In Horizon 2020, a General Model Grant Agreement (General MGA) for Research and Innovation Actions (RIA), Innovation Actions (IA) and Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) as well as specific Model Grant Agreements for particular project types (e.g. ERC, MSCA, SME-Instrument; the particularities of these special contracts are indicated at the beginning of the respective contract) are provided.
The majority of the provisions of the MGA cannot be altered. Some details may however be individually agreed with the EU Commission during the grant preparation phase (e.g. start date of the project, amount of pre-financing). Furthermore, the MGA contains "default rules" which may be modified by the consortium in the Consortium Agreement (CA) (e.g. some provisions applicable to intellectual property).
The MGA also includes different options. These are special provisions that do not apply to all projects. The options applicable to the relevant project are printed in italics in the GA.
Structure of the General MGA
- Preamble – Participants
- Chapter 1 – General
- Chapter 2 – Action (name, acronym, start and duration of project etc.)
- Chapter 3 – Grant (max. amount and calculation of grant, funding rate(s), eligible costs)
- Chapter 4 – Rights and obligations of the parties (e.g. third party costs, documentation obligations, reporting and payments, checks/reviews/audits and management of intellectual property)
- Chapter 5 – Division of roles and responsibilities (within the consortium)
- Chapter 6 – Rejection of costs, reduction of the grant etc.
- Chapter 7 – Final provisions
- Annex 1 – Description of the action (DoA)
- Annex 2 – Estimated budget
- Annex 3 – Accession Forms
- Annex 4 – Model for the financial statements
- Annex 5 – Model for the certificate on the financial statements (CFS)
- Annex 6 – Model for the certificate on the methodology (CoMUC)
JTIs and article 185 initiatives
Joint Technology Initiatives (JTIs): IMI, Clean Sky 2, Fuel Cells and Hydrogen 2 (FCH), Bio-Based Industries (BBI), EPoSS, ECSEL, Shift2Rail, SESAR
Article 185 Initiatives: AAL, EUREKA-Eurostars, EMRP, EDCTP, Bonus
For questions please contact your thematic NCP.
The FFG has compiled a comparison document highlighting the differences between the MGA for the individual initiative and the General MGA (see "Downloads", in German only).
- in the information graph of the EU Commission "H2020 Grant Lifecycle"