European cooperation in research

Cost (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) funds networking for researchers in technology, social sciences and medicine. By promoting networking between academia, business, the public sector and research institutes, Cost wants to contribute to the more efficient use of research resources.

This web page has been machine translated. If there are any uncertainties, please refer to the Swedish text.

This is Cost

Cost is a participant-driven network to disseminate the latest research findings and create new networks. A special focus is placed on networking with young researchers and research groups in new fields of science and technology.

The participants themselves decide in which networks they want to work, and against which objective. Together, they constitute a so-called Cost campaign.

Funding within Cost

Cost finances coordination of network activities such as meeting costs, secretarial services for coordination, funding for young researchers' short research stays with other research groups within the campaign, and funding for dissemination of research results. The participants need to have the funding for their own research secured before the start of the project.

Every year, about sixty new network projects start, with a term of four years. Applications can be made throughout the year but are processed and evaluated twice a year. Actors and research groups from all over the world can participate.

Cost structure

Four basic principles govern Cost

All Member States can propose Cost Actions. If at least five Member States show interest in the proposal, it will be implemented.
Participation in the Cost Actions is voluntary and thus includes only those countries that are interested.
The research is financed nationally, the European Commission only funding for the coordination of projects.
The cost actions aim to coordinate national research at a European level. Each action is administered by a steering committee.