Introduction on COST instruments
and procedures
Gabriela Cristea, Senior Administrative Officer
Kick Off Meeting for COST Targeted Network TN1302
“The voice of research administrators - building a network of administrative
excellence (BESTPRAC)”
15 October 2013
Brussels, Belgium
COST is supported
by the EU Framework Programme
ESF provides the COST Office
through a European Commission contract
Instruments and Procedures
 Meetings
- Eligibility criteria for participants
- Travel reimbursement form (for all future activities)
- Dissemination meetings
 Meeting support / local organizer support
 Short Term Scientific Missions
 Training Schools
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COST Activity: Meetings
 Only in COST countries that accepted MoU of this
Targeted Network
 Good balance of participating countries
Types of meetings:
 Management Committee (min.1 meeting/year )
 Core Group (Chair, Vice Chair, WG Chair, Grant holder,
webmaster, STSM coordinator/manager)
 Working Group
 Scientific Workshops/Conferences
 recommended to be organised in conjunction with
MC meeting to save budget
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COST Activity: Meetings
 Participants Eligible for reimbursement:
• Chair
• MC members and substitutes (up to 2/country
during MC meetings)
• Non official substitutes during MC meetings:
confirmation of replacement by COST National
Coordinators is needed
• WG members (if WG meetings)
• External experts limited to 4/meeting
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Travel Reimbursement Form
 1 time on-line registration for personal and bank details: https://eservices.cost.eu
 Complete online all expenses and download the individual travel claim
after the meeting (claim available through the link in the event invitation)
 Signed original claim submitted to the grant holder after the meeting along
with copies of travel proves
 Deadline of form submission = 30 days from end date of meeting
Any deviation from the rules requires explicit prior written
agreement from COST Office
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Eligibility criteria for participant
 120 €/night for accommodation and breakfast (meeting days + 1 night
before) – same flat rate for all participants
 20 €/meal (lunch or dinner, when not offered by local organizer)
 Travel expenses (most economical):
• Air travel: economy fare, max.1200 €
• Train and bus (1st class); seat reservations/sleepers eligible expense
• Car: only by kilometre (0,2 €/km, attach Google map) up to 2000 km
• Local transport < 25 no receipts, >25 with receipts
• Taxi: Only when no public transport is available and between 22:00
until 07:00. Justification & receipts always required
 Non eligible costs: gas, toll fee, car rental, registration fees, health
related expenses; life, luggage and cancellation insurances, telephone
calls, internet/wifi and minibar consumption
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COST Activity: Dissemination meetings
 Dissemination meetings are not organised by the Targeted
Network, but are relevant to the network objectives
 Participation should preferentially be at European Conferences
 Maximum 2 participants/grant period are eligible for
reimbursement
 Repeat attendance by the same person across grant periods
must be avoided
 The attendee(s) must be a Speaker listed in the official
programme of the conference and the topic must be the
Targeted Network
 A contribution of maximum EUR 500 can be reimbursed as
conference fees, in addition to the general reimbursement of
travel and subsistence expenses
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COST Activity: Local Organizer’s Support (LOS)
 Usually organisational costs are borne by institution of Local
Organizer
 Reimbursement of LOS expenses is done on an institution
account without exceptions
 COST supports a contribution to the total budget (other
sources of funding should appear on the request form) of up to
10000 €/meeting or joint meetings
 A lump sum of up to EUR 20/day/ participant, based on the
signed attendance list(s) can be granted as a fixed grant, upon
request from the local organizer and approval of MC chair
 > 20 €: invoices and final breakdown of expenses are required
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COST Activity: Local Organizer’s Support (LOS)
 Eligible costs
• Room & technical equipment rental
• Photocopying, phone, fax, mailing costs
• Personnel – staff involvement (max. 15% of the total
request)
• Coffee breaks
• Only one conference meal (to be deducted from the
individual reimbursements)
 NON Eligible costs
VAT, excursions, centrally paid accommodation
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COST Activity: STSM (Short Term Scientific Mission)
 Min. 4 STSMs/year, selected by the STSM coordinator
 To/From an institution in another COST participating country or formally
approved host institution in a non-COST country
 Priority: project administrators without a management role and not
directly involved in research projects
 Duration: maximum 3 months
 Recommended financial support:
Daily allowance: 60 – 90 €, Travel cost: 300 €
max 2500 € for up to three months
 Exception:
Early Stage Research Administrators (ESR: work experience + < 8 years) :
max 3500 - € 91 days up to 6 months
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COST Activity: STSM (Short Term Scientific Mission)
 Important steps BEFORE the mission:
• On-line registration of applicant
• https://e-services.cost.eu/stsm
• Send application by e-mail to STSM Coordinator, MC
Chair, Grant Holder
• Assessment by the MC / selection / send info to Grant
Holder
• Grant Holder sends “grant letter” to applicant
 Important steps AFTER the mission:
• Applicant sends report to STSM responsible, MC Chair,
Grant Holder
• Evaluation by MC / approval / send info to Grant Holder
• Payment of the applicant by Grant Holder
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COST Activity: Training School
 Duration: between 3 working days and two weeks
 Location: in one of the COST countries that accepted
MoU of this Targeted Network
 Eligible Costs
 Local Organiser Support
 Trainers: same rule as meeting participants – no
lecture fee
 Trainees: only students from COST participating
countries can receive a grant. (similar to STSM
grants. Amount decided by MC.)
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Thank you.
Any questions?
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