Ethics First: Driving EU Project Success with Privanova’s Expert Advisory

Why Is Ethics Advisory Important for EU Projects?

In the dynamic landscape of EU-funded projects, particularly those granted within Horizon Europe, Erasmus, MSCA or ERC funding schemes - ethical considerations are paramount. As these projects often involve cutting-edge research and innovation, they must navigate a complex web of ethical challenges. The Ethics Appraisal Process in Horizon Europe is of particular interest. Ethical challenges cover a wide range of areas: from the involvement of Humans in research activities and the Processing of Personal Data, over Animal Welfare and inclusion of non-EU countries, to Environmental challenges and Artificial Intelligence.

In case your proposal successfully clears the initial scientific evaluations and goes to the funding stage, it will also, before you sign the Grant Agreement, be subjected to an initial ethics evaluation. This phase can end in ethics clearance (no ethics issues). The most common result, however, is Conditional Ethics Clearance - a situation where you are cleared to implement the research under the condition that you fulfill certain conditions.

One of the most common Ethics Requirements is to appoint an Ethics Advisor for your project, regardless of your field of research. This is required for projects in the fields of food sovereignty, illicit money transfers, artificial intelligence, clinical research, and so on.

Privanova's Ethics Advisory services are designed to ensure that your EU project adheres to the highest ethical standards within the EU Ethics Appraisal Scheme. They provide a structured approach to identifying, assessing, and mitigating ethical risks throughout the project lifecycle. By integrating ethics into the core of project planning and execution, these services help projects not only comply with legal requirements but also align with societal values and expectations.

Privanova’s Ethics Advisory Services: Ensuring Ethical Excellence in EU Projects

Privanova, with its extensive experience in managing EU-funded projects, offers comprehensive Ethics Advisory services tailored to the unique needs of each project. Our expert guidance empowers project coordinators, researchers, and stakeholders to effectively navigate ethical challenges, ensuring compliance at every stage of the project. From proposal drafting and grant agreement preparation to ethics checks and reviews, Privanova is your trusted partner in ensuring the highest standards of ethical compliance.

Ethics Compliance during the Proposal Drafting Stage

• Drafting content in Work Packages
• Drafting content for Description of Action chapters on Ethics, Privacy, Data Protection, Confidentiality and Security
• Performing Ethics Self-Assessment
• Identifying initial risks and filling of the Ethics Issues Table
• Connecting ethics aspects with the European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity (ECCRI)
• Addressing the Horizon Europe Data Management Plan from an Ethics Perspective
• Pre-submission proposal evaluation

Ethics Compliance during the Grant Agreement Preparation (GAP)

• Assisting the Project Coordinator navigate the EU Ethics Appraisal Process and its Main Reference Documents
• Translating EC's Ethics requirements into actionable items for the consortium partners to understand and be able to implement and comply with
• Drafting Ethics deliverables
• Providing ad-hoc advice on any Ethics, Privacy & Data Protection issue
• Supporting the project Coordinator and partners

Ethics Compliance during the Implementation Phase

• Addressing the Conditional Clearance your project received
• Translating EC's Ethics requirements into actionable items for the consortium partners to understand and be able to implement and comply with
• Drafting Ethics deliverables
• Drafting Ethics Reports for the EC and participating in Review Meetings
• Participating in the project Risk Management component
• Acting as an Ethics Advisor for the project
• Helping you establish an Ethics Advisory Board, and chairing it if needed
• Ensuring compliance of project outcomes with the GDPR and other regulations
• Implementing the Privacy by Design Approach
• Performing Privacy Impact Assessments
• Ensuring compliance of project events, and submitting consent forms to the EC
• Organising Ethics & Confidentiality Screening of deliverables and project communications before publication
• Providing ad-hoc advice on any Ethics, Privacy & Data Protection issue

Interested in collaborating?

For expert Ethics Advisory services, reach out at contact@privanova.com