The Helmholtz Office Brussels

The Brussels Office helps increasing the participation of Helmholtz Centres in EU programmes such as Horizon Europe. With our services, we support intensifying and expanding networks and research collaboration in Europe and beyond.

Helmholtz in Europe

Shaping a sustainable future for Europe strongly depends on collaborating in research – because societal challenges do not end at borders. Therefore, Helmholtz supports the concept of the European Research Area.

Our services

For our Helmholtz Centers, we offer amongst others:

Information and analyses: on work programmes and calls for proposals in the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation.
Consulting: center-specific, both legal-administrative and research-related
Representation of interests: events (in presence and virtually), (coordinated) statements and position papers
Targeted, individual ERC coaching for three funding lines
A hub in the EU heart of Brussels: two conference rooms with video conferencing systems, plus guest workstations

Positions

February

Contribution to the triple consultation of Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe and the strategic planning 2025 – 2027

Policy considerations on the orientation of the EU framework prowgramme for research and innovation

Legal, financial and implementation aspects

Thematic considerations regarding the research focus for the framework programme (strategic planning)

G6 position on the situation in Iran
(with CNR, CNRS, CSIC, Leibniz Association and Max Planck Society)

April

G6 White Paper: The Future of European Research (Outcome of the high-level Ringberg Meeting organised by the G6)

September

G6 Statement on the EU UK Deal
(with CNR, CNRS, CSIC, Leibniz Association and Max Planck Society)

December

G6 Statement on New Genomic Techniques: In-depth statement on the NGT proposal by the European Commission
(with CNR, CNRS, CSIC, Leibniz Association and Max Planck Society)
July

Helmholtz contribution to the „Horizon Europe – interim evaluation“

April

G6 Statement in support of the Stick to Science Initiative
(on the association of UK and Switzerland to Horizon Europe - with CNR, CNRS, CSIC, Leibniz Association and Max Planck Society)

March

G6 Statement on the Russian invasion of Ukraine
(with CNR, CNRS, CSIC, Leibniz Association and Max Planck Society)
December

G6 Statement on Open Science
(with CNR, CNRS, CSIC, Leibniz Association and Max Planck Society)

March

G6 Declaration on Freedom of Research
(with CNR, CNRS, CSIC, Leibniz Association and Max Planck Society)

February

Statement on the "European Health Emergengy Preparedness and Response Authority"
November

G6 Declaration: Fundamental research is the basis for Europe’s competitiveness
(with CNR, CNRS, CSIC, Leibniz Association and Max Planck Society)

July

Reaction to the proposal to cut Horizon Europe
G6 Open Letter to the President of the European Council: European decision makers must do better
(with CNR, CNRS, CSIC, Leibniz Association and Max Planck Society)

Helmholtz Statement:
"Pharmaceutical Strategy - Timely patient access to affordable medicines"

June

G6 Declaration: Research budget in the EU's Multiannual Financial Framework
(with CNR, CNRS, CSIC, Leibniz Association and Max Planck Society)

May

Helmholtz Contribution:
"Guidelines for the Realignment of the European Research Area 2020"

Helmholtz Contribution:
The “European Green Deal”: Research is key to achieve the goals

April

First "ERAvsCorona" Action Plan - Comments by the Helmholtz Association

G6 Declaration: The future of research in Europe depends on the success of the ERC
(with CNR, CNRS, CSIC, Leibniz Association and Max Planck Society)

March
Helmholtz Position on the "Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan" published by the European Commission
November

G6 Declaration: Knowledge is Europe’s engine
(with CNR, CNRS, CSIC, Leibniz Association and Max Planck Society)

August

Key Messages for Research Infrastructures in “Horizon Europe”

April

Position Papers on FP9 - related to the Helmholtz Research Fields
Research Field Energy
Research Field Earth and Environment
Research Field Health
Research Field Key Technologies

March

New Position Paper on FP9
“Seizing the opportunities of European research beyond 2020”

Suggestions for Missions in FP9
Missions for European research beyond 2020 - Suggestions by the Helmholtz Association
(Update of the document published in Nov/Dec 2017)

Ioannis Legouras

Head of the Brussels Office

Alexandra-Sonja Lawson

• Assistant to the Head of Brussels Office
• Office administration, conference room

Andreas Krell

Delegate for the Research Field Earth and Environment

Holger Ihssen

• Delegate for the Research Field Energy
• European Energy Research Alliance (EERA)

Anna Cattani-Scholz

• Delegate for the Research Field Information
• ERC

Jens Jäger

• Delegate for the Research Field Health
• EIC

Nicolas Villacorta

• Delegate for the Research Field Matter
• Research infrastructures in the EU

Barbara Geilen

Office Management/Assistant to Delegates

Dorothea Kapitza

• Attorney
• DESCA

Kristine August

PR & Public Affairs Manager

Achieving more together: The G6 network

The G6 network unites six large multidisciplinary European Research Performing Organisations: the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), the Helmholtz Association, the Leibniz-Gemeinschaft and the Max-Planck-Gesellschaft. Together, the G6 represent more than 140 000 professionals.

More information - the G6 website

A special service: The DESCA Agreement

The signature of a Consortium Agreement between the partners of a research project is mandatory for most EU research projects. DESCA (Development of a Simplified Consortium Agreement) is a comprehensive Model Consortium Agreement for such projects; the Helmholtz Office Brussels co-coordinates the DESCA core group.

DESCA website

Our address

Rue du Trône 98
1050 Brussels
Belgium

Internship / Praktikum

Join our team!

Twice a year we offer student internships in Brussels - the next one starts in March 2025.

Helmholtz Centers

Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron

German Cancer Research Center

German Aerospace Center

German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases

Forschungszentrum Jülich

GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel

GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research

Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie

Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf

Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research

Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research

Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon

Helmholtz Munich

Helmholtz-Zentrum Potsdam - Deutsches GeoForschungsZentrum GFZ

Helmholtz Centre Potsdam - German Research Centre for Geosciences

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine