The REA reorganises to take on the new mandate - Hoofdinhoud

As of 1 May, the Research Executive Agency (REA) has a new organisation chart. The new setup was necessary for the Agency after the Commission decided in December 2013 to increase the REA’s role under Horizon 2020, the biggest EU’s Research and Innovation framework programme ever, with €79 billion in funding available from 2014 to 2020.

As of 2014, the REA will manage a large share of research and innovation projects funded under Horizon 2020, in each of the programme's three main pillars Excellent Science, Industrial Leadership and Societal Challenges, as well as the programme’s two cross-cutting themes, Science with and for Society,and Spreading Excellence and Widening Participation. The REA will also oversee the running of a large number of ongoing projects from the 7th Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7, 2007-13).

In addition, the Agency will provide administrative and logistical support services (such as participant validation, and expert management) to the whole of Horizon 2020 as well as certain other programmes such as Erasmus+. To reflect these elements, the REA now has three departments: Excellent Science; Industrial Leadership and Societal Challenges; and Administration, Finance and Support Services.

The Agency will gradually take over the new actions in 2014 and early 2015, as it builds up the capacity to manage them. The internal reorganisation is an important stepto effectively undertake the new mandate.