Welcome to the Grant Holder Workshop
21/05/2014
Brussels
COST is supported
by the EU Framework Programme
ESF provides the COST Office
through a European Commission contract
Agenda for Workshop
10:00-12:30 – Session I
Welcome to participants
About COST
COST Grant System
COST Networking Tools and Video Presentation
12:30-13:15 – Lunch Break
13:15-16:30 Session II
COST Networking Tools and Video Presentation (continuation)
Questions and answers session
2
COST Mission
COST enables break-through scientific developments leading
to new concepts and products and thereby contributes to
strengthen Europe’s research and innovation capacities
3
COST Policies Moving Forward
COST has identified its priorities and has developed policies on:
 Inclusiveness
 Early stage researchers
(ESR)
 Gender balance
 International cooperation
 SME / industry
participation
4
COST and Horizon 2020
 COST will continue to foster scientific and technological
excellence and inclusiveness in Europe, by supporting
bottom-up, open science and technology networks
involving researchers across the continent
 COST is expected to contribute in particular to the ‘Societal
Challenges’ and ‘Spreading Excellence and Widening
Participation’ pillars of the Horizon 2020 strategy
 COST will receive an increased budget compared to the
budget allocated under FP7
 Preparation for the new seven-year period required the
establishment of a new legal entity, namely the ‘COST
Association’
5
COST Association
The ‘COST Association’ was established on 19 September
2013 for the purpose of being the legal entity for the
implementation of COST activities under Horizon 2020
The COST Association has been
International Non-Profit Association
(AISBL)
established as an
under Belgian law
COST Funding from June 2014
European
Commission
Horizon 2020
COST
Association
6
How COST works
COST Actions are formed from networks centred
around nationally funded research projects who have
been selected for funding following a thorough
evaluation and selection process administered by
COST
Selected COST Actions:
 Network nationally funded researchers
 Are based on a joint work programme for a
duration of 4 years
 From the onset must consist of at least 5 COST
Member Countries
7
COST is Open and Inclusive
Participation in COST is Open to:
 ‘Institutions’ from COST Member Countries, Near Neighbour
Countries and International Partner Countries
 European Commission and EU Agencies
 European RTD Organisations specifically limited to: CERN,
EMBL, ESA, ESO, ESRF, European XFEL, ILL, EFDA JET (see
COST Vademecum Part 1: COST Action)
 International Organisations
8
COST Countries
The 28 EU Member States
EU Acceding & Candidate
Countries
 former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia
 Iceland
 Republic of Serbia
 Turkey
Other Countries
 Bosnia and Herzegovina
 Norway
 Switzerland
COST Cooperating
State
 Israel
9
Near Neighbour Countries (NNC)
Russia
Belarus
Moldova
Ukraine
Montenegro
Georgia
Albania
COST Countries
Azerbaijan
Morocco
Armenia
Syria
Tunisia
Lebanon
NN countries
Jordan
Algeria
Egypt
International Partner Countries
547 Participants in running Actions from 27 countries – September 2013
Canada (39)
China (27)
Japan (12)
USA (109)
Iraq (1)
Mexico (9)
Costa Rica (1)
Rep of Korea (3)
Saudi Arabia (1)
Pakistan (3)
UAE (1)
India (07)
Sudan (1)
Colombia (2)
Taiwan (1)
Hong Kong (2)
Thailand (1)
Bangladesh (1)
Singapore (3)
Peru (1)
Brazil (11)
only one Action
COST Countries
Indonesia (1)
Chile (3)
Mauritius (1)
Namibia (1)
Uruguay (1)
Australia (112)
South Africa (36)
RA Countries
Argentina (29)
New Zealand (62)
COST Grant System (CGS)
COST Actions are administered under the framework of
the COST Grant system (CGS) driven by the following
principles:
 The Action Grant Agreement, a legal contract, between COST
and the Grant Holder determines the obligations of the Grant
Holder to COST
 Annex A of the Action Grant Agreement is drawn from a Work
and Budget plan approved by both COST and the Action
Management Committee (MC) detailing the nature and the
anticipated expenses of the scientific activities to be
performed during the respective Grant Period
 Funds are administered by an elected Grant Holder
 Strict adherence to the administrative rules and guidelines
set out in the COST Vademecum Part 1: COST Action
 Use of e-COST is mandatory
12
Action Structure
MANAGEMENT
COMMITTEE
(MC)
GRANT HOLDER
(GH)
WG 1
WG 2
WG 3
COST
Association
WG X
13
Management Committee
DECISION MAKING BODY
Coordination, Implementation, and Management of an
Action
Supervising the appropriate allocation and use of funds to
achieve the Action’s final objectives
COMPOSED OF:
The MC is composed of delegates
nominated by their respective
COST National Coordinator (CNC)
Up to 2 representatives per COST
country
14
Management Committee
IF WE ARE THE ONES WHO ARE TAKING THE DECISIONS…..
WHAT IS THE PROCEDURE TO FOLLOW?
MC MEETINGS
Minimum once a year in a participating
COST Country
Typical duration ½ day
Decisions only valid if at least 2/3 of
the Participating COST Countries are
represented
Simple majority vote of MC Members
with one vote per Participating COST
Country
MC decision must be minuted and sent
to the COST Office
WRITTEN PROCEDURE / E-VOTE
Initiated and managed by the MC
Chair
All MC members are in the e-mail list
Vote open (7 days)
Simple majority vote of MC Members
with one vote per Participating COST
Country
MC decision must be minuted and
should be included in the official MC
minutes of the following MC Meeting
EXCEPT approval IPC and NNC
15
How are COST Actions funded?
Action Grant Agreement
MANAGEMENT
COMMITTEE
(MC)
COST Office negotiates and
approves Work and Budget plan
with MC
COST
Association
GRANT
HOLDER
Institution that administers
the funds
COST Office signs GA with GH
16
Approved Work and Budget plan?
The activities approved in the Work and Budget plan are annexed to the
Grant Agreement
Establishes the Scientific objectives for the respective Grant Period
Details the COST Networking Tools to be used during the Grant Period
Needs to be approved by COST and the Action Management Committee
Changes to the Approved Work Plan need to be approved by COST and
the Management Committee
MC
Action
Chair
Negotiation
COST
OFFICE
Approved Work and Budget plan
17
Legally Binding Grant Agreement

The Action Grant Agreement is a legal contract which establishes
the obligations of the Grant Holder towards the COST
Association

In most instances, it covers a one-year period and must be
signed by both parties

The Action Grant Agreement cannot be transferred by the Grant
Holder to a third-party

The Management Committee is required to plan and define the
Action’s activities and related budget in the Work and Budget
plan, which is an annex of the Grant Agreement

Access to e-COST is dependent on the Grant Agreement being
signed by both COST Association and the Grant Holder
18
Core Elements of the Grant Agreement
Specifies the obligation to respect the administrative rules
detailed in the COST Vademecum Part 1: COST Action
Specifies the duration of the respective Grant period
Specifies the maximum financial contribution provided by
COST (the grant amount)
Specifies Payment modalities
• First Grant payment: 65% of the grant – minus the
underspend from the previous Grant period (if an
underspend is evident)
• Second Grant payment: Up to 35% of the grant
19
Core Elements of the Grant Agreement
Specifies Reporting requirements
Intermediate Financial Report (IFR): Submitted by month 8 of
the grant period - This report must be validated by COST
prior to requesting the second grant payment. This report
must also contain an updated forecast which requires the
Grant Manager to include all of remaining approved scientific
activities up to the end date of the respective grant period
Yearly Financial Report (YFR): The report is due within 60
days from the end date of the respective grant period
Payments linked to the subsequent grant periods cannot be
processed unless the YFR from the previous grant period is
finalised and approved by COST
20
Grant Holder Requirements

The Grant Holder must be an institution to which one of the
Management Committee (MC) members holds an affiliation

The Grant Holder must be a legal entity. It cannot be an individual

The Grant Holder must be solvent and must be financially stable

The Grant Holder must have the capacity to support the
coordination of the Action in line with MC decisions and the
administrative rules and guidelines set out in COST Vademecum
Part 1: COST Action

The Grant Holder must be able to abide by all aspects of
administering the grant namely complying with local taxation
schemes and reimbursing flat rates
21
Grant Manager Tasks

Create a Grant Manager account profile in e-COST – email address
required. Institutional bank account should be linked to the Grant
Holder profile

Support the Action Chair and vice Chair when coordinating
meetings: distributing agendas, sending invitations, drafting
Management Committee (MC) meeting minutes (if appointed to do
so), collecting signed attendance lists.

Collecting, verifying and archiving administrative documents
required to processing reimbursements and payments linked to
approved COST activities in line with the rules specified in the COST
Vademecum Part 1: COST Action

Ensure separation of powers: in cases when the Action Chair is
affiliated to the Grant Holder, the task of committing funds for
approved activities should be performed by the Action vice-Chair
22
Financial Support for the Grant Holder
 The Financial, Scientific, Administration and Coordination
(FSAC) budget line is a fixed percentage contribution
afforded the Grant Holder to support the administrative tasks
relating to coordinating approved scientific activities during a
given grant period
 The fixed percentage contribution can never represent more
than 15% of the incurred eligible scientific expenditure and is
defined in the approved Work and Budget Plan
 At the end of each grant period, the final FSAC amount is
calculated by applying the initially defined and approved
FSAC percentage to the actual eligible scientific expenses
 When an amendment to the Grant Agreement is necessary, a
possible percentage increase in the FSAC can be requested.
COST Approval is required after a determination as to
whether such an increase is appropriate and justified
23
How is the FSAC Devised
Science Expenditure vs FSAC
Grant amount = € 100,000.00
Percentage of FSAC agreed by the Management Committee = 15%
__________________________________________________
Science expenditure = € 100,000.00 /1.15 = € 86,956.52
FSAC amount = € 86,956.52 × 0.15 = € 13,043.48
Financial Scientific and Administrative Coordination tasks (FSAC)
can never be more than 15% of the scientific expenditure
24
How is the FSAC Calculated
Science Expenditure vs FSAC
Grant amount = € 100,000.00
Percentage of FSAC agreed by the Management Committee = 15%
__________________________________________________
Science expenditure validated in the
Yearly Financial Report (YFR) = € 85,000.00
FSAC amount = € 85,00.00 × 0.15 = € 12,750.00
The fixed FSAC percentage is applied to the actual scientific
spend and not the Grant amount – If there is an underspend then
not all of the FSAC amount can be claimed by the Grant Holder
25
Financial Support for the Grant Manager
 If the Grant Manager is both a researcher and a
Working Group Member then they are eligible to be
funded for their attendance at approved meetings /
Training Schools and Short Term Scientific Missions
(STSM)
 If the Grant Manager is not linked to the Action in a
research capacity but only in an administrative
function then they are not eligible to be reimbursed
for their attendance at approved meetings / Training
Schools / Short Term Scientific Missions (STSM).
Their travel, accommodation and meal expenses
associated with attending the approved activities
must be sourced from the FSAC
26
Grant Manager Considerations
 All supporting documents related to the payment of COST
funds must be checked, verified and filed in a secure
location prior to releasing the respective payment
 Please ensure that all documents are physically protected
and cannot deteriorate whilst in storage
 Please file supporting documents in an orderly way by
using a simple referencing and numbering system so that
persons unfamiliar with the Action can navigate through
the supporting documents easily and in a timely manner
 Validated, reliable accounting records must permit direct
reconciliation with what is reported on e-COST
 Eligible expenditure concerning the COST Action must be
recorded in the accounting records of the Grant Holder
according to the applicable accounting standards of the
country where the Grant Holder is established
27
Grant Manager Considerations
All relevant financial information and supporting documents
related to administering COST activities must be archived
and be readily available for review by the COST Office for a
period of 5 years after the end of the Seventh Framework
Programme or Horizon 2020, depending on which framework
the Action falls under.
28
Bank Charges
 Bank charges incurred when grant payments are received
by the Grant Holder Institution are absorbed by the Grant
Holder Institution
 Bank charges incurred due to currency transfers made to
eligible participants are eligible and can be claimed under
the budget line: Other Expenses Related to Scientific
Activities (OERSA) – Such charges should be encoded as
bank fees
 Bank charges incurred due to eligible participants
providing incorrect bank account information must be
deducted from the responsible participants claim
29
List of Eligible COST Activities
MC & CORE GROUP
MEETINGS
SHORT TERM
WORKING GROUP
SCIENTIFIC
MEETINGS
MISSIONS
COST
TRAINING
SCHOOLS
NETWORKING
TOOLS
WORKSHOPS
&
CONFERENCES
DISSEMINATION
ACTIVITIES
30
Important links for Grant Holders
COST Association Vademecum Part 1: COST Action
http://www.cost.eu/participate/networking
COST Website
http://www.cost.eu/
e-COST
https://e-services.cost.eu/
STSM On-line application
https://e-services.cost.eu/stsm
31
List of COST Networking Tools





Meetings
Training Schools
Local Organiser Support
Short Term Scientific Missions (STSM)
Dissemination and Publications
32
Meeting Types






Management Committee (MC) Meetings
Core Group Meetings
Working Group Meetings
Workshops, Conferences
Other Meeting types
Final Workshop / Conference / Meeting
MC members are always eligible to be reimbursed for MC
meetings (Reimbursement is limited to 2 MC Delegates per
MC meeting)
For all other meeting types, the Action MC Chair if formally
nominated to do so (or vice Chair only if the MC Chair and
Grant Holder are of the same institution) must formally
approve and communicate the final list of participants and
their respective reimbursement status to the Grant Manager
33
Meetings – Eligibility Considerations
Eligibility is determined by the status of the country to where the
Researchers primary affiliation is held as is registered on their e-COST
Profile
The following questions will help determine eligibility:
 Is the Researchers primary affiliation held in a Participating COST
Country? - A list of Participating COST Countries can be found on the
respective COST Action Webpage at www.cost.eu
 Is the Researchers primary affiliation held in a Non-Participating
COST Country?
 Is the Researchers primary affiliation held in an approved institute in
a Near Neighbour Country (NNC)? - A list of approved NNC
Institutions can be found on the respective COST Action Webpage at
www.cost.eu
 Is the Researchers primary affiliation held in an approved
International Partner County (IPC)?
 Is the institution or Country where the Researcher holds their
affiliation restricting their eligibility to be reimbursed?
34
Dissemination Meetings
Dissemination meetings involves facilitating the attendance of eligible
participants at international conferences for the purpose of:
1: Disseminating the COST Actions activities to the wider scientific
community
2: Collect information to be further disseminated amongst the Actions
members
The following conditions apply to this meeting type:
 A maximum of two participants per grant period are eligible to be
reimbursed at dissemination meetings.
 Meetings must be approved by COST if not already approved in the Work
and Budget plan
 Speaker (s) must be listed in the official programme of the conference
representing the respective COST Action
 Participants must have their primary affiliation in institutions located in
Participating COST Countries, Approved European RTD Organisations or
approved institutions located in Near Neighbour Countries
 Up to EUR 500 can be claimed by eligible participants for conference fees
35
Participating in Approved Meetings by Category
Eligibility Hierarchy
1
1
1
1
1
1
EC and EU European International
NNC
IPC
MC Members
Agencies
RTD
Organisation
MC Observer MC Observer
MC Observer MC Observer MC Observer
Conditions
From
participating From
From
(or under
participating participating
intention)
NNC.
IPC
COST
Country
Country determined from
MC
From
participating
EC/EU
Agencies
2
WG
Members
Depending
Up to 1 per institution and 2
on MC
per country
decision
STSM
Grantee
2
Trainer
2
Trainee
3
3
Other /
Observer
IS from
participating
COST
Countries
From participating (or under intention) COST Country
Nomination tool
Up to 2 per
country
2
Core Group
Members
From
From
participating
participating
European
IO
RTD
Participants profile
Up to 1 per institution
Working Group
Core Group
Workshops/Conferences
Final event
Other COST relevant
Outreach/Dissemination
Meeting
2
Depending on MC decision
Not Allowed
Depending on
MC decision
Depending on MC decision
Not Allowed
36
Eligibility of Participants in Approved Meetings by Category
Eligibility Hierarchy
1
1
1
1
1
1
European
EC and EU International
NNC
IPC
MC Members
RTD
Agencies Organisation
MC Observer
MC Observer
MC Observer
MC Observer MC Observer
Conditions
From
participating
From
From
From
From
From
(or under participating participating participating participating
participating
intention)
NNC
European
IPC
EC/EU
IO
COST
RTD
Agencies
Country
Nomination tool
Country determined from
MC
Up to 1 per
Up to 2 per
institution
country per
and 2 per
meeting
Country
Up to 1 per
institution
2
WG
Members
2
2
Core Group
Members
STSM
Grantee
2
Trainer
2
Trainee
3
3
Other /
Observer
IS from
participating
COST
Countries
From participating (or under intention) COST Country
Participants profile
Not eligible
Working Group
Core Group
Workshops/Conferences
Final event
Other COST relevant
Depending on
MC decision
Not eligible
Outreach/Dissemination
(2 participants maximum
per Grant Period)
Depending on
MC decision
Not eligible
Depending on MC decision
Not eligible
Depending on
MC decision
Up to 2 participants maximum per Grant Period
Not eligible
37
Meeting Participation - What can be claimed?
 Flight expenses
Economy class flight tickets can be reimbursed up to the
value of EUR 1200
 Train or Bus expenses
First and second class train tickets are eligible to be
reimbursed (Supplements for fast trains and sleepers are
eligible expenses)
 Car travel expenses
Up to a maximum distance of 2 000 km at EUR 0.20 per km
can be claimed by eligible participants
EUR 0.30 per km can be claimed when 2 or more eligible
participants are travelling to the approved COST activity Only the driver can be reimbursed
38
Meeting Participation - What can be claimed?
Local transport expenses are transport costs associated with
shuttle, buses, trains, metro, trams, taxis, car travel, parking
costs and ferry costs incurred travelling between the following
points:
 Home to Airport / train station
 Airport / train station to meeting venue / hotel
 Hotel to meeting venue
 Meeting venue to hotel
 Meeting venue / hotel to airport / train station
 Airport/train station back to home
If the claimed amount is less than EUR 25, no receipts are
required to be submitted for reimbursement but the journey(s)
must be detailed on the TRR (for both outbound & inbound
journeys). If the claimed amount exceeds EUR 25, receipts
justifying the total amount claimed are required
39
Meeting Participation - What can be claimed?
 Taxi Expenses - Action participants are limited to use
taxis to when no other means of public transport is
available and only when travel is required between
10pm and 7am on the dates of travel - An amount of up
to a maximum of EUR 80 is eligible for the entire
journey when the above conditions have been met
 Other eligible expense - visa fees relevant to attending
the approved Action meetings. Claimants must validate
the amount incurred by producing a supporting
document (a receipt/stamp from the embassy/consulate
issuing the visa) which clearly shows the amount paid
and the conditions of the visa
40
Accommodation Expenses
 The reimbursement of accommodation expenses are
based on flat rates only (at a maximum of EUR 120 per
person per night which includes breakfast)
 The maximum number of nights that can be claimed by
an eligible participant equals the number of attended
meeting days (as confirmed by the attendees
signatures on the meeting attendance list) plus 1 night
 To be entitled to be reimbursed, each eligible
participant must sign the meeting attendance list
 The Management Committee (MC) can decide to reduce
the accommodation flat rate for any given meeting with
all MC members receiving the same flat rate allowance
41
Meals for Meeting 21-22/10 2013
Meals
20-Oct
21-Oct
22-Oct
23-Oct
Before
Before
Y
N
12:00
12:00
Lunch
Y
y
After
After
N
Y
12:00
12:00
Departure
Arrival
Before
Before
Y
N
19:00
19:00
Dinner
Y
y
After
After
N
Y
19:00
19:00
maximum 8 meals (2+2+2+2) if travelling the day before and after the meeting
Meal allowance of 20 Euro per Meal
Accommodation
20-Oct
21-Oct 22-Oct
23-Oct
Y
Y
Y
N
Travelling
Y
Y
Travelling
N
N
N
N
maximum 3 nights = 20+21+22/10 if participant signed attendance list
Meeting Participation - Non-eligible expenses
 Registration, honorarium or lecture fees (Except for
approved Dissemination meetings – conference fees are
eligible)
 Transportation expenses associated with travelling to an
embassy or consulate to obtain a visa
 Life and medical insurance
 Travel cancelation insurance
 Luggage insurance
 Overnight stay during a trip by car, fuel costs, road tolls
and car rental costs
 Wi-Fi, telephone, internet and minibar consumption
 Printing costs, postage expenses
 Regional or national taxation fees, stamp duty expenses
43
Meetings - Reimbursement Procedure
 All recipients of COST funds must have an e-COST Profile and
must register their bank details
 MC Chair (or Vice Chair only if the Chair and Grant Holder are of
the same institution) on behalf of the MC must approve the final
list of participants and their eligibility status for each approved
meeting
 Deadline for claim submission of 30 days must be strictly
enforced
 All recipients of COST funds must sign the relevant attendance
list – No signature means no reimbursement
 Any derogation from the COST rules requires prior approval
required from COST
 After each meeting, the MC Chair (or Vice Chair only if the Chair
and Grant Holder are of the same institution) must approve the
list of participants to be reimbursed
44
Meetings: How to Maximise your Budget?
When choosing meeting locations:
 Assess where the Action can avail of low cost
accommodation so that the Management Committee (MC) can
reduce the accommodation flat rate for the given meeting
 Consider the availability of cheap public transport in the
locality of the meeting and the availability of low cost airlines
that service the meeting venue
 Seek to avail of research institutions linked to MC Members
that can avoid meeting room expenses and expensive coffee
breaks and lunches
For MC Meetings be aware that usually only 80% of the MC attends
Subject to rooms being available, meetings can also in theory be
held at the COST premises
Send Invitations to eligible participants as early as possible
45
Meetings: Final Considerations
Spend your entire grant on approved scientific activities
Unspent funds cannot be carried forward to the
subsequent grant period and will be reclaimed by COST
and utilised by other COST Actions
Always send the minutes of the MC meetings to COST
and upload on e-COST
Additional activities (meetings, Training Schools) not
detailed in the Work and Budget plan need approval
from the Action Science Officer
Derogation from the eligibility rules require COST
approval prior to the expenses being incurred
46
Training Schools
Intensive training on a subject aimed at widening, broadening and
sharing knowledge relevant to the Actions scientific objectives
The following must be done prior to issuing invitations via e-COST

Agree on location of the approved Training School (must be held in
participating COST Country or in approved Institutions located in
NNC)

Agree on duration of Training School (Minimum of 3 days and
maximum of 15 days)
As a form of MC approval, the MC Chair (or vice Chair only if the MC Chair
and Grant Holder are of the same institution) must approve and
communicate to the Grant Holder the final list of Trainees and Trainers
that will attend the approved Training School and the fixed grant amounts
that will be afforded to eligible Trainees

47
Training School - Eligibility Considerations
 Trainers from participating COST Countries are eligible
to be reimbursed
 Trainees from any COST Country are eligible to receive
funding
 Trainers and Trainers from approved NNC institutions
are eligible to receive funding
 Trainers from approved IPC institutions are eligible to
be reimbursed
 Trainers and Trainees from approved European RTD
Organisations are eligible to receive funding
 Up to a Maximum of 4 invited speakers can be invited as
Trainers for any individual Training School
48
Training School Parameters
 Duration: between 3 days and 15 days
 Local Organiser Support can be claimed
 Trainers: same reimbursement practice and rules as
for meeting participants
 Travel, accommodation and meals – no lecture fee can
be claimed
 Trainees: Fixed grants (No receipts needed)
 Maximum Grant EUR 1500 (daily subsistence
allowance of EUR 160 and up to EUR 300 can be
afforded for travel expenses)
49
Local Organiser Support (LOS)
Expenses related to the practical organisation of approved
meetings, Workshops, Conferences and Training Schools
can be claimed by the organiser in line with the listed items
mentioned below:
Eligible costs when claiming LOS are:
 Room and technical equipment rental
 Photocopying, phone, fax and mailing costs linked to
hosting the approved meeting
 Personnel expenses – A fixed contribution to cover on
site staff support for the event which cannot exceed 15%
of the total LOS request
 Coffee breaks and Light lunches (to be deducted from
each participants meal allowance)
 Only one conference meal (to be deducted from each
participants meal allowance)
50
Local Organiser Support (LOS)
Two modalities that the local organiser can consider
when submitting a claim for LOS:
1. Flat rate - EUR 20 per participant for each day the
they attend the approved meeting (as evidenced by
each participants signature of the daily attendance list)
 The maximum LOS amount claim using the flat rate modality is EUR 5000
 No invoices are required
2. Provide Invoices detailing actual eligible expenses
(V.A.T. cannot be claimed)
 Only to be considered if the eligible expenses cannot be covered by the
flat rate modality namely if the expenses exceed what the EUR 20 per
participant per day provision will cover or if the claimable amount is above
EUR 5000
 A final breakdown of expenses using the online LOS breakdown template
is required
51
Local Organiser Support (LOS) - Continued
 The justification of expenses and the relevant invoices must be
submitted to the Grant Manager and checked for eligibility,
accuracy and compliance with the criteria detailed in section 5
of the COST Vademecum Part 1: COST Action
 Online approval by the Chair (or the vice Chair only if the MC
Chair and Grant Holder are of the same institution) is required
 The overall COST contribution cannot exceed EUR 10 000
 All meetings hosted together in the same destination over the
same time period are considered to be co-located and are
eligible to claim for one LOS provision
 V.A.T. amounts listed on invoices cannot be reimbursed
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Local Organiser Support (LOS)
The following expenses are not eligible to be
claimed by the Local Organiser:
 V.A.T. and any other indirect taxes
 Any meal exceeding the single meal limit
 Hotel group reservations
 Translation and editing costs
 Transportation expenses without COST Approval
 Purchase of technical equipment and IT devices
such as mobile phones, computers, printers
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Short Term Scientific Missions (STSM)
From where to where?
 From a participating COST Member Country:
 To another participating COST Member Country
 To an approved NNC institution
 To an approved IPC institution
 To an approved specific organisation
 From an approved NNC institution:
 To a participating COST Member Country
 From an European RTD Organisation:
 To a Participating COST Country or Cooperation State
A list of Participating COST Countries can be found on the
respective COST Action Webpage at www.cost.eu
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Short Term Scientific Missions (STSM)
 Evaluation and selection criteria is the direct responsibility of the Action
 Duration: A minimum of 5 days and up to a maximum duration of 3
months
 Financial Support is only a contribution
 Subsistence Allowance: A maximum of EUR 160 is permissible
Travel expenses: A maximum amount of EUR 500 is permissible
 In total, a maximum of EUR 2500 for up to three months
 Early Stage Researchers (ESR – ESR is Ph.D. + < 8 years) can claim up
to a maximum of EUR 3500 for a STSM between 91 days and up to 6
months)
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Dissemination and Publications
Disseminating and transferring knowledge is a key value to
COST and the use of results by policymakers, industry and
society is vital
COST Actions are encouraged to use all means to
communicate their findings to the European research
community and to society at large
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Dissemination and Publications
Action Publications and Dissemination Activities
Responsibility of the Management Committee
Publication and dissemination strategy must be reflected in the Work
and Budget plans and must be reviewed throughout every Grant period
Final Action Publication
COST can fund one final Action publication
The final publication is funded directly by the COST Office and not
through the Action Grant and must be Requested 6 months before the
official end date of the Action
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Dissemination and Publications
Eligible expenses:
 Expenses for the production and distribution of a publication by a
printing house
 The purchase and distribution of a fixed number of copies of high-quality
publications produced by a renowned publisher (usually books or
journals)
 Proof reading, editing, production and distribution expenses relating to
the production of approved publications
 Multimedia material production expenses for CD-ROM, DVD and video
products
 The production of proceedings from scientific conferences and meetings
 The production of dissemination materials other than publications such
as flyers, posters, postcards)
 Website development
Graphic design and translation expenses are not eligible.
V.A.T. amounts listed on invoices cannot be reimbursed.
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Dissemination and Publications
Provisions for Website Development
 http://www.cost.eu/media/visualidentity
 Send the Action website URL to COST once the website
is up and running
 COST should be granted access to password protected
elements of the Action website
WEBSITE BEST PRACTICE EXAMPLES
http://www.esnam.eu/index.html
http://www.electrospinning-cost.eu/
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Example of Best Practice Action Website
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Example of Best Practice Action Website
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Checklist for Dissemination Materials and Publications
‘This publication is supported by COST’
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Communication and COST
Recommendations when communicating with COST:

Indicate Action number within every
correspondence

Do not include COST contacts in internal
discussions

Communicate only outcome of MC decisions to
COST
Acknowledge COST



On the Action website
On all peer reviewed publications
At all Meetings / Workshops / Conferences
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COST – European
Cooperation in Science and
Technology
Avenue Louise 149
1050 Brussels, Belgium
T: +32 (0)2 533 3800
F: +32 (0)2 533 3890
Get COST News by e-mail
by signing up at
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twitter.com/COSToffice
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