Part A: Gender Equality Plan (GEP)
In Horizon Europe proposals, gender considerations are split into two key sections, each with a distinct purpose and placement: Part A: Gender Equality Plan (GEP) and Part B: Gender Dimension in the Research and Innovation Content. This article will focus on Part A.
In recent years, the European Union has made significant strides towards enacting gender equality across its initiatives, and Horizon Europe is no exception. For researchers and innovators, understanding how to effectively integrate gender considerations into their project proposals is not only crucial for enhancing compliance, quality, and impact, but it is also mandatory to submit a Gender Equality Plan (GEP). If your organisation is a public body, research organisation or higher education establishment, you must meet this requirement to be considered for funding. The focus of the plan is to demonstrate your institution’s structural commitment to gender equality. This guide provides a comprehensive checklist and insights for developing and implementing a GEP and navigating gender equality requirements within Horizon Europe.
What is a GEP?
A Gender Equality Plan (GEP) outlines measures designed to advance gender equality, including equity for women, men, and gender-diverse individuals, by fostering institutional and cultural transformation within research and innovation (R&I) organisations. In Part A, you simply indicate whether your organization has a Gender Equality Plan (GEP) in place. This is a checkbox confirmation, and no further details about the GEP are provided here. This section does not evaluate the content of the GEP but ensures that your institution has the required structural framework.
Which organisations is GEP mandatory for when applying for Horizon Europe funding?
For Horizon Europe proposals the Gender Equality Plan (GEP) is a mandatory step in Part A of the proposal for the following types of organisations: public bodies, encompassing research funding organisations, national ministries, and other public authorities, including public for-profit entities. It also includes higher education institutions (both public and private) and research organisations (both public and private) located in EU Member States or associated countries. Private-for-profit entities like SMEs, NGOs, and CSOs are excluded from this mandate. The GEP eligibility criterion applies to legal entities applying as beneficiaries and affiliated entities. Organisations from non-associated third countries do not need to have a GEP.
How to show you have a Gender Equality Plan GEP at the proposal stage?
When applying for Horizon Europe funding, organisations subject to the GEP requirement must verify their compliance by submitting a self-declaration in the Participant Registration phase. This involves completing an online questionnaire that covers the four essential elements (building blocks) and the five recommended themes of a GEP. The organisation’s authorised representative (LEAR) is responsible for completing the questionnaire. Generally, this declaration only needs to be submitted once during the registration of an organisation in the entire Horizon Europe programme unless there are changes to the organisation’s legal status. Organisations must provide a public link to their GEP document and complete the questionnaire during registration to proceed. For your reference, you can find the GEP questionnaire within the Participant Register section of the portal.
No GEP? Consequences for Grant award for your project!
If a project partner for whom the GEP is mandatory declares that they don’t have a Gender Equality Plan (GEP) at the stage of Grant Agreement signature, or during compliance checks carried out for first-time participants carried out by the Commission, they cannot take part in a Horizon Europe project. The European Commission carries out random checks to make sure all partners follow the rules. If a partner is found non-compliant, they will be removed from the project following standard procedures. Before this happens, they will receive a warning letter giving them a chance to respond. Any costs they incurred up to the termination date will still be covered. Removing a partner only affects that organisation, not the entire team. However, if the partner played a key role in the project, their removal could put the whole project at risk and might even lead to its cancellation if the partner expertise is not covered by another partner or a new partner.
It is important to note that an organisation may not yet have a GEP at proposal submission stage, but it must have a GEP in place at the time of the Grant Agreement signature.
Are there exemptions for GEP for certain types of projects, or certain parts of Horizon Europe?
No, the Gender Equality Plan (GEP) requirement is a standard across all areas of Horizon Europe and isn’t specific to any particular funding type or programme section. It’s about the organisations applying for funding. If an organisation falls into one of the three categories that require a GEP, then they must comply, no matter which part of Horizon Europe they’re applying to. This includes organisations hosting researchers with ERC or MSCA grants; they must also meet the GEP requirement to be eligible for funding.
Your GEP must-haves: 4 Key Requirements
A GEP must meet four mandatory process-related requirements: it should be a formal document publicly available and endorsed by senior management; allocate dedicated resources and expertise for implementation; include data collection disaggregated by sex, gender, and other relevant identity factors, with annual monitoring; and provide training on gender equality and unconscious biases for staff and decision-makers.
The 5 key themes a GEP addresses
The GEP typically addresses topics like work-life balance, combating gender-based violence, and fostering diversity in leadership positions. It should outline concrete measures and targets addressing five key content-related themes: 1. Work-life balance and organisational culture; 2. Gender balance in leadership and decision-making; 3. Equity in recruitment and career progression, ensuring the inclusion of underrepresented and gender-diverse groups; 4. Integration of gender perspectives into research and teaching; and, 5. Measures against gender-based violence, including sexual harassment.
The Gender Equality Plan (GEP) is intended for institutions to develop and implement. When submitting a funding application, applicants simply need to indicate “yes” or “no” regarding whether their institution has a GEP in place. Research institutions without a GEP will be disqualified. For those with a GEP, they can proceed with the application and are encouraged to integrate inclusive gender considerations throughout. Addressing gender-related issues comprehensively—considering the needs of women, men, and gender-diverse individuals—can earn additional points in the evaluation process. See our next post to find out more.
In Part B of a Horizon Europe proposal, the gender dimension is evaluated as part of the project’s scientific excellence and is typically addressed in Section 1.2 (Methodology). This section explores the integration of an intersectional gender analysis in research, including its impact on methodology, data collection, evaluation, and expected outcomes focussed largely on user needs. Stay tuned for more tips on how to strengthen your proposal’s gender dimension!
About the authors
Anna Palaiologk, the founder of Future Needs, is a Research & Innovation Consultant with 18 years of experience. She has worked as a project Coordinator and Work Package leader in 30+ EU projects and has authored 50+ successful proposals. Her research background is in economics, business development and policy-making.
Lee Ingleton is an Innovation Project Manager and Gender Dimension Consultant at Future Needs, driving high-impact research and securing funding for transformative projects. With expertise in transfeminist gender research, socio-economic analysis, climate resilience, data management, and ethics, Lee leads initiatives that shape policy, advance equity, and foster systemic change.
