The Commission has published a report with the main findings from its public consultation on the Funding & Tender Opportunities Portal (FTOP), which is the main gateway to 62 past and present EU funding programmes, including Horizon Europe.
As reported by UKRO last May, this consultation intended to gather users’ feedback on how the current FTOP set-up can be improved. Users were asked to detail their overall experience of using the portal in its current shape and offer their suggestions, for example, on its technical aspects or its design.
The latest report provides some key figures on the FTOP and its two million registered users and lists the key improvements sought by them. These include:
- Personalised notifications of new funding opportunities and event deadlines;
- A personal library of applications/documents;
- Possibility to save search queries and filters; and
- Access to personalised dashboards with selected items from the Portal.
Finally, the report highlights the next steps that the Commission will take to make the FTOP more user-friendly. These include:
- A recommendation system based on the client’s preferences and field of interest;
- Upgraded search tool to increase the accuracy of searches;
- ‘Get started pack’ to support easy navigation;
- Revamping the overall look and feel of the Portal; and
- In the long term, developing a mobile app to offer easy access to the key functionalities.