Background and Issue in Question
The Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions (MSCA) Horizon Europe model grant agreement (MSCA MGA) stipulates specific criteria that the recruiting organisations must comply with regarding recruitment and working conditions. A question has arisen as to the applicability of these conditions for researchers funded under the Horizon Europe guarantee.
Clarification
The Horizon Europe guarantee will follow as closely as possible the standard Horizon Europe funding rules set out in the Horizon Europe Model Grant Agreement (HE MGA). For MSCA, this includes the need to follow the MSCA eligibility rules for the recruited researchers and staff members as well as following the specific obligations related to recruitment (Article 18 MSCA MGA, page 97), contract requirements (Article 6 MSCA MGA), and working conditions (Article 18 MSCA MGA, page 97).
The recruitment process or Doctoral Networks (DN) and COFUND must ensure:
- Publish vacancies internationally, at least on the EURAXESS Jobs Portal;
- An open, transparent, impartial, equitable and merit-based recruitment process;
- Selection committees must bring together diverse expertise;
- No conflict of interest;
- The gross salary must be listed in the job advert;
- Recruitment process must be in line with the European Charter, and Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers; and
- Organisations must assist applicants in administrative procedures related to the recruitment.
The employment contract for Postdoctoral Fellowships (PF), Doctoral Networks (DN) and COFUND must include:
- The name of the supervisor(s);
- Starting date and duration;
- The monthly support in euro and, if relevant, the currency the recruited fellows will be paid in;
- How any underpay due to exchange rate will be accounted for;
- The obligation of the researcher to work exclusively for the action, unless part time working has been approved by the funder;
- The working pattern of the researcher;
- The arrangements related to the intellectual property rights;
- The obligation of the researcher to inform their supervisor, host organisation(s) and project coordinator as soon as possible about events or circumstances that are likely to impact the implementation of the project or the obligations of the grant agreement;
- The obligation of the researcher to maintain confidentiality;
- The obligation to ensure the visibility of EU funding (with the exception of Postdoctoral Fellowships funded under the UKRI Horizon Europe Guarantee); and
- Where set out in the call conditions, the obligation of the researcher to carry out a mandatory return period of 12 months.
Working conditions for recruited researchers and staff of awarded Postdoctoral Fellowships (PF), Doctoral Networks (DN), COFUND or Staff Exchange (SE):
- Researchers and staff should enjoy at least the same standards and working conditions as those applicable to local researchers in a similar position, this requirement includes standards and working conditions while on any secondments;
- Researchers and staff must be adequately supervised;
- Researchers and staff must receive training and have the necessary means for implementing the action;
- Researchers and staff must be informed of their MSCA rights and obligations and receive a copy of the grant agreement;
- Researchers and staff must have access to background and results needed for their activities under the action;
- All participants must be aware of the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers;
- SE: seconded staff must be informed of the description, conditions, location and timetable for the implementation of the secondment(s);
- SE: it must be ensured that seconded staff are reintegrated after the secondment;
- SE: it must be ensured that the seconded staff are covered by an adequate medical insurance scheme while on secondment;
- SE: staff are aware of the arrangements related to the intellectual property rights;
- PF, DN and COFUND: the beneficiary must ensure that a career development plan is established and updated; and
- PF, DN and COFUND: the recruiting organisation must host the researcher at its premises.