This report presents the results of a comprehensive survey exploring how Horizon Europe’s legal, financial and administrative rules function in practice. Conducted within the Horizon Academy (NCP4HE) project, the survey gathered 1,360 valid responses from beneficiaries across EU Member States and Associated Countries, representing coordinators, research managers, administrators and researchers directly involved in project implementation.

The publication provides an evidence-based analysis of beneficiaries’ experience with key aspects of Horizon Europe, including grant agreements, consortium agreements, personnel costs, other direct cost categories, simplified funding schemes (notably lump sum funding), the Funding & Tenders Portal, and horizontal requirements such as IP management and open science.

By combining empirical survey data with the applied expertise of Legal & Financial National Contact Points (L&F NCPs), the report identifies areas where simplification measures are perceived as effective, as well as aspects where administrative burden, legal uncertainty or implementation challenges persist.

The findings contribute to ongoing discussions on programme simplification and provide relevant empirical input for the design of the next EU Framework Programme (FP10, 2028–2034). The report serves as a practical reference for beneficiaries, policymakers and European Commission services seeking to improve clarity, coherence and user experience in EU research funding.

Recommended citation:
Chvojková, L., & Trillidou, M. (Eds.) (2026). Horizon Europe’s Legal, Financial & Administrative Rules – A Report on their Practical Use. Horizon Academy (NCP4HE). Technology Centre Prague. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18786447