The overall aim of JPsustaiND is to support the development and extension of the capacities of the EU Joint Programming Initiative on Neurodegenerative Diseases, in particular Alzheimer's (JPND). Since 2009 JPND has been operating on a very light management structure based on a simple Terms of Reference. Through this JPND has been able to set a common Strategic Research Agenda, and to deliver its first implementation plan that has allowed among other achievements, the mobilisation of approximately €100 million of additional funding between 2011 and 2015 to support transnational research programs. While progress has been pleasing to date, the implementation of JPND must now be scaled-up to further catalyse Member State commitments, and to formalize synergies between members and various partners. The immediate challenge therefore for JPND is to secure its long-term sustainability by Member States, to mobilize those which are not yet participating, and to increase its impact at the national level and globally. JPsustaiND thus aims at creating the dedicated structure responsible for long-term JPND management and implementation, and extension of JPND membership to EU Member States and other countries and initiatives not yet participating. To achieve this goal, the JPsustaiND partners, with the support of the JPND Management Board, will implement the following six workpackages: Coordination and Management; Long Term Sustainability; Capacity Extension; Alignment and Outreach; Communication and Advocacy; and Monitoring, Evaluation and Impact Assessment. JPsustaiND will implement a stronger global dimension of the JPND, and will avoid duplication of research and infrastructure investment at the national level. By supporting further coordination and integration of national research and innovation programmes with the JPND research strategy, in coherence with Horizon 2020 objectives, JPsustaiND is thus creating a dedicated European Research Area for neurodegenerative diseases.

Smart Cities and Communities have been identified as key to achieving the energy efficiency targets for 2020 and 2050. The main objective of this ERA-NET is to stimulate successful practice and facilitate replicability within Smart Cities and Communities projects and also across projects in order to achieve a technological shift in the current energy system and provide smart and integrated solutions for technology, government and society. ERA-NET Smart Cities and Communities aims to create solutions in the form of projects, which demonstrate or at least constitute a decisive step towards implementations that (1) help cities deal with a long uncertain time horizon, (2) monitor ongoing experiences and implement change in the project when necessary, and (3) avoid pitfalls already encountered by others and facilitate collective learning of stakeholders embedded within a physical and social context. Additional activities within the planned ERA-NET are: (A) to work towards a joint call with China and (B) to align national R&D funding with Structural Funds. (A): A structured and systematic approach towards a joint call with China on smart city research will be developed making highest use of existing relations, activities and experience of European Funding Agencies with Chinese partners in order to develop a joint call with China. Beneficiaries of this call (mainly research organisations and companies) would be given a good starting position for further research and development projects. (B) The realisation of smart cities measures requires large investment volumes. Thus, the combination and clustering of different financing instruments is necessary. In line with the new "smart specialization" strategy of the EC, the proposed additional activities should encourage and enable Member States, regions and their Managing Authorities to align their national R&D funding schemes with available Structural Funds (in particular ERDF, but also ESF resources).

Joint Programming is a process combining a strategic framework, a bottom-up approach and high-level commitment from the Member States (MS). It builds on the experience gained from existing schemes, coordinating national programmes by contributing to the reduction in fragmentation of research efforts of MS, stepping up the mobilisation of skills, knowledge and resources, advancing research and innovation in the specific field. The JPI in "Cultural Heritage and Global Change: a new Challenge for Europe" - JPICH - was approved by the Council was launched in January 2010. The JPICH has defined the Vision Document, the Terms of Reference, the Strategic Research Agenda (SRA), an Action Programme and a monitoring and evaluation procedure. The experience gained over the past 4 years in JPICH development and implementation has been achieved through the active participation of 17 EU MS and AC and 8 Countries participating with the role of Observers. The present CSA JHEP2 Proposal intends to support the implementation of the Strategic Research Agenda following the recommendations emerging from the High level Group for joint programming (GPC) in the Biennial Report 2014 and in the Report on "Alignment in the context of Joint Programming", which specifically address the recommendation to develop alignment of national research and innovation programmes and activities and application of qualitative and quantitative Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).The main objectives addressed within the present proposal are: - Develop effective and efficient governance of the alignment of the national research and innovation programmes. - Reinforce common activities on cultural heritage. - Apply quantitative and qualitative KPIs for monitoring an assessing the JPICH alignment process. The support to the JPICH with the present JHEP2 Proposal will be essential for achieving the above-mentioned objectives and proceed with the integration of the research area on Cultural Heritage.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the largest cause of death in the EU and account for around 2 million deaths per year. Overall, CVD are estimated to cause the economy of the EU costs of almost 196 billion Euros a year. Furthermore, they are one of the leading causes of long term sickness, chronic diseases and loss to the labour market. Therefore, CVD are a major health problem in Europe. Despite the overall burden of CVD on European citizens and national health systems, translational cardiovascular research is fragmented and mainly occurs at national levels. However, the present and future challenges in cardiovascular research can only be met by an effective cooperation at transnational level. Therefore, the proposed European Research Area Network on cardiovascular diseases (ERA-CVD) aims to coordinate national and regional programmes for translational research in the area CVD by implementing one Joint Transnational Call (JTC2016) with EU Co-funding followed by further non-co-funded JTC (2017-2019). Although this consortium will be newly established, a collaboration and alignment of national programmes and activities has already been achieved during the preparation of the ERA-Net Co-fund proposal. This process is supported by CardioScape an EU-funded survey of the European cardiovascular research landscape coordinated by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). The current ERA-CVD proposal will extend and strengthen the transnational cooperation of the current 23 ministries/institutions/foundations from 18 European, associated and third countries. Furthermore, ERA-CVD plans to cooperate with the ESC and the European Heart Network (EHN). Moreover, the collaboration with European Research Infrastructures, e.g. the ESFRI-initiatives is intended in order to set up an efficient European framework for innovative transnational research on CVD. Also the extension of the consortium and international collaborations are intended.