Implementation of FP7 support
actions
InnovaBalt KICK-OFF MEETING
3-4 September 2013
• Riga
Luc Janssen – DG RTD-C5
Policy Officer Regional Dimension of Innovation
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Policy
Research and
Innovation
Table of contents
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Aim
Objectives and impact
Technical and financial issues
Roles
Conclusion
Policy
Research and
Innovation
Aim
For Gradiant:
 Upgrade RTD capacity & capability (human resources,
scientific equipment, research management)
 Increase S&T excellence and visibility
 Integration in European Research Networks & in ERA
 Improvement of the participation in FP7 projects
For the EU:
 Contribution to the regional RTD capacity building
 Foster the regional/European sustainable socioeconomic development
Policy
Research and
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Objectives
• To unlock the Research Potential of the European Union by
integrating the excellent research entities established in the
EU’s convergence regions and outermost regions into the ERA
• To strengthen the capacities of selected research
organisations to successfully participate in European research
activities & in the EU Research Framework Programmes
• To reinforce cooperation with at least 3 European outstanding
research ‘partnering organisations’ (in the same S&T domain
or in a complementary field) established in 3 different member
states
- Not legally binding Policy
Research and
Innovation
Expected Results
• Exchange of know-how and experience through
trans-national two-way secondments of research
staff between Gradiant and the ‘partnering
organisations’
• Recruitment of experienced researchers
• Upgrade research equipment
• Organisation of workshops and conferences –
dissemination and promotional activities –
publications for knowledge sharing and better
visibility
Policy
Research and
Innovation
Reporting
• All reports (scientific and financial) have to be submitted
electronically via the Participant Portal:
http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/
• The financial reports will be submitted via the Participant
Portal through Forms C
At the end of each reporting period, the Commission shall
evaluate and approve project reports and deliverables and
disburse the corresponding payments within 90 days of
their receipt (Art II.5.1).
Policy
Research and
Innovation
During the course of the project
Deliverables
To be submitted:
1. The deliverables identified in Annex I to the Grant Agreement,
according to the timetable specified in the Deliverables list.
2. A periodic report within 60 days of the end of each reporting
period (including the last reporting period).
The periodic report comprises:
a) An overview + a publishable summary of the progress of work
towards the objectives of the project. This report should include
the differences between work expected to be carried out in
accordance with Annex I and that actually carried out
b) An explanation of the use of the resources
c) A Financial Statement: Form C (Annex VI to the Grant Agreement)
together with a financial report.
Policy
Research and
Innovation
Final report
At the end of the project
In addition to the periodic report for the last period of the project, a
final report has to be submitted, within 60 days after the end of
the project.
This final report shall comprise:
a) An overview final publishable summary report which includes: an
executive summary, a summary description of project context and
objectives, a description of the main S&T results, the potential
impact (including the socio-economic impact of the project) and
the main dissemination activities and exploitation of
results/foregrounds
b) A plan for the use and dissemination
c) A report covering the wider societal implications of the project, in
the form of a questionnaire, including gender equality actions,
ethical issues, efforts to involve other actors.
Policy
Research and
Innovation
Financial issues
Art II.7 Subcontracting
Art II.7.3: Minor tasks
The criteria to decide whether a subcontract concerns minor tasks are
qualitative and not quantitative:
Examples:
• Organisation of the rooms and catering for a meeting
• Printing of material, leaflets, etc.
Art II.14.3: Non-eligible costs
• VAT is not eligible.
The particular case of airport taxes
In general, airport taxes are not real taxes in the sense of tax law but
a fee for a service delivered by a public or semi-public body in charge
of a (public) service, such as airports (independent of the fact that that
some airports might have a private legal form). In this case the airport
taxes imposed by these authorities may be considered a fee and
therefore is eligible.
Policy
Research and
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Direct/indirect costs
Art II.15: Identification of direct and indirect costs
Direct costs
Direct costs are all those eligible costs which can be attributed directly
to the project and are identified by the beneficiary as such, in
accordance with its accounting principles and its usual internal rules.
Example: The cost of personnel assigned to the project
Only the costs of the actual hours worked by the persons directly
carrying out work under the project may be charged (need to use
Timesheets to record hours– Art II.15 - a.1).
Indirect costs
Indirect costs are all those eligible costs which cannot be identified by
the beneficiary as being directly attributed to the project, but which
can be identified and justified by its accounting system as being
incurred in direct relationship with the eligible direct costs attributed to
the project.
Policy
Research and
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Equipment
Art II.15 (c): The purchase cost of durable equipment
Only equipment purchased for the purposes of carrying out the action can be
charged as direct costs. To be considered as eligible, a cost must be determined
according to the beneficiary's usual accounting practice and each beneficiary
must apply its usual depreciation system for durable equipment. Depreciation is
charged in each relevant periodic report. Depreciated costs of equipment can
never exceed the purchase price of the equipment.
A particular regime applies to all projects financed under the Programme
"Research Potential“ as the acquisition of research equipment is one of the core
activities of the Research Potential Programme. Consequently, the EU will bear
up to the total cost of the research equipment (except VAT), regardless of the
depreciation used by the beneficiary. In this specific context, the beneficiary
could therefore charge up to the full price of equipment identified in Annex I. In
any event the equipment cannot be charged to any other EU project.
Policy
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Project Officer
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Organises the evaluation of proposals
Contract negotiation
Project management and monitoring
Specific tasks on Unit and Directorate level
• Interservice consultation, reports
• Programme committee
• Organisation of workshops, conferences (WIRE),
etc.
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Policy
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Role of the Project Officer
• My job is to catalyze the interactions between the
Consortium and the European Commission
●
Ensure that the Consortium fulfills the contract with the EC
(deliverables)
● Monitor the scientific, technological and financial
execution of the project
● Assess the eventual deviations to the DoW proposed by
the Coordinator during the project’s implementation
● Accept (or not) the eventual amendments proposed by
the Coordinator during the project’s implementation
● Carry out assessment, analysis and approval of project’s
reports and deliverables
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Ensure that money is transferred as quickly as possible
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Role of the COORDINATOR
Technical, administrative and financial management
 Intermediary, contact with the Commission – single entry
point
 consolidates reports from participants and work
packages
 Submits all documents and informs the Commission
 Reports on use of financial resources
 Receives all payments and transfers the appropriate
amounts to each contractor
 Chairs the Steering Committee (by default)
 Oversees the project progress, makes proposals to adapt
the project plan
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Policy
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Eligible Costs (1)
Eligible
 actual*
 during duration of project
 in accordance with its usual accounting and
management principles
 recorded in the accounts of beneficiary
 used for the sole purpose of achieving the
objectives of the project
Non-eligible (identifiable indirect taxes including
VAT…)
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Policy
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Eligible Costs (2)
Average personnel costs accepted if :
Consistent with the management
principles and accounting practices AND
they do not significantly differ from actual
personnel costs = if identified according to
a methodology approved by the
Commission
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Policy
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Project Management
You will be doing project and results cannot be
predicted
Thus:
• Changes are expected
• Changes will be accepted
BUT
• Inform the EC as early as possible
• Suggest what should be done to
compensate
.
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Conclusion
To ensure the sustainability of your project ,
be sure to:
• To line-up with regional/national
priorities/roadmaps
• to deepen your excellence and integrate
with ERA
• to build up a strong network with all the
relevant stakeholders (partnering
organisations, SMEs, public and private
partnership)
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THANK YOU for your attention!
I count on ALL of you
to make this project a real ‘SUCCESS’
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Policy
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Useful references on Cordis
Model Grant Agreement and annexes:
http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/calls-grant-agreement_en.html#standard_ga
Guide to Financial Issues relating to FP7 indirect actions:
ftp://ftp.cordis.europa.eu/pub/fp7/docs/financialguide_en.pdf
Rules to ensure consistent verification of the existence and legal status
of participants:
ftp://ftp.cordis.europa.eu/pub/fp7/docs/rules-verif_en.pdf
Checklist for a consortium agreement for FP7 projects:
ftp://ftp.cordis.europa.eu/pub/fp7/docs/checklist_en.pdf
Guides to Intellectual Property Rules for FP7:
ftp://ftp.cordis.europa.eu/pub/fp7/docs/ipr_en.pdf
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