There is no need to be a BIC member to participate in CBE JU projects. Calls are ‘open’, the same as they were under the BBI JU.
However, for the CBE JU calls, a new ‘award criterion’ has been integrated into the evaluation process under ‘Impact’: it has to be ensured that the level of in-kind contribution to operational activities (IKOP) defined in the project proposal (as a % of total eligible cost of the project) is a minimum 15% for IA-Demo projects and 20% for IA-Flagship projects.
IKOP are contributions by BIC and its members, consisting of the eligible costs incurred by them in implementing indirect actions, less the contribution from the CBE JU to those costs (grant received by the BIC member).
In this way, the in-kind contributions and additional activities will be officially recognised as IKOP and IKAA, and will be part of the 1 billion EUR commitment that the private partner has made.
Consequently, a majority, and by preference all, of the participating companies in Innovation Actions should be, or should become, a BIC Industry (full) member.