H2020 success rate: top-five countries

H2020, the biggest EU research and innovation funding programme ever, is facing its last three years (2018, 2019 and 2020) before it comes to an end and is substituted by upcoming FP9. The vast majority of this funding is allocated on the basis of competitive calls which are open to applications from researchers, businesses and other interested organisations located in any of the EU States or associated third countries.

So far, country participation has been high and the specific success rates have varied depending on the participant country. Considering H2020 from the start and all EU financial contribution, top-five countries in terms of succes rate have been Belgium (17,20%), France (17,00%), Austria (16,5%), The Netherlands (16,30%) and Germany (16,00%).

Whereas Belgium leverages on academia-business cooperation to achieve this success rate, France strenght lies on R&D intensity of medium-high-tech manufacturing, which is among the highest in the EU. There is no unique succesful strategy, but only a common goal: to underpin a well-functioning R&D system.