Nearly 200 Participants Discussed Horizon Europe Implementation with the European Commission

On 15 June 2026, TC Prague, in cooperation with the European Commission and Charles University, organised the seminar Mastering Horizon Europe Projects: Simplification, Management and Controls, focusing on current developments and practical aspects of Horizon Europe project implementation.

The event brought together nearly 200 research managers, financial officers and other representatives of research organisations. The programme featured presentations by European Commission representatives Alison Imrie and Sara Capruzzi (DG RTD) and Harald Schmid (Common Audit Service), followed by extensive discussion with participants.

The seminar addressed a broad range of topics, including the simplification in 2026–2027 Work Programme, lump sum funding, financial audits, project reporting, amendments during project implementation, personnel costs and new developments in the Funding & Tenders Portal. Particular attention was given to lump sum projects, one of the most frequently discussed topics in the current implementation of Horizon Europe.

One of the highlights of the event was the open dialogue with the European Commission. Through Slido, participants submitted more than 60 questions, which received a total of 489 votes. The Commission representatives addressed not only practical financial and administrative issues but also broader questions related to simplification efforts.

The seminar was followed the next day by an informal meeting between representatives of the European Commission and key Czech stakeholders from research-performing organisations, universities and public authorities. The discussion provided an opportunity to share practical experiences from Horizon Europe implementation and to exchange views on possible future improvements.

We would like to thank Charles University for hosting the event in the historic Karolinum and the European Commission for its active engagement with the Czech research community.

Presentations from the event are available here.