For more information: ec.europa.eu/research/participants/data/ref/h2020/grants_manual/amga/h2020-amga_en.pdf . Horizon 2020 has a General Model Grant Agreement (General Mga) contract for research and innovation actions (RIA), innovation actions (AI) and coordination and assistance actions (CSA) as well as specific model contracts for certain types of projects. The derogations of the GAs specific to the ERC, MSCA, the SME instrument in relation to the general GA are reported at the beginning of the contract. The grant agreement is the contract between the European Commission and the project`s proponents. It consists of a basic agreement and several annexes. The basic agreement includes legal and financial provisions for the completion of research projects. For simplification purposes, there is only one standard financial assistance agreement under Horizon 2020 for all Horizon 2020 projects. Most of the provisions of the GA are immutable. However, certain details can be agreed individually with the European Commission/financing agency during the preparation of the contract, such as the start of the project and the amount of pre-financing. The grant agreement enters into force in accordance with Article 58 of the grant agreement as soon as it is signed by the coordinator or commission, depending on the subsequent signature. As a general rule, the last signature is affixed by the Commission.

In addition, the MGA contains “default regulations” that the consortium can amend in the consortium contract. Such room for manoeuvre for the divergent agreements of the project partners exists mainly in the field of intellectual property. The launch and duration of the project are defined in the Section 3 (Duration of Project) grant agreement. Unless otherwise stated, the project is launched on the first day of the month following the entry into force of the grant agreement. The Horizon 2020 grant agreement includes the basic agreement providing legal and financial provisions for the completion of research projects. This fundamental agreement is much more important than the basic treaty and Schedule II of the seventh research framework programme. The current horizon 2020 key agreement is practically a summary of the basic treaty of the Seventh Research Framework Programme, Annex II and the Financial Guide. As a result, many provisions of the old financial guide have become a direct contractual element within the framework of Horizon 2020. The MGA also contains different options. These are special choices or provisions that do not apply to all projects.

The applicable options are printed in italics in the GS of the concrete project. The grant agreement is concluded by the electronic signature of the coordinator (i.e. the coordinating body, represented by a person authorized to sign the signature, LSIGN) and the Commission.