The ERC published on 2 October 2012 a Coordination and Support Action (CSA) call:
ERC proposal submission, peer review and gender mainstreaming.

The deadline for submission of applications is 16 January 2013 at 17:00:00 (Brussels local time).

More details about the call can be found using the following link: https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/page/ideas?callIdentifier=ERC-2013-Support-1# 

and the ERC Work Programme 2013
http://erc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/document/file/erc_work_programme_2013.pdf

The focus of the studies to be funded by this CSA should be on the ERC practices and processes in the context of gender mainstreaming and in particular during the proposals’ submission and peer review.

The studies may review and analyse various dimensions of the issue such as:

• The ERC documents (Work Programme, ERC guides for applicants, ERC rules for submission, model grant agreement etc);

• The ERC rules and procedures for the selection of reviewers (panel chairs, panel members, remote reviewers);

• The mechanisms, practices and selection procedures of the ERC peer review process.

The studies should take into account the experience from both the Starting and Advanced grant schemes. Project durations could be up to 18 months. It is foreseen that a range of different methods could be appropriate, recognising that different approaches may be appropriate for different scientific domains. In all cases, the output of the studies should be compatible with the basic principles of ERC, it should feed the strategic orientations of the Scientific Council and it is expected to be in a form that could be applicable to the ERC’s operations.

Indicative overall budget for CSA (supporting action – call for proposals): 
EUR 200 000 for 2013.