With Horizon 2020, the Union aims at strengthening the European scientific and technological base and fostering benefits for society as well as better exploitation of the economic and industrial potential of policies of innovation, research and technological development. In fact, it is essential that the public resources and efforts used in research are converted into socio-economic benefits to the EU. For this reason Horizon 2020 establishes commitments from the participants in terms of dissemination and exploitation of the projects’ results, including their protection through intellectual property.

This fact sheet therefore intends to assist applicants in Horizon 2020 with the management of intellectual property in the proposal stage of their project. Even though Horizon 2020 research and innovation activities are implemented through different forms of funding, particularly grants, prizes, procurement and financial instruments, this fact sheet deals solely with grants. This fact sheet is the first of a series of three fact sheets dealing with the management of intellectual property in the different stages of a Horizon 2020 project.