8), JTC 2016 (WP 9) and JTC 2017 (WP 4)
FLAG-ERA II aimed also at maximising the impact of FLAG-ERA I joint transnational calls (JTC 2015 and JTC 2016) by facilitating proper implementation of the funded projects (for the JTC 2015 and the JTC 2016) and smooth integration of them to the Flagships activities (for the JTC 2015 only).
5. Broaden the coverage of the Flagships (WP 10)
FLAG-ERA II dedicated an important effort to contribute to deployment of the FET Flagship concept aiming at structuring the broadest European research community around a defined scientific and technological challenge.
6. Assess the impact of FLAG-ERA II (WP 10)
FLAG-ERA II succeeded in bringing together funding organisations, covering a very important share of Europe. The JTC 2017 assembled a budget of 20 M€, larger than the budget of the JTC 2015. FLAG-ERA II reinforced the connections between the projects of the JTC 2017 and between the projects of the respective Flagship Core Projects. FLAG-ERA II contributed to improving the association mechanisms. Moreover, FLAG-ERA II contributed to promote the Flagship concept among other multilateral initiatives. It also succeeded in shaping a follow-up project with FLAG-ERA III. Moreover, it happened that many outstanding projects resulted from the JTC 2017.
