Each part of Horizon Europe proposals are evaluated in a different manner. Part A is going through an eligibility check and Part B is evaluated by European Commission (EC) external experts on specific criteria.

Part A, which is made of administrative data, is evaluated internally by the EC according to eligibility criteria. If the proposal is considered eligible according to the evaluation of Part A, external independent experts hired by the EC evaluate the Part B of the proposal. It is a quality evaluation based on specific evaluation criteria.

The three main sections of Part B are being evaluated: the Excellence, the Impact, and the Quality and efficiency of the implementation. Each sections get a score from 0-5. Strengths and weaknesses are being evaluated.

Click here to download an example of the proposal evaluation form you will receive after your proposal has been evaluated.

Before starting the evaluation process, the evaluators are briefed on:

• the evaluation processes and procedures (including award criteria)
• the content of the topics under consideration
• the need to evaluate proposals as they were submitted, rather than their potential should certain changes be made
• for outside experts: the terms of their contract (confidentiality, impartiality, conflicts of interest, completing tasks and approving reports, penalties for non-compliance, etc.)

For most EU programmes, there is no scope for recommending improvements to proposals (including improvements on the budget).

For more information about the evaluation of Horizon Europe proposals, check the EC Online Manual.