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What is the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme?

 

CENTRAL EUROPE is a European Union initiative that promotes innovation, competitiveness, accessibility and the environment in Central Europe. It is financed by the European Regional Development Fund and runs from 2007 to 2013. The Programme invests € 231 million ERDF to support trans-national cooperation projects fostering sustainable growth in the Programme area.

 

 

Category: General programme information

What is the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme area?

The CENTRAL EUROPE cooperation area comprises the territory, or parts of the territory, of eight EU Member States: Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia and the western regions of Ukraine. 

Ukraine is member of the Monitoring Committee and can participate in the programme with national financial contribution. Availability of ENPI funds for the western regions of Ukraine being part of the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme area will be announced in due time after confirmation by the European Commission. (see also: Can project partners from Ukraine receive ERDF funding?)

Countries and regions participating in the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme

Austria: The whole country Czech Republic: The whole country Germany: Baden-Württemberg, Bayern, Berlin, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt, Thüringen Hungary: The whole country Italy: Piemonte, Valle d'Aosta/Vallée d'Aoste, Liguria, Lombardia, Provincia Autonoma Bolzano/Bozen, Provincia Autonoma Trento, Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Emilia-Romagna Poland: The whole country Slovak Republic: The whole country Slovenia: The whole country Ukraine: Volyn, Lviv, Zakarpattia, Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernivtsi 

Category: General programme information

What is the Programme’s main aim and objective?

The CENTRAL EUROPE Programme’s 2007-2013 overall programme goal is: Strengthening territorial cohesion, promoting internal integration and enhancing the competitiveness of CENTRAL EUROPE. The overall programme goal will be pursued with the following strategic approach:

1.    Improving competitiveness of CENTRAL EUROPE by strengthening innovation and accessibility structures.

2.    Improving territorial development in a balanced and sustainable way by enhancing the quality of the environment and developing attractive cities and regions.

Taking the new directions of the European Union’s territorial cohesion policy into account the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme should aim at an even more focused and result-oriented approach and specifically contribute to reaching the Lisbon and Gothenburg objectives.

Category: General programme information

What is the Programme budget?

 

The total Programme budget is 298 Mio Euro out of which 246 Mio Euro Community funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). 231 Mio Euro ERDF is devoted to successful cooperation projects. The rest is used for Technical Assistance, that is programme management and services to project promoters.

 

Category: General programme information

How much ERDF funds does the Programme plan to allocate to each of its priorities?

The funding (ERDF-budget) breakdown per priority is as follows:

·         Priority 1 - Facilitating innovation across Europe: 49,2 Mio Euro

·         Priority 2 - Improving accessibility of and with CENTRAL EUROPE: 63,9 Mio Euro

·         Priority 3 – Using our environment responsibly: 63,9 Mio Euro

·         Priority 4 – Enhancing competitiveness and attractiveness of cities and regions: 54,1 Mio Euro

Category: General programme information

How much ERDF have been allocated in the previous calls?

 

Up to date, around 208 M€ ERDF has been allocated to 94 projects approved within three calls for proposals and 7 projects approved within the restricted call for strategic projects.

 

Category: General programme information

How much ERDF will be available for the 4th Call?

 

How much ERDF funds will be available in the 4^th Call for proposals?

 

Category: General programme information

Will there be any restrictions in the 4th Call for proposals?

 

AoI 1.3 Fostering knowledge development

AoI 2.4 Promoting information and communication technology and alternative solutions for enhancing access

AoI 3.4 Supporting environmentally friendly technologies and activities

AoI 4.1 Developing polycentric settlement structures and territorial cooperation

AoI 4.3 Capitalising on cultural resources, to make cities and regions more attractive

 

Project proposals selected in the framework of the 4th call will be funded according to the ERDF available in each Priority

 

Category: General programme information

How is the Programme managed?

The Programme is managed by a structure comprising institutions at the European, national and regional levels. Main decision-making body is the “Monitoring Committee”, which is composed of representatives of the Programme's Member States. As Managing Authority the Department for EU Strategy and Economic Development of the City of Vienna is responsible for the operational management of the programme. It is supported by a Joint Technical Secretariat, an international bureau that is also located in Vienna, and a network of Contact Points, that are located in the Member States.

For more information and contact details see www.central2013.eu/contact/

Category: General programme information

What is the timeline for the 4th Call?

The 4^th Call for proposals has been opened on 10 June 2011 and will close on 14 October 2011.

Category: General programme information

Whom can I contact for information on the Programme and project proposal development?

Project promoters seeking guidance in their project development are invited to contact the Joint Technical Secretariat in Vienna or their respective national Contact Points (CPs). The Joint Technical Secretariat and Contact Points regularly organise information and partner search events, which are announced on the CENTRAL EUROPE homepage and in mailings to the CENTRAL EUROPE user community.

The CPs should be addressed for general information on the Programme, the calls for proposals, partner search and national requirements.

The JTS should be addressed for detailed and specific information.

For contact details: CONTACT

 

 

 

 

Category: General programme information

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What are the thematic Programme Priorities?

Priority 1 – Facilitating Innovation across CENTRAL EUROPE – will improve the framework conditions for innovation and build up the capabilities to transfer and apply innovation. In this light, knowledge-development will be strengthened.

Priority 2 – Improving Accessibility of and within CENTRAL EUROPE – will improve the interconnectivity and intermodality of transport across the cooperation area. It will support multimodal logistics cooperation in all relevant transnational fields. Sustainable and safe mobility will be promoted and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) will be used for enhancing access. It will help to ensure accessibility also for sparsely populated areas and to find further alternative solutions for enhancing access.

Priority 3 – Using our Environment Responsibly – develops a high quality environment by managing natural resources and heritage, by reducing risks and impacts of natural and man-made hazards. This Priority will support the use of renewable energy sources and increase energy efficiency throughout the cooperation area. The use of environmentally friendly technologies and activities will be strengthened.

Priority 4 – Enhancing Competitiveness and Attractiveness of Cities and Regions – will promote polycentric settlement structures and will address the effects of demographic and social change on urban and regional development. The capitalisation on cultural resources will contribute to achieve more attractive cities and regions.

Category: Thematic focus/project requirements

What are the "Areas of Intervention"?

The 4 thematic Priorities are subdivided in 14 Areas of Intervention.

Please note that the 4^th call for proposals is restricted to only five Areas of Intervention: 1.3, 2.4, 3.4, 4.1 and 4.3.

Priority 1: Facilitating Innovation across Central Europe:

P1.1 Enhancing Framework Conditions for Innovation

P1.2 Establishing Capabilities for the Diffusion and Application of Innovation

P1.3 Fostering Knowledge Development

Priority 2: Improving Accessibility of and within Central Europe

P2.1 Improving Central Europe’s Interconnectivity

P2.2 Developing Multimodal Logistics’ Cooperation

P2.3 Promoting Sustainable and Safe Mobility

P2.4 Promoting Information and Communication Technologies and Alternative Solutions for Enhancing Access

Priority 3: Using our Environment Responsibly

P3.1 Developing a High Quality Environment by Managing and Protecting Natural Resources and Heritage

P3.2 Reducing Risks and Impacts of Natural and Man-made Hazards

P3.3 Supporting the Use of Renewable Energy Sources and Increasing Energy Efficiency

P3.4 Supporting Environmentally Friendly Technologies and Activities

Priority 4: Enhancing Competitiveness and Attractiveness of Cities and Regions

P4.1 Developing Polycentric Settlement Structures and Territorial Cooperation

P4.2 Addressing the Territorial Effects of Demographic and Social Change on Urban and Regional Development

P.4.3 Capitalising on Cultural Resources for More Attractive Cities and Regions

 

 

Category: Thematic focus/project requirements

What, if a project addresses several Priorities or Areas of Intervention?

In order to be eligible each project has to select one Priority and one Area of Intervention being open in the 4^th Call that best describes the main thematic focus of the project. In addition, a project can indicate up to three further Areas of Intervention (belonging to the same priority or a different one).

 

Category: Thematic focus/project requirements

What is the recommended project duration?

 

In the framework of the 4^th Call, the recommended duration is 24-30 months, taking into account that the latest acceptable end date for a project is set with 31 December 2014.

 

Category: Thematic focus/project requirements

What is a strategic project?

A targeted call for strategic projects is planned to be launched in the first part of 2010.  Preliminary information is available HERE.

Category: Thematic focus/project requirements

What kind of investments can be implemented within a project?

There are two major pathways to investment in the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme:

·         Pre-investment refers to the preparation of investments (Type of Action “Investments Preparation”) later to be funded through complementary sources such as Competitiveness and Employment Objectives, EIB or national sources. All pre-investment projects must create relevant links to relevant funding sources already during project development and maintain/intensify links during project implementation.

·         Pilot investments (Type of Action “Pilot Action”) demonstrate the viability and effectiveness of an investment in order to pave the way for subsequent investments at a larger scale. The results of the pilot investment should be transferable and the transfer of results should form part of the project. Pilot investments can be undertaken in several partner regions or, in well-justified cases, only a few or just one location.

All investments (both pre-investments and pilots) have to show a clear transnational added value and have to fulfil at least two of the following criteria:

·         form part or be the result of transnational project cooperation

·         have a transnational effect

·         create a physical link or a functional connection between regions, and/or

·         have a demonstrating/model or pilot character being jointly strived for and evaluated by the partners.

Please note that in case the proposed investment does not meet the aforementioned requirement the investment will not be eligible and its costs will be taken out from the project budget.

In case works are foreseen, there should be a mature concept at hand and the necessary preparatory steps (e.g. permits) already carried out in order to ensure a timely finalisation of the investment during project implementation. 

Category: Thematic focus/project requirements

What is a “Type of Action”?

Specific Types of Action differ in terms of activities, outputs and results. The Types of Action chosen characterize a project and demonstrate how and which kind of actual implementation will be achieved. Each project will have to select at least one Type of Action and specify the Core outputs generated through these action(s). A definition of Core outputs is provided under the question “What is the difference between an output and a Core output?"

The Programme has pre-defined five Types of Action:

·         Joint strategy + Action plan development

·         Transnational Tool development

·         Joint management establishment

·         Investment preparation

·         Pilot actions (including investments)

In well justified cases, applicants may develop another (implementation-oriented) Type of Action.

Category: Thematic focus/project requirements

How many Types of Action can be addressed by a project?

 

Each project has to select at least one Type of Action in the Application Form and specify the Core outputs generated through these action(s). A definition of Core outputs is provided under the question “What is the difference between an output and a Core output?

 

Category: Thematic focus/project requirements

What are Core output indicators and how should they be quantified?

The Types of action are directly linked to a number of pre-defined standard Core output indicators (e.g. No. of strategies/policy documents developed/ implemented) which each project has to quantify in the Application Form. Specific attention should be paid to provide accurate and realistic figures/targets for the Core output indicators reflecting the foreseen achievements of the project.

The same level of attention and accuracy should be given to the indicators related to outreach to selected target groups where a realistic quantification of target groups is requested (section 2.3 of the Application Form). 

Category: Thematic focus/project requirements

How shall the project activities be structured?

The project can foresee up to 7 Work Packages (WP), 3 of which are predefined by the Programme:

WP0 = Project Preparation (not compulsory)

WP1 = Project management and co-ordination comprising 4 pre-defined actions

WP2 = Communication, Knowledge Management and Dissemination comprising 2 pre-defined actions; 2 further actions can be added.

WP3 –WP6 = these WPs and corresponding actions can be defined by the project itself. These WPs have to be split in up to 6 actions each.

 

Category: Thematic focus/project requirements

What is the difference between an output and a Core output?

An output is the tangible deliverable of the project and refers to the actions carried out. They can be up to 20 per action. It is measured in physical or monetary unit. Examples of outputs (to be quantified) can be: workshops or conferences organized, publications realized, participants etc.

Core outputs are the major outputs produced by the project (0 to 4 per Action; at least one per WP3-6). They are directly used by someone to achieve the intended results. They must be related to the Type(s) of Action chosen. It is advisable to have a few but meaningful number of Core outputs rather than considering all Outputs as Core outputs.

For more information see Application Manual Chapter 4.2.4.

 

Category: Thematic focus/project requirements

What is a communication plan about?

A communication plan is an important component and necessity of any EU-funded project in order to provide internal and external visibility to the project. Lead Partners of approved projects will be requested to develop a detailed communication plan covering knowledge management, external and internal communication. In case of project approval, the communication plan has to be submitted together with the first Progress Report.

A communication plan provides a framework for making sure the project partners share information about their activities and achievements with appropriate audiences on a timely basis and by the most effective means. The quality and competence of communication often makes the difference between a successful or disappointing delivery of a project. Communication planning is not an afterthought but should always be developed in conjunction with the overall plan for any project.

Category: Thematic focus/project requirements

What is a knowledge management strategy about?

Knowledge management is an important strategic goal of every project. It can be described as the collection/sum up of all strategies and processes designed to identify, capture, structure, and share information to enhance the performance of the project. Please note that there is a strong link between communication and knowledge management. Your communication activities should support your wider knowledge management strategy, for instance by clearly defining your target groups and reaching out to them or by making sure that the knowledge created and/or shared within your project is captured and documented in a clear and easy-to-digest way so that it can disseminated more widely beyond the partnership! It includes at least the objectives, the messages and target audiences, the tools or channels and a work-plan outlining your non-media and media-related communication activities as well as the responsibilities, deliverables and timeframe.

Please see our Tools and Resources in the section DOCUMENT CENTER >> OTHER DOCUMENTS for more detailed information on successful project communication.

Category: Thematic focus/project requirements

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What is the minimum number of partners/ countries to be involved in a project?

The minimum requirements for partnership are as follows:

·         at least three financing partners

·         from at least three countries and

·         being at least two of the partners located in an EU region of the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme area.

Project partners should financially contribute to the project. Associated Institutions (as described in the answer to the question “Can the partnership comprise also associated institutions or partners with an observer status?”) are not considered to be part of the partnership.

Category: Partnership

Who can be a project partner?

1.    National, regional and local public authorities, such as ministries, regional governments, provinces, municipalities as well as their departments;

2.    Public equivalent bodies, such as regional development associations, innovation and development agencies and foundations.

3.    Private institutions, including private companies having legal personalities. It shall be noted the definitions of “legal personality” and “company” might differ from country to country.

4.    International organisations can also qualify as eligible partners fulfilling certain requirement. For further details see Application Manual Chapter 3.1.1.

 

Category: Partnership

What is the definition of a public equivalent body?

Public Equivalent Bodies, such as regional development associations, innovation and development agencies and foundations means anybody that – according to the definition provided in Article 1(9) of Directive 2004/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 31 March 2004 on public procurement:

·         is established under public or private law for the specific purpose of meeting needs of general interest, not having an industrial or commercial character; and

·         has a legal personality; and

·         is financed for the most part by the State, or regional or local authorities, or other bodies governed by public law, or subject to management supervision by those bodies, or having an administrative, managerial or supervisory board, more than half of whose members are appointed by the State, regional or local authorities or by other bodies governed by public law.

Category: Partnership

Can private institutions be project partners?

Private institutions including private companies (see also question Who can be a project partner?) can be project partners and can receive ERDF funding. Private institutions can also act as Lead Partners but only for project proposals submitted under Priority 1.

Private institutions may also participate in projects as subcontractors of public authorities and public equivalent bodies acting as Lead Partner or Project Partner. In this case, subcontractors must be selected in accordance to the in force rules on public procurement.

Category: Partnership

Can international organisations participate as project partner?

With regard to the participation of international organisations as project partners, two cases must be distinguished:

1.    International Organisations acting under national law of any EU CENTRAL EUROPE Member State. Such institutions can participate as project partners and be also Lead Partner.

2.    International Organisations acting under international law: These organisations can only participate as Project Partner upon explicit acceptance and fulfilling all the requirements deriving from the Treaty and the Council and the Commission Regulations applicable in the framework of the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme, including but not limited to the list provided in Chapter 3.1.1 of the Application Manual for the 4^th call.

Category: Partnership

Can partners from non EU-countries participate in a project?

Project Partners located in any Third Countries can participate with their own funds.

Partners located in those countries benefiting from ENPI or IPA funds can check at national level whether specific funds are available to participate in transnational/CENTRAL EUROPE Programme. Please also see question "Are activities implemented outside the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme area eligible?"

 

 

Category: Partnership

Which institution can be considered as an Associated Institution?

Institutions without financial contribution to the project can be involved as Associated Institutions. Please note that these bodies are not part of the partnership per se, and thus, do not count for the fulfilment of the minimum partnership requirements.

The involvement of Associated institutions must not enter in conflict with public procurement rules: their expenditure incurred should be in principle limited to the reimbursement of travel and accommodation costs related to the participation in project meetings and finally borne by any of the partners (Lead Partner or Project Partner) in order to be considered as eligible.

Therefore, potential External Experts should not be listed as Associated Institutions.

Category: Partnership

Who can be an Assimilated Partner?

Partners from Italian or German regions located outside of the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme area can participate as Assimilated Partners and receive ERDF funding upon condition that:

·         They are NATIONAL public or public equivalent body

·         They are competent in their scope of action for certain parts of the eligible area but are located outside of it

·         They implement all core thematic activities in the EU CENTRAL EUROPE Programme area

The detailed requirements for Assimilated Partners and their activities can be found in Chapter 3.1.5 and 3.1.6 of the Application Manual for the 4^th call.

Category: Partnership

Who can act as Lead Partner?

The Lead Partner must be located in a EU region of the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme area (or fulfil the requirements of the so-called “assimilated partners”). The following bodies can act as Lead Partner:

·         public authorities, that is national, regional and local public authorities, such as ministries, regional governments, provinces, municipalities as well as their departments;

·         public equivalent bodies (see the specific question “What is the definition of a public equivalent body?”);

·         international organizations acting under the national law;

·         private institutions (see question: Who can be a project partner?) but only for project proposals submitted under Priority 1.

Category: Partnership

What is a balanced partnership?

 

Partners involved should be suitable to produce the planned outputs and to achieve the envisaged results. The partnership must be competent to develop, implement and disseminate jointly elaborated approaches and tools. Depending on the project goals this can imply the involvement of national, regional and local authorities as well as other players such as research institutions, intermediate bodies, agencies, industry and others.

 

Category: Partnership

What is the recommended size of a partnership?

 

Even if larger partnerships will not be excluded, the recommended size of a partnership is 8 up to 12 partners.

 

Category: Partnership

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Which ERDF co-financing rates will be applied?

Different rates of ERDF assistance will be granted in the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme depending on the Member State where the institution participating in a project is located, its legal and economic profile and the nature of the activities to be developed:

·         Partners from AT, IT, DE: rate of assistance up to 75%

·         Partners from HU, CZ, PL, SI, SK: rate of assistance up to 85%

·         EU Partners located outside the EU CENTRAL EUROPE area: up to 75%

 

Is CENTRAL EUROPE giving grants in the framework of State Aid?

Any public support under the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme must comply with the procedural and material State Aid rules applicable at the point of time when the public support is granted. For detailed information please refer to Chapter 3.2.2 and 3.2.3 of the Application Manual for the 4^th call.

Category: Budget

Is CENTRAL EUROPE giving grants in the framework of State Aid?

Any public support under the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme must comply with the procedural and material State Aid rules applicable at the point of time when the public support is granted. For detailed information please refer to Chapter 3.2.2 and 3.2.3 of the Application Manual for the 4^th call.

Category: Budget

What happens in case one or more project activities belong to the field of application of State Aid?

In the case that, along the assessment process, project activities are ascertained as State Aid relevant the ERDF contribution to eligible expenditures incurred by any partner, be it public or private, will be limited to the thresholds set by the de minimis rule. In the absence of any other public funding source, the ERDF granted under the de minimis is up to the EUR 200.000 ceiling (or up to EUR 100.000 in case of activities within the road transport sector), Nevertheless, if partners receive additional public funding (e.g., national co-financing schemes at central level) this will be accounted for as aid granted under the de minimis rule and, as a consequence, the maximum amount of ERDF that can be received is automatically lower. This limitation does not apply to international organizations since they are supposed – due to their ultimate goals – not to implement market oriented type of activities.

Category: Budget

What is the minimum/maximum project budget?

In the framework of the 4^th call for proposals, the recommended project size applicable to this call is in the range of 1 to 2,5 million EUR total budget (i.e. ERDF plus national co-financing). In exceptional cases, smaller or larger projects can also be funded, however projects are strongly encouraged not to exceed the upper limit.

Partners should ensure that the financial size of the project truly reflects the activities foreseen in the work plan and that it is based on real costs and on the principles of sound financial management.

Category: Budget

What is the national co-financing and how does it have to be proved?

The national co-financing is the own contribution which each project partner provides in order to finance the share of expenditure not covered by ERDF. This amount has to be confirmed in the duly signed, dated and stamped Declaration that additionally contains the declaration on administrative and financial capacity and legal status (co-financing statement).

There are two types of co-financing:

a) Public co-financing is public funding at central, regional or local level, obtained via specific co-financing schemes set up by the Member States or provided directly by the partners with own funds. Co-financing from public equivalent bodies is also considered as public co-financing. Likewise, match funding of international organizations falls under this category.

b) Private co-financing refers to the amount of own funds provided as match funding by private institutions or by bodies constituted under public law but not fulfilling all requirements to be considered as a public equivalent body.

Category: Budget

What is ENPI and IPA funding?

ENPI (European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument) and IPA (the Instrument for Pre-Accession) are financing instruments instituted by the European Union in order to respectively promote enhanced cooperation and economic integration with neighboring countries and assist pre-accession countries with a view to membership.

The countries covered by ENPI are: Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Egypt Georgia, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Moldova, Morocco, the Palestinian Authority, Russia, Syria, Tunisia, and Ukraine.

The countries covered by IPA are: Croatia, Turkey, Former Yugoslav Republic Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia and Kosovo as defined by the UN Security Council Resolution 1244.

Project Partners wishing to receive funding from these instruments have to directly address the respective bodies in their country.

Category: Budget

What is the 10% Flexibility Rule?

In accordance with Article 21.3 of the ERDF Regulation, the ERDF may finance expenditure incurred in implementing projects or parts of projects on the territory outside the European Community up to a limit of 10% of the amount of its contribution to the Operational Programme (10% flexibility rule), where they are for the benefit of the regions of the Community. However, in the case of the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme funds allocated to a single project under this rule may also not exceed 10% of the total ERDF contribution to this project. This flexibility option can be used for implementing activities in any Third Country under the condition that the benefit for the CENTRAL EUROPE area of activities to be implemented in Third Countries is clearly demonstrated in the project proposal.

Funds allocated under this 10% flexibility rule shall be spent under responsibility of a Lead Partner or project Partner located in the EU CENTRAL EUROPE cooperation area (or assimilated to it) in order to ensure proper financial control. The use of 10% flexibility rule must be described in the Application Form and approved by the Monitoring Committee.

Category: Budget

Are preparation costs eligible?

 

Preparation costs can only be eligible for those projects finally approved for funding. These costs must relate exclusively to preparation activities carried out between 1 January 2007 and the date on which the Application Form has been submitted. The eligible preparation costs are subject to a ceiling of EUR 20,000. Please note that eligibility rules also apply to these costs; in particular, selection of external service providers (e.g., external experts assisting the partners in preparing the project proposal) must be made in compliance with public procurement rules applicable in the framework of CENTRAL EUROPE.

 

Category: Budget

As from when expenditures for project implementation are eligible?

 

Expenditure related to the project implementation is eligible from the start date until the end date of the project as set in the approved application form. At the earliest, costs are eligible as from the day after the submission of the Application Form, provided that this day is the official start date of the project. On this basis, partners may decide at their own risk to start the implementation phase before the project is finally selected for granting.

 

Category: Budget

Is expenditure after the end date of the project duration eligible?

 

Expenditure related to project closure (e.g., preparation of final reports and, where applicable, related audit costs) are eligible until the deadline for submission of final reports as set in the Subsidy Contract.

 

Category: Budget

Who are the responsible national First Level Control institutions?

The list of the responsible First Level Control (FCL) bodies nominated by the Member States is available at the country-specific information section of the Programme website www.central2013.eu.

 

Category: Budget

Is VAT considered to be eligible expenditure?

 

VAT does not constitute eligible expenditure unless it is genuinely and definitively borne by the partner. VAT which is recoverable by whatever means cannot be considered as eligible even if it is not actually recovered by the partner.

 

Category: Budget

Are expenditures for housing eligible?

 

Expenditure related to housing is eligible if in line with the general requirements set in Article 7 of Regulation 1080/2006 and the detailed specifications provided by Article 47 of Regulation 1828/2006, in their latest versions. Please note that nevertheless any intervention in the field of housing in the framework of the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme should be limited to pilot actions having a demonstrative effect and being the result of a cooperation process among the partners involved.

 

Category: Budget

Are expenditures for the acquisition of land eligible?

Acquisition of land is not eligible.

Category: Budget

Are in-kind contributions eligible?

In-kind contributions shall be eligible expenditure if they fulfill the following conditions:

·         they are eligible according to national eligibility rules;

·         they consist of the provision of land or real state, equipment or raw materials, research or professional work or unpaid voluntary work and their value can be independently assessed and audited. In the framework of the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme, the provision of services between partners (e.g., estimation of costs for making available own premises for holding meetings and events) is not eligible;

·         they are below 5% of the total partner’s budget and do not exceed 5.000€.

Category: Budget

How to include in-kind contributions in the Application Form?

In-kind contributions should be included in the respective budget lines according to:

·         the nature of the contribution (i.e. land or real state, equipment or raw materials, research or professional work or unpaid voluntary work);

·         the provisions set up at national level for the calculation of in-kind contributions.

The specification of in-kind contributions is not requested in the Application Form, and their value has to be independently assessed prior their validation by the First Level Controller.

Category: Budget

What if a project will generate revenues?

Revenues are earnings made through the sales of products and merchandise, from tuition fees for conferences and, in general, by any provision of services against payment. When it is expected that a project proposal will generate revenue, the amount of the net revenue must be deducted from the eligible costs in full or pro-rata depending on whether it was generated entirely or only partly by the co-financed project.

A specification of revenues is not requested at the application stage. Revenues will be subject to control during the process of expenditure validation by the First Level Controllers. Specific attention will be provided to those cases where the approved proposals foresee the realisation of investments, also including revenues generated after project closure.

 

Category: Budget

What kind of investment is eligible?

The CENTRAL EUROPE Programme cannot be considered an investment Programme in traditional terms. Projects can prepare investments later to be funded through other sources (pre-investment) or implement pilot investments in the framework of pilot actions. Both pre-investments and pilots have to show a clear transnational added value.

In order to be eligible, all investments have to fulfill at least two of the following criteria:

• Form part or be the result of transnational project cooperation;
• Have a transnational effect;
• Create a physical link or a functional connection between regions (independently of the neighbouring position of these regions) or/and
• Have a demonstrating/model or pilot character being jointly strived for and evaluated by the partners; the results of this ‘pilot investment’ should be transferable, a transnational transfer of results should form part of the project.

For further details please refer to the Application Manual, Chapter 4.3.

Category: Budget

Are Common Costs allowed?

In the framework of the 3^rd call for proposals, the practice of splitting cost items among the partners (i.e., sharing common costs) is not allowed.

Category: Budget

When do the rules on competition and public procurement have to be respected?

The purchase of goods and services, as well as the ordering of public works, by public services or other public bodies, is subject to national (including internal), Community and Programme rules. The procurement rules aim at securing transparent and fair conditions for competing on the common market and should be followed by the project partners when commissioning the above services, works or deliveries.

Please note that, even if the value of the purchase does not exceed the applicable thresholds, the purchaser must take into account the general principles of sound financial management laid down in the EC Treaty and ensure the adequate transparency and equal treatment when purchasing goods and/or services. Whichever rules (EC, Programme, national or internal) are more stringent must be applied.

In the framework of the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme, rules on public procurement are mandatory also for private bodies and international organizations. For more details please refer to the Application Manual Chapter 4.6 and also see the Programme Control & Audit Guidelines as well as the FAQs devoted to implementation.

Category: Budget

Which costs shall be allocated to the “Equipment” budget line?

The “Equipment” budget line refers to the purchase of IT equipment – including software – needed for office purposes and necessary for the daily project management. Where strictly necessary, office furniture is considered as eligible expenditure and should also be charged to this budget line.

Being depreciable assets, their full cost can only be charged to the project’s budget if the period going from the date of purchase to the end date of the project is longer than the normal depreciation period for each type of equipment. Otherwise, only the portion of the equipment’s depreciation corresponding to the rate of actual use for the purpose of the project may be taken into account. For this reason, partners are advised to purchase any needed equipment in the start-up phase and, in any case, well before project closure.

For further information, please see Application Manual Chapter 4.3.2.

 

Category: Budget

Which costs shall be allocated to the “Investments” budget line?

In budgetary terms, only costs clearly linked to Pilot Actions corresponding to the investment category shall be allocated in this budget line. These costs include:

·         Costs related to financing infrastructure works;

·         Costs related to the purchase of equipment which is not of office use and thus does not fall within the scope of the equipment budget line. This equipment may be either linked or independent from the infrastructure and construction works themselves;

·         Costs related to the purchase of any good, which is neither IT equipment nor is of office use (e.g., permanent information panels).

Costs for infrastructure and works may refer either to an investment that will be set up ex-novo or to adaptation of an already existing infrastructure. Whatever the case, these costs are only eligible if referring to pilot actions having a transnational added value and a demonstrative effect.

For further information, please see Application Manual Chapter 4.3.2.

 

Category: Budget

How to build the budget allocation per reporting period?

When building their spending forecasts, partners should take into consideration the following elements:

·         The reporting periods run on a six-monthly basis;

·         The spending forecast should be an estimation of the actual payments to be done in each reporting period. Therefore, it only partly reflects the activities taking place in a certain period. Indeed, if an activity is carried out close to the end of a reporting period, the related payment may occur in the following period and the costs should therefore be budgeted in the following reporting period.

Please note that spending forecasts will be subject to analysis during the assessment process as well. In particular, artificial splitting of total costs evenly throughout the project duration will be negatively evaluated due to its negative effect on the decommitment calculations on Programme level.

With regard to the decommitment calculation please refer to the CENTRAL EUROPE Implementation Manual.

Category: Budget

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When will the projects be approved?

The approval of projects submitted under the 4^th Call depends on the amount of project proposals actually received and is scheduled in early 2012.

Projects that have been approved for funding might receive additional conditions to be fulfilled deriving from the results of the quality assessment.

Only after the fulfilment of these conditions and additional administrative requirements the negotiation process can be considered as finalized with the sending of the Subsidy Contract offer.

 

Category: Project Evaluation Procedure

Can the Application Form and Annexes be submited in national language?

Since the Programme language is English, all documents have to be provided in English.

Category: Project Evaluation Procedure

How to submit the project application?

The Application Form and its Annexes has to be sent by normal post/courier or directly delivered by hand in only one envelope on the date of deadline at the latest (date of the post mark) to the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme Joint Technical Secretariat. In both cases the envelope must include the hard copy of all necessary documents and a CD-Rom or any other electronic support where the electronic version of the Application Form, the map with the location of partners and, in case of private Lead applicant under Priority 1, the Simplified Financial Statement document are saved (full list of documents to be provided as electronic version and/or hard copy see Application Manual chapter 5.2.1). Submission via e-mail is not accepted.

The hard copy version of the Application Form is considered to be the official application: it must be in original, unbound and duly signed by the legal/duly authorised person of the Lead Applicant.

In case the original Annexes are not available at the Lead Partner premises at the date of submission of the project proposal, the Lead Partner is allowed to include in the Application package to be submitted the missing Annexes received via fax or scanned by the affected partners. The related original documents shall be sent to the JTS not later than 3 working days after the deadline of the call for proposals (date of the postal stamp).

Lead Applicants are invited to send the JTS an e-mail (e-mail address: info@central2013.eu) before the deadline of the Call for proposals announcing the submission of the project proposal and including the project title and acronym (no additional documentation to be attached).

Category: Project Evaluation Procedure

Will there be additional checks for private Lead Applicants?

 

For private Lead Applicants in Priority 1 the financial capacity check will be performed on the basis of the Simplified Financial Statement and of the additional documents listed in chapter 5.2.1 and applying the procedure as described in Chapter 5.2.2 of the Application Manual.

 

 

Category: Project Evaluation Procedure

What are the criteria for the technical and financial assesment?

The content and financial assessment will be performed according to the following 5 criteria:

·         Relevance

·         Partnership technical and operational capacity

·         Implementation and Methodology

·         Quality of the outputs and sustainability of the achieved results

·         Budget and cost effectiveness

Category: Project Evaluation Procedure

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Which type of improvements and modifications of the Application Form have to be done during the negotiation phase?

The readjustments have to take into account the improvements requested by the Monitoring Committee as a condition for the final project approval.

These conditions mainly refer to:

• Technical and content matters, e.g. to ensure a more realistic work plan and consistency between work plan and provisional budget
• Budgetary aspects, e.g. to ensure a realistic financial flow along the project implementation, reduce over budgeting
• Healing of administrative mistakes, e.g. Lead Applicant and/or Project Partners legal status revision based on the further checks done at national level

Additionally, because of the time gap between project development, submission of the Application Form and actual start of implementation, adaptations to the work plan and time table might be needed.

Category: Project Implementation

Why is the Start-Up phase of specific importance?

The first phase of the project largely influences whether or not a project turns out to be successful.

In addition to defining the work plan in more details, the partnership also needs to develop a structure for managing, implementing and steering the project.

If foreseen by the project, also provisions for evaluation and project review should be settled during this start-up phase.

Category: Project Implementation

How to set up efficient management structures?

Whatever the number of involved management bodies, it is important that rules of procedure are clearly settled and that rules are defined for communication and exchange between all of them. Many projects foresee a structure which is composed of a Steering Committee, the Day-to-Day management and coordination (e. g. Coordinator, Financial Manager, Communication Manager) and thematic coordination (e.g. Group of WP leaders).

The persons who will be in charge of the different functions have to be selected and appointed considering the necessary skills and experience. If tasks are outsourced, the tendering processes have to be carefully prepared and organized. Time needed for a proper finalization of a tendering process should never be under-estimated and provisions should be foreseen for a proper completion of the start-up phase even without having these functions in place.

Category: Project Implementation

What is the role of the Steering Committee in the monitoring process?

The Steering Committee (SC) monitors and steers the project efficiently. In most cases the roles of the SC are strategic coordination, evaluation and decision-making in the project. The composition and responsibilities of the SC are often determined by the project management structure. Every project partner has to nominate its representative(s) for the SC which usually consists of the Project Manager, Financial Manager, Work package leaders and/or country coordinators. Additionally, a SC can involve as observers further key stakeholders, e.g. political representatives or other regional actors to make project results more visible and more likely to be mainstreamed;  in case of technical projects covering a specific sector, experts or representatives with in-depth knowledge of that sector

Category: Project Implementation

What is the role of the kick-off meeting and which topics should it address?

The starting point of project implementation is the kick-off meeting being an internal project meeting, where all project partners must attend and actively contribute. This is a key step in the management and coordination process, as it offers the opportunity for partners to get deeper to know each other, confirm objectives, methodology, work plan and schedule, communication plan as well as administrative procedures.

The kick-off meeting should take place as soon as possible after project start. It is a way to ensure that all partners are ready to start the implementation work and are clear about what steps to take next.

Depending on the size of the project and its partnership, the kick off meeting usually takes 1-2 days and is usually organized by the Lead Partner.

Category: Project Implementation

How to establish a common working culture?

Project structure, responsibilities and outcomes cannot be fully implemented and reached without having developed a common working culture. Various good practices have been identified for achieving a common working culture (e.g. Territorial Cooperation Project Management Handbook by INTERACT).

These include the development of project manuals/guides that clarify roles, processes and structures as well as some core values or ‘ground rules’ for collaboration. During the start-up phase after project approval, projects are recommended to invest some time to initiate a number of actions for building a common culture. It can be part of the kick-off meeting to discuss these core values and to produce a framework for good collaboration.

Category: Project Implementation

How is the contracting procedure?

The Subsidy Contract forms the legal base between the Managing Authority and the Lead Partner and is based on the Lead Partner principle. It lays down all the necessary implementing arrangements for the project.

The approved Application Documents, including the final approved Application Form and the approval decision of the Monitoring Committee form an integral part of the Subsidy Contract.

A model of the Subsidy Contract is available on the Programme website.

After the approval by the Monitoring Committee and the fulfillment of eventual conditions by the project, the Managing Authority via the Joint Technical Secretariat will send an individualized Subsidy Contract offer to the Lead Partner.

Category: Project Implementation

Is there a deadline for the submission of the Subsidy contract signed by the Lead Partner?

The Lead Partner is free to accept and sign the Subsidy contract offer within two months after having been received. After this deadline the offer loses its validity.

Category: Project Implementation

What is the partnership agreement and why is it needed?

While the Subsidy Contract is signed between the Lead Partner and the Programme, the partnership agreement forms the legal base between the Lead Partner and the Project Partners. It determines the rights, responsibilities and procedures of the partnership in order to implement the funded project.

Category: Project Implementation

What elements are covered in the Partnership Agreement?

The agreement lays out important principles such as the Project Partners´ responsibilities and contributions to the implementation of activities, the project partners` budgets, the reporting requirements, the assurance of providing a sound financial management, including accounting and documentation obligations, internal arrangements for recovering amounts unduly paid and decommitted funds and the ownership of project results.

A template for the Partnership Agreement is provided on the Programme website. It contains the minimum requirements needed, meaning that the provisions may be specified or additional contents may be included in order to tailor the agreement to the needs of the partnership which however must in any case be in line with the content of the Subsidy Contract and of the EU Regulations.  

Category: Project Implementation

How and by when must be the Partnership Agreement be signed?

The Partnership Agreement has to be signed by the LP and by all Project Partners, either in one single document, or as bilateral documents between the LP and every Project Partner. In case the bilateral option is preferred, all bilateral agreements must include a clause that interlinks them.

In the Start-Up Report (see dedicated section below) the LP is asked to provide information on when the Partnership Agreement has been signed by the partnership. Please note that after any eventual change in the partnership the new partner has to also sign the partnership agreement and the JTS and the affected controllers have to be informed accordingly.

Category: Project Implementation

What is meant by starting date of the project?

The starting date of the project is the date from which expenditure related to the project implementation is eligible. The starting date can be individually defined by the project, as from the date of the funding decision by the Monitoring Committee or even earlier, if partners decide at their own risk to start the implementation phase before the project is finally selected for funding (only if indicated in the Application Form and at the earliest from the day after the submission of the Application Form). During the negotiation phase projects have the possibility of revising the starting date in order to adjust the project work plan in accordance to the date of decision for funding taken by the MC.

Category: Project Implementation

Is there a deadline for the start of the project?

The project has to start at the latest within two months after the Subsidy Contract has entered into force (unless stated otherwise in the Application Form).

Category: Project Implementation

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What are the differences between monitoring, evaluation, reporting and control?

Even though in some cases these terms seem to be interchangeable, they require different procedures and are based on different information.

Reporting addresses the process of collecting, summarizing, structuring and presenting information (financial and content related) required by the Programme bodies in order to reimburse the project. Reporting is an obligation of the project Lead Partner and forms the basis for project monitoring.

Monitoring is performed by the Managing Authority via the JTS. It verifies the quality and effectiveness of project implementation by analyzing and assessing the progress of the projects and the achievements of objectives on the basis of their regular reports. As an administrative procedure the main task of monitoring is to assure that project inputs (budget and activities) and outputs are in line with the approved Application Form and that the expenditure incurred complies with the rules of eligibility.

Evaluation assesses project implementation on the basis of outputs, results and impacts focusing on strategic aspects of quality, management and effects. Evaluation can be performed both at Programme and project level and at different stages of the project/Programme lifecycle.

Control verifies at project level the project expenditure incurred and paid out by each partner. These controls cover 100% of project expenditure and may undergo a number of verifications.

Category: Reporting

Why and what do we need to monitor?

Monitoring of project progress is a main Programme management process/tool. In simple terms monitoring is a check of project progress by which the Programme management can identify and solve implementation problems and assess progress towards the project objectives. In addition, monitoring of project implementation provides vital information on the overall performance of the Programme.

However, this process can also be useful for the projects if also internally implemented within the project partnership as it will provide support for project implementation and will give partners information on whether and how objectives have been met.

Category: Reporting

What are the general procedures in reporting?

The JTS provides all Lead Partners with the respective templates (Start-Up Report, Preparation Cost Report, Progress report and Final Report). These reporting templates are individualised forms in Excel format. They are partly pre-filled with information gathered from the latest Application Form or previous reports and allow automatic transfer of information to different sections of the report as well as automatic calculation of budget data. Report templates contain also automatic functions based on macros which allow to automatically detect the presence of errors.

The reports and all annexes must be submitted in electronic version to the JTS. The e-documents shall be uploaded on the intranet section of the CENTRAL EUROPE website dedicated to each project. The link and username/password are communicated to the LP.  All financial annexes must be uploaded as scan of original documents.

An e-mail communicating the completion of the upload of the report and of all annexes has to be sent by the LP to the JTS at the following address:

reports(at)central2013.eu

 The date of such e-mail is relevant for the purpose of compliance with the timeframe for project reporting, as set in § 5.4 of the Subsidy Contract.

A confirmation of receipt of the electronic version of the report and annexes will be sent by the JTS within two working days from the upload of the documents.

In case of delays in submitting the reports, a reminder will be sent by the JTS to the Lead Partner. In the absence of any response, Lead Partners are reminded that the failure to submit the required reports qualifies as a basis for termination of the Subsidy Contract (please refer to § 15.1.e of the contract).

 Original documents of the report and its annexes must be provided in hard copy upon completion of the analysis of the concerned report.

 

Category: Reporting

What is the Start-Up Report?

Within the Start-Up Report the Lead Partner has to give evidence of the actual start of the project, provide updated information regarding relevant contact details and confirm the management arrangements (composition of Project Steering Committee). Further, the Lead Partner has to provide evidence that the partnership agreement has been signed by all project partners indicating the date of the last signature.

A personalized report template will be provided to the Lead Partner by the JTS.

The Start-Up Report has to be submitted to the JTS within three months after the Subsidy Contract has entered into force.

Category: Reporting

What is the Preparation Cost Report and which costs can be included?

When foreseen in the approved Application Form, projects can claim the reimbursement of ERDF funds for incurred costs for the preparation and submission of the project proposal. These costs must exclusively relate to preparation activities carried out until the date on which the Application Form has been submitted. The contents of the Preparation Cost Report refer to the Work package 0 in the Application Form. Only budget lines foreseen in the Application Form (Staff costs, Administration Costs, External expertise, Travel and Accommodation, Meeting and events) and only project partners having stated preparation costs can claim these costs.

An individualized report template will be provided by the JTS to the Lead Partner of all those approved projects which have foreseen such costs in the Application Form.

If applicable, the Preparation Cost Report has to be submitted at the latest together with the first Progress report (the deadline being 2 months after the end of the first reporting period).

Category: Reporting

What are the tasks of the communication manager?

It is advisable to have one person who carries the overall responsibility for the communication and publicity efforts in the project. This person should preferably be a communication expert, with the relevant competence and experience in the field.

The person responsible for communication should be in charge of developing the Communication Plan and also to inform the partnership of the same and monitor its implementation.

He/she should have the function of contact person for communication and publicity issues in the project partnership and make sure that he is informed about the efforts carried out in this field in the partnership. He/she should serve as adviser to the partnership and keep an overview of the efforts carried out, to streamline the work and maximise the outcomes.

Category: Reporting

What are the deadlines for submitting (progress) reports?

The project-specific reporting periods as well as the deadlines for the submission of the progress reports are laid down in the Subsidy Contract. The deadline for submission is two months after the end of the reporting period (1^st day of the 3^rd month). For example, the progress report for the period October 2010 to March 2011 will have to be submitted by the 1^st of June 2011 at the latest. This deadline must be understood as the latest possible date, meaning that if a project is ready to submit the progress report before the date set it can actually do so.

Final report: After finalisation of the project, and in addition to the Progress report for the last implementation period, approved projects must submit a final report to the JTS according to the deadline set in the Subsidy Contract.

Category: Reporting

How is the Progress Report structured?

The joint Progress Report consists of an activity report and a financial report and it includes also the payment claim. It has to be submitted to the JTS by the Lead Partner on behalf of the entire partnership.

In order to ensure a sound information flow, projects are recommended to internally set up reporting schemes from the project partners towards the Lead Partner that mirror the contents/structure of the report.

Category: Reporting

What is the content of the activity report?

In addition to its importance as tool for presenting the projects achievements, the activity report allows also for the verification of the progress of the project in implementing the work plan as described in the approved Application Form. The activity report consists of three sections, the general section, the indicator section and the work plan section. When compiling the activity report, the Lead Partner should pay special attention to the clarity of information given, its degree of detail and the coherence between the different sections.

Category: Reporting

What kind of documents besides the activity report have to be submitted?

As annexes to the activity report the following documents have to be submitted:

·         Agenda, minutes and signed list of participants of all meetings held during the period.

·         All promotional material produced during the period;

·         All relevant deliverables of the project such as reports, studies, SWOT analysis, etc;

·         Any other output that the Lead Partner may deem important.

In addition, it is compulsory to attach to the first Progress report also the project Communication plan.

Category: Reporting

What is the content of the Financial report?

The expenditure paid out by all Project Partners during the reference reporting period is combined into a joint financial report. Only expenditure which has been confirmed as eligible by the First Level Controllers can be included in the report. Also expenditure paid in previous periods can be included in case its validation was received only after the conclusion of monitoring of the previous report. In the joint financial report, all validated expenditure will be presented divided:

·         per work packages,

·         per budget lines,

·         per Project Partners.

All Validations issued by the First Level Controllers of the LP and the Project Partners (Confirmations of Control and Breakdown of validated Expenditure) have to be uploaded on the intranet section of the CENTRAL EUROPE website as scan of original documents (first submission of report) and further enclosed as hard copies of the final version of each financial report. These validations must be accompanied by the compulsory elements as presented in the control & audit guidelines (i.e. a scan of the internal control report and the control checklist). The JTS will request evidence of the delivery of the internal control reports and the control checklists referring to each Confirmation of Control in the early stages of project implementation (i.e. first two reporting periods). Such evidence might be requested throughout the whole project implementation on a case by case basis. For further details please refer to chapters 3.7 and 3.8 of the Control & Audit Guidelines).

Category: Reporting

What happens if a report cannot be delivered in time?

Due to the different time needed for obtaining the validation of expenditure by the First Level Controllers, projects may face the lack of one or more confirmations of control by the deadline for submitting the report. Two options can be followed in these cases:

a)    The Lead Partner requests a postponement of the reporting deadline: such request must be put forward to the JTS at the latest one week prior to the due deadline. The request must be accompanied by a list of the partners which have not received their certification, the amounts involved and the date in which these partners have submitted their expenditure to the relevant controller;

b)    The Lead Partner submits the progress report and, if during the analysis of the report by the JTS the validations of expenditure are received, then it would be possible to include them during the analysis of the Progress Report.

Category: Reporting

What is knowledge management?

Knowledge management describes analytical methods and practical tools used for managing the information and knowledge flows within the partnership and beyond. There is a strong link between the project’s knowledge management and its communication strategy as it should be supported by and provide valuable input to external communication with your target groups and project environment, for instance by making the knowledge created and shared accessible to wider interested audiences through your project website or by making sure that the knowledge created and/or shared within your project is captured and documented in a clear and easy-to-digest way so that it can disseminated more widely beyond the partnership.

Category: Reporting

What does the JTS expect of a Progress report? Which provisions should the Lead Partner take to ensure an effective reporting?

The Lead Partner, in general, has to take care of a smooth information flow from the Programme to the partner level and vice versa. In terms of reporting, the Lead Partner should in particular make sure that all information available on Programme reporting procedures and reporting templates as well as all Programme control and audit requirements are passed on to the partner level. Further, he should take care that the partners provide the right information in order to prepare the joint Progress reports. For this purpose the setting up of a well developed internal reporting system including the provision of clear, simple reporting tools (e.g. standard templates, checklists) can facilitate the provision of information from Project Partners as well as the consolidation of information by the Lead Partner for the joint report. In addition, the Lead Partner has to ensure that any feedback from the reports reaches the partners and their controllers if applicable.

Category: Reporting

How are projects monitored by the JTS?

Each Progress report will be analysed by two persons inside the JTS: the desk-officer of the project (Project Manager) will monitor the implementation of activities whereas a Finance Manager will deal with all finance-related aspects.

All reports will undergo the following phases:

·         A conformity check in which certain administrative elements are checked (e.g. completeness of report).

·         Monitoring of contents - if the information provided in the Progress report is not sufficient, the JTS will request further information or clarification from the Lead Partner, who should provide the necessary answers within a set timeframe. In this regard, several clarification rounds might become necessary.

·         Once all requests for clarification have been solved, the Lead Partner is requested to submit the final signed version of the report in hardcopy, including, originals of the validations of expenditure referring to all expenditure included in the report. This hardcopy version will be subject to a final conformity check. If no further problems are raised, the report is approved informing the Managing Authority who launches the necessary control steps for the payment procedure. The JTS will directly inform the Lead Partners about the conclusion of the technical monitoring process.

Category: Reporting

How long will the processing of reports take?

The number of required clarification rounds and the overall duration of the processing of Progress reports are influenced by the quality of the reports themselves.

In order to keep the monitoring process as efficient and short as possible, the Lead Partner is advised to pay special attention to provide clear information with a sufficient degree of detail and ensure coherence between the different sections of the report.

Category: Reporting

What happens if a Project Partner drops out during project implementation?

Any partner change must be considered as a severe issue and must in any case receive a prior approval by the Monitoring Committee.

In any case of loss or withdrawal of a partner, the Lead Partner must immediately seek for a joint solution with the remaining partners and inform the JTS accordingly. Different types of changes in the partnership can take place:

·         Withdrawal of a Project Partner with replacement by a new one. The new partner will use totally or partially the remaining budget;

·         Withdrawal without replacement leading to a loss of the budget unspent by the withdrawing partner (i.e. reduction of total and ERDF project budget );

·         Replacement within the partnership meaning that the remaining budget will be used totally or partially by any of the remaining partners who will take over the planned activities of the withdrawing partner.

Category: Reporting

What to consider when searching for a partner replacement?

As regards the location of the withdrawing partner, the following has to be taken into account:

·         In case of withdrawing of a partner located in the CENTRAL EUROPE area, eventual replacement should be done trying to identify to the possible extent another partner located in the same country.

·         In case of withdrawing of a EU partner located outside the CENTRAL EUROPE area, the eventual incoming partner must be located in the same Country.

In all cases, it should be ensured that the experience and technical, organizational and financial capability of the new incoming partner are sufficient in order to properly participate in the project.

Category: Reporting

In case of replacement of a partner, when will funds be available for the new partner?

The funds of the withdrawing partner are only available for the new partner after approval of the replacement by the Monitoring Committee.

Category: Reporting

Can the ERDF allocated to the project be increased during its lifetime?

The ERDF amount granted by the Monitoring Committee at the time of project approval cannot be increased during the lifetime of the project. Therefore, any increase of budget of a budget line, work package or Project Partner on one side leads to a reduction of budget of other budget line(s), work package(s) or Project Partner(s) on the other side.

Category: Reporting

Are reallocations between budget lines, Work packages and Project partners allowed and who decides on them?

During project implementation an adaption of the financial plan might become necessary. Depending on their extent budget changes can be categorized as follows requiring different procedures and approval by Programme bodies (as ruled in §4 of the Subsidy Contract):

a)    Without prior notification to the JTS/MA, the LP is entitled to increase the original amount in the budget line, the work packages budget (with the exception of work package “WP 0”) and/or the budget of Project Partners as stated in the approved Application Form. The increase is limited to a maximum of € 20.000,-, or if more, up to 10% of the original amount of the concerned budget line, the budget of the concerned work package and the budget of the concerned Project Partner.

b)    Only once during the lifetime of a project, the LP is entitled to reallocate amounts between budget lines, between work packages and/or between partners up to 20% of the budget of the original budget line, work package budget (with the exception of work package “WP 0”) and Project Partner budget as stated in the latest approved application documents. If below 250.000€, such reallocation requires an application to the Managing Authority via the JTS. It will enter into force only after approval of the Managing Authority.

c)    All budget changes exceeding the limits set up in point b) (i.e., 20% and/or 250.000€) may be approved by the MC on a case-per-case basis.

Category: Reporting

Which changes of activities need the approval of the Programme Bodies?

In case of major changes, these have to be approved by the Programme bodies:

·         Modification of activities which do not change the aims of the project can be directly approved by the Managing Authority.

·         Changes having a potential impact on the aims of the project, and implying a different implementation concept (i.e.: different actions to be implemented) the request for modification will be referred back to the Monitoring Committee.

Category: Reporting

Is it possible to extend the project duration?

An extension of duration might be granted if well justified. Extension up to six months is subject to prior approval by the Managing Authority. A longer extension has to be approved by the Monitoring Committee.

The latest end date for a project is set with 31 December 2014; no extension of duration beyond this date shall be granted.

Category: Reporting

How and at which stage of project implementation will a budget review and potential budget cuts be made?

After the first three reporting periods a budget review of projects will be carried out by the JTS. For projects exceeding the maximum acceptable ERDF under-spending of 15% (after PR3) a reduction of their ERDF budget for the exceeding percentage might be applied.

All possible budget reductions (i.e. unspent budget of previous periods) will be approved on a case per case basis by the Monitoring Committee and will take into consideration specific cases which could justify exceptions from this rule in order not to endanger the foreseen achievement of project results.

For this reason, during the first three reporting periods no amendment of the allocation of funds per reporting period (table 5 of the approved application form) will be granted.

Category: Reporting

When project activities need to stop?

The end date of the project is set in the Subsidy Contract based on the information provided in the application. It is the point at which all activities related to the project implementation must be completed. An additional period of three months is provided for writing the Final report and the final control of the project.

Category: Reporting

Is there a deadline for the submission of the Final report?

After finalisation of the project and in addition to the Progress report for the last implementation period, projects must submit a Final report to the Joint Technical Secretariat according to the deadline set in the Subsidy Contract (i.e. 3 months after project end).

Category: Reporting

What should be the content of the Final report?

The Final Report will provide an overview of the project’s activities and achievements. It will also highlight how transnational cooperation has contributed to attaining the expected results and will include a detailed description of the measures foreseen in order to ensure their durability and capitalization. A model form of the Final report will be published on the Programme website.

 

Category: Reporting

What can be paid after the project end date?

As a general rule, all implementation-related costs must be paid out before the end date of the project set in the Subsidy Contract. Only staff costs (including social charges) of the last months of project implementation can be paid after the end date and still be considered as eligible. In addition, all costs related to the elaboration and submission of the last Progress report and the Final report, including where applicable audit costs, are also eligible for funding if paid out before the due date of submission of the last progress report set in the Subsidy Contract.

Category: Reporting

What if the project after its closure generated revenues?

If within the period of three years following the closure of the Programme, should the project be identified as revenue-generating in accordance with the definition provided in Article 55(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006 and further amendments, the Managing Authority is entitled to ask for refunding to the general budget of the European Union in proportion to the contribution from the funds in line with Article 55 (4) of the aforementioned Regulation.

Category: Reporting

For how long should project documents be retained?

The Lead Partner has to keep all information and supporting documents related to the project three years after the closure of the Programme, in any case at least until 31 December 2022, if there are not national rules that require an even longer archiving period. Other possibly longer statutory retention periods remain unaffected. This applies also to all information and supporting documents regarding a grant under the de minimis aid scheme.

Category: Reporting

What obligations are there after project closure?

Project closure means the close of the project’s grant, but does not represent the end of project requirements. Even though the Programme has accepted the Final report and made the final payment, the project is still subject to second level audits and additional checks by other bodies as e.g. the European Commission auditors and the Court of Auditors. Project closure records (the audit trail and Final report) should therefore provide all necessary documentation.

Category: Reporting

Are there specific information and publicity measures that projects have to observe?

General publicity requirements are laid down in the European Commission Regulation EC 1828/2006.

Further all information and publicity products of projects co-funded by CENTRAL EUROPE (i.e. everything that is published or communicated to target external audiences) have to display:

• the Programme Logo together with the Programme Slogan and the EU emblem with the references “European Union” and “European Regional Development Fund”For project websites it is compulsory to place the programme logo and the EU-Emblem (incl. the above-mentioned references to the EU and ERDF) on the homepage, i.e. the first page of the project website, and to place a hyperlink from the programme logo to the programme homepage www.central2013.eu and from the EU Emblem to the homepage of DG Regio using either both logos separately or the combined logo option.

Above that any document, including attendance or other certificate, concerning approved project within CENTRAL EUROPE Programme shall include a statement “This operation is implemented through the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme co-financed by the ERDF.” 

Category: Reporting

Where do I find the relevant EU/Programme logos and flags?

A set of Programme logos for use by projects and other stakeholders are available online through the Programme website. They can be downloaded in a number of versions and sizes, to fit different purposes. Please visit this link in order to get more information on it:

l www.central2013.eu/document-center/visuals-maps-and-logos/

Three versions are currently available:

Option 1 (download file 1): The combined option, inlcuding all the above mentioned elements in one graphic file (.jpg, .eps, .tif)

Option 2 (download files 2 and 3): The separate option, including the Programme Logo and Slogan in one graphic file ((.jpg, .eps, .tif) and the EU emblem and references in a second graphic file ((.jpg, .eps, .tif)

Option 3 (download file 4): The small surface option (e.g. for pens), including the Programme Logo and EU emblem. Please note that this option is only eligible for very small surfaces such as pens, data keys, etc., that do not offer the space to follow Option 1 or 2!!

Category: Reporting

Why creating a project’s identity?

A unique visual identity facilitates to connect with target audiences. It is, therefore, recommended to develop an attractive graphic design, which helps branding all communication products and maintains visual continuity across all physical manifestations of the project. The project’s graphic identity should appear on all products and carriers of external communication, such as letterheads and business cards, websites, promotional material, documents and publications.

Beside the graphical identity it is advisable to develop a tagline and a message which are tools that make the explanation of projects easier both orally and in written form. The tagline is a short and concise statement about the aim of the project it refers to. It should not be general to the point that it can be applied to everyone, everywhere. It should state something which is true and which refers to what you do. On the other hand the message is longer than the tagline and thus gives more room to explain the project and its underlying mechanisms. A message should aim at being simple, short; clear and to convey information. The strong message typically extracts the uniqueness of the organisation or project it refers to.

Category: Reporting

What is a communication plan and what shall be included in it?

A communication plan is a document stating the needs, tools and overall aim and objectives in communicating and publicizing the work of the organisation it refers to. The Communication Plan needs to be reasonably detailed, to the point that it provides the necessary understanding of measures to take and how to implement them, but never detailed to the point that it risks becoming dated before implementation or failure because there is lack of resources to realize the plan. It should be assessed and revised at least annually to secure that the measures taken are relevant and that they have the effects intended.

The Programme gives guidance on the minimum requirements of the communication plan. In this respect please refer to chapter 3.1 of the Programme Implementation Manual.

Category: Reporting

Do we have to submit a communication Plan and by when?

The project communication plan must be presented together at the latest together with the first progress report. The Communication Plan should be an integrated part of the project. It is the backdrop for all Communications and Publicity efforts carried out by the project and is therefore a key document to achieve any level of success in communicating the work and results of the project.

Category: Reporting

What are the tasks of the communication manager?

It is advisable to have one person who carries the overall responsibility for the communication and publicity efforts in the project. This person should preferably be a communication expert, with the relevant competence and experience in the field.

The person responsible for communication should be in charge of developing the Communication Plan and also to inform the partnership of the same and monitor its implementation.

He/she should have the function of contact person for communication and publicity issues in the project partnership and make sure that he is informed about the efforts carried out in this field in the partnership. He/she should serve as adviser to the partnership and keep an overview of the efforts carried out, to streamline the work and maximise the outcomes.

Category: Reporting

What is knowledge management?

Knowledge management describes analytical methods and practical tools used for managing the information and knowledge flows within the partnership and beyond. There is a strong link between the project’s knowledge management and its communication strategy as it should be supported by and provide valuable input to external communication with your target groups and project environment, for instance by making the knowledge created and shared accessible to wider interested audiences through your project website or by making sure that the knowledge created and/or shared within your project is captured and documented in a clear and easy-to-digest way so that it can disseminated more widely beyond the partnership..

Category: Reporting

What about reporting of communication measures?

During the reporting process, the JTS will screen the promotional and communication material and issue recommendations to the Lead Partner if necessary. Lead Partners are asked to take these recommendations into account when implementing their information plan. Recommendations can, for instance, include a request to undertake proofreading or seek qualified support, if that should be necessary to improve the quality of communication outputs and, thus, be in line with programme objectives. As far as indicators are concerned, projects must bear in mind that specific communication indicators must be provided in each progress report. As a result, the partners must foresee methods for gathering all necessary data.

Category: Reporting

How do we measure communication?

In order to provide projects’ fulfillment in publication issues different and measurable indicators have to be established. For example the number of entities of the public sector/administration addressed or the number of research/technology development entities addressed in the case of selected target groups. In the field of media contacts the number of press releases and number of press article is an issue. Also the number of visitors at the website and of the publications will be taken into account. For detailed information please see the Implication Manual.

 

 

Category: Reporting

What kind of support can projects expect from the Secretariat on the publicity front?

There are several ways in which project publicity and communications is supported. One way is through getting directly in touch with a Communication Officer from the Secretariat and request assistance with for example developing different aspects of your Communication Plan.

The general advisory role extends to interpretation of the regulation rules, improvement of the Programme/ project visibility, and related issues.

The Secretariat also organises regular project events some of them dedicated especially to communication issues.

There is a Publicity and Communication section on the Programme website, containing a number of helpful documents on communication and publicity.

All relevant Programme print materials are available to download from the Programme website or order from the Secretariat. These are also helpful as publicity tools.

When producing publicity materials you are warmly invited to ask an advice to a Communication officer at the Secretariat before the production of the material, in order to verify its compliance with the applicable rules on information and publicity.

 

Category: Reporting

What is knowledge management?

Knowledge management describes analytical methods and practical tools used for managing the information and knowledge flows within the partnership and beyond. There is a strong link between the project’s knowledge management and its communication strategy as it should be supported by and provide valuable input to external communication with your target groups and project environment, for instance by making the knowledge created and shared accessible to wider interested audiences through your project website or by making sure that the knowledge created and/or shared within your project is captured and documented in a clear and easy-to-digest way so that it can disseminated more widely beyond the partnership..

Category: Reporting