EUREKA is an intergovernmental organisation with 41 countries and the European Union as members. The initiative aims at promoting international cooperation in applied and market-oriented industrial Research & Development. The organisation was established in 1985 to strengthen the competitiveness of the European industry by facilitating the elaboration and financing of projects for the development of new products, processes or services. In a EUREKA project, the partners themselves determine the partnership, the content and timing of their project. The international budget of a EUREKA project is at least € 500,000 (indicative), divided equally between the partners.

A network EUREKA project is set up by the industrial partners (at least 2 independent partners from 2 different member states). For financial support, the individual partners can address their own national or regional authorities. Partners from the Flemish Region can call upon VLAIO for their participation in a project.

A development project or a research project can receive funding for cooperation when it is carried out as a Flemish sub-project in a EUREKA project. Such a project requires different procedures:

• the application for the EUREKA label: an international evaluation procedure which judges quality according to EUREKA standards. This procedure starts with the submission of a completed EUREKA Project Form, downloadable from the EUREKA website;
• Funding applications per participating member state, following to the guidelines of the relevant authorities for the member state in question. Flemish companies can address VLAIO.

The Flemish sub-project is eligible for funding for cooperation if:

• the project obtains the EUREKA label;
• the partners have submitted a signed international Consortium Agreement;
• at least 2 member states of the European Union participate in the project;
• none of the companies must account for more than 70% of the costs of the cooperation project.

An overview of EUREKA projects, with a technical description and identification of the partners, can be found at: www.eurekanetwork.org. You can look up projects based on sectors, participating partners or keywords. The website also gives an overview of conferences and partnering events, publications, links, and the details of foreign contacts who give information on financial support and guidance.

Funding by VLAIO

For this purpose, the support channels for research and development projects for companies are used, including the extension to pilot and demonstration projects. A Flemish participant must, in addition to the EUREKA application, submit a digital application for a research or development project to VLAIO. Here you indicate 'international project' and download the accompanying template.

Documents for submission

• EUREKA manual
• Template for the initial project proposals or 'project outlines' in the framework of a EUREKA call.

In addition to network projects, the Eureka network has two more instruments: Clusters and Eurostars.

Within Eureka there are a number of thematic clusters that organise annual calls to submit projects. Eureka Clusters are large industrial networks that work together on, for example, telecom, software and smart manufacturing.

More information on these clusters and their specific procedures:

• Celtic-Next cluster on next-generation communications
• ITEA4 cluster on software innovation and digital transition
• SMART cluster on advanced manufacturing
• Xecs cluster on Electronic Components and Systems and Applications (Merger of former Euripides cluster and Penta cluster)
• Eurogia 2030 cluster for low carbon technology solutions

EUROSTARS is an innovation programme, set up in 2008 by EUREKA. It was developed in cooperation with the European Commission and aims at Research & Development projects by SMEs. EUROSTARS provides a centralised submission and evaluation procedure, but the partners are funded by the authorities of the participating member states, who set a fixed annual funding budget in advance. Partners from the Flemish Region can be funded according to the provisions of the VLAIO programme for Development and Research Projects. More information on Eurostars can be found on: www.eurostars-eureka.eu.

A question specifically about Eureka? Contact lieve.apers@vlaio.be.