The European Commission is mobilising €123 million for four new calls under Horizon Europe, for urgent research into coronavirus variants.
The new calls complement earlier actions to develop treatments and vaccines by organising and conducting clinical trials to advance the development of promising therapeutics and vaccines against SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19. They will support the development of large scale, COVID-19 cohorts and networks beyond Europe’s borders, forging links with European initiatives, as well as reinforce the infrastructures needed to share data, expertise, research resources and expert services among researchers and research organisations.
The calls were open on 13 April and the deadline for submission has been extended to the 11. May 2021:
- FAIR and open data sharing in support to European preparedness for COVID-19 and other infectious diseases
- Research infrastructure services for rapid research responses to COVID-19 and other infectious disease epidemics
- Vaccines & therapeutic clinical trials to boost COVID-19 prevention and treatment
- Cohorts united against COVID-19 variants of concern
As a general principle, the calls are open globally including the participation from China. The call no. 2 Research infrastructure services for rapid research responses to COVID-19 and other infectious disease epidemics, specifically highlights the participation of Chinese legal entities, among other countries, and their exceptional eligibility for funding.