Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA): Model Working Contract for Doctoral Networks published

On 4 May 2023, the German Marie Skłodowska Curie Actions (MSCA) Working Group on Model Employment Contracts has now provided a model working contract for German beneficiaries in MSCA-Docoral Networks in Horizon Europe.

The model employment contract is designed as a service contract according to § 611 BGB (German Civil Code) and is based on the model developed for Horizon 2020. It takes into account the requirements of the European Commission and makes it possible to reflect the allowances used in the MSCA programme through the Fellows' salary. Possible funding gaps that could arise through the use of recruitment contracts according to TV-L/TVöD are thus avoided.

The model contract serves as a non-binding guidance. A legal review must be carried out by the employing institution in any case when using the sample texts – even of individual sections. This applies in particular to conformity with the requirements of the updated “Nachweisgesetz”, which could not be taken into account in this model.

The working group that created the model is coordinated by the EU Liaison Office of the German Research Organisations (KoWi) and the German MSCA National Contact Point (NCP). It includes representatives from the Albert Ludwigs University of Freiburg and the Federal Working Group of EU Officers at Universities in Germany (BAK), the German Aerospace Centre (DLR), the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft and the University of Duisburg-Essen.

In the following months, the group will publish English reading versions for already published model employment contracts. Minor updates are planned for the existing models. You can find the latest versions on KoWi’s and MSCA NCP’s websites.

Source: EU Liaison Office of the German Research Organisations (KoWi)