This article is directly based on the official ERC video “Why care about ethics in your ERC proposal?”, published as part of the European Research Council’s applicant guidance series. We have turned the main messages into a practical, easy-to-read guide, with additional tips to help researchers prepare their ERC application more strategically.
The full official video series is available here.
Ethics is not an administrative afterthought in an ERC proposal. It is part of responsible research design.
For some projects, the ethics section may be brief. For others, especially those involving human participants, sensitive data, vulnerable groups, animals, fieldwork in high-risk settings or biological samples, ethical considerations may be central to the project’s feasibility and credibility.
The ERC encourages applicants to consider ethics from the beginning of the research design process. This approach, often described as ethics by design, helps researchers anticipate challenges, protect participants and strengthen public trust in science.
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Why ethics matters in ERC proposals
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Research can raise ethical questions in many ways. A project may involve patients, children, refugees or other vulnerable groups. It may require the collection of sensitive personal data, human tissue, animal experiments, fieldwork in conflict areas or technologies with potential social implications.
Ethical and legal limits shape what researchers can do and how they can do it. Addressing these issues clearly shows that the applicant has thought carefully about the responsibilities involved in the research.
A strong ethics section can also improve the scientific proposal. It can clarify recruitment, consent, data management, risk mitigation, oversight and compliance.
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Ethics by design
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“Ethics by design” means considering ethical issues from the outset, rather than adding them at the end.
This approach helps applicants:
- identify potential ethical risks early;
- adapt the research design where needed;
- build appropriate safeguards;
- align with legal requirements;
- plan oversight and approvals;
- show reviewers that the project is responsible and feasible.
Ethics should not be treated as a box-ticking exercise. It should be integrated into the way the research is planned.
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1. Identify the ethical issues
The first task is to identify which ethical issues apply to your project.
These may include:
- human participants;
- vulnerable groups;
- personal or sensitive data;
- biological samples;
- animal research;
- environmental risks;
- dual-use concerns;
- artificial intelligence or automated decision-making;
- fieldwork in unsafe or politically sensitive contexts;
- research outside the EU or associated countries.
Some projects, such as those in theoretical fields, may have few or no substantial ethical issues. In those cases, the ethics section may be short, but it should still be completed carefully.
For projects with more complex issues, applicants should be explicit. Avoid minimising or ignoring ethical challenges. Acknowledging them and explaining how they will be managed is usually stronger than pretending they do not exist.
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2. Justify the research
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If the project involves ethical challenges, applicants should explain why the research is necessary.
For example, if vulnerable participants are involved, why is their participation essential? If animal testing is included, why are alternatives not sufficient? If sensitive data are collected, why are those data needed?
This justification should connect the ethical choices to the scientific aims. It should also explain the potential benefits of the research and how the project will protect those involved.
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3. Understand the legal framework
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Applicants do not need to become legal experts, but they must understand the legal requirements relevant to their project.
This may include European regulations, national laws and institutional rules. For example, projects involving personal data need to consider the General Data Protection Regulation, including lawful basis, data minimisation, anonymisation, storage, access and security.
Note: If the host institution is outside the EU, relevant European rules still apply to research funded under the European Framework Programme. Applicants should check the official guidance and consult their institution where needed.
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4: Plan risk mitigation
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Ethical risk mitigation means explaining how you will reduce potential harm and manage sensitive aspects of the research.
Depending on the project, this may include:
- informed consent procedures;
- age-appropriate or context-specific consent materials;
- protection of vulnerable participants;
- data anonymisation or pseudonymisation;
- secure data storage;
- restricted data access;
- safeguards for fieldwork;
- animal welfare measures;
- procedures for incidental findings;
- training for team members;
- clear withdrawal procedures for participants.
The mitigation plan should be specific. Generic statements are less convincing than concrete procedures adapted to the project.
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5. Establish ethical oversight
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Many projects require approval from an ethics committee, review board or other oversight body. Applicants should identify which bodies will review the project and how approvals will be obtained.
It is not always mandatory to have final approval before submission, but contacting the relevant ethics committees during preparation can be helpful.
The proposal should explain how ethical oversight will continue during the project, especially if the research involves sensitive or evolving activities.
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Completing the ERC ethics section
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The ERC application includes an ethics issue table and an ethics self-assessment in Part A.
The ethics issue table helps identify which categories apply. The self-assessment allows applicants to explain the issues and describe how they will be managed. If the space provided is not sufficient, applicants may prepare an ethics annex. This can be useful for complex projects.
Part B should remain focused on the science, but ethical aspects that are closely linked to the methodology may also be briefly included there. For example, if recruitment strategy, consent or data protection affects the research design, it may need to be mentioned in the scientific proposal.
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What happens during the ERC ethics review?
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The ethics review applies to proposals selected for funding through the scientific evaluation process.
The first stage is an internal review by ERC ethics officers. For many proposals, if the ethical issues have been adequately addressed, the project may receive ethics clearance without additional assessment.
Projects with more complex ethical challenges may be reviewed by an independent ethics panel. This panel can provide clearance with recommendations, request additional information or suggest further safeguards.
In some cases, an independent ethics advisor or periodic ethics reviews may be recommended during the project.
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Practical checklist for ERC ethics preparation
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Before submission, applicants should check:
- Have all relevant ethical issues been identified?
- Is the need for the research clearly justified?
- Are participants, data, animals or sensitive materials adequately protected?
- Have relevant laws and institutional requirements been considered?
- Are consent and recruitment procedures clear?
- Is the data protection plan specific?
- Are mitigation measures realistic?
- Has ethical oversight been identified?
- Is the ethics self-assessment complete?
- Is an ethics annex needed?
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Common mistakes to avoid
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Applicants should avoid:
- treating ethics as a last-minute administrative task;
- leaving the ethics table incomplete;
- underestimating ethical risks;
- using vague mitigation language;
- failing to justify the involvement of vulnerable groups;
- not addressing data protection properly;
- assuming ethics approval can be handled later without planning;
- including too much ethics detail in Part B at the expense of the science;
- ignoring relevant national or European legislation.
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FAQ: Ethics in ERC proposals
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- Is the ethics section required for all ERC proposals?
Yes. All applicants need to complete the relevant ethics parts of the application, even if the project raises few or no ethical issues.
- What if my project has no significant ethical issues?
You should still complete the ethics section and explain that no major issues are expected, where appropriate.
- Do I need ethics approval before submission?
Not always. However, you should identify the relevant ethics bodies and explain how approvals will be obtained.
- Should ethics be discussed in Part B?
Part B should focus on the science. However, if ethical aspects are closely linked to methodology, they can be briefly included where relevant.
- What happens if my project is selected for funding?
It will go through an ethics appraisal procedure. Projects with complex ethical issues may need further review or additional information before clearance.
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