guide to cost

Transcript guide to cost

Welcome to the Grant Holder Workshop

21/05/2014 Brussels

ESF provides the COST Office through a European Commission contract COST is supported by the EU Framework Programme

Agenda for Workshop

10:00-12:30 – Session I Welcome to participants About COST COST Grant System COST Networking Tools and Video Presentation 12:30-13:15 – Lunch Break 13:15-16:30 Session II COST Networking Tools and Video Presentation (continuation) Questions and answers session

COST Mission

COST enables break-through scientific developments leading to new concepts and products and thereby contributes to strengthen Europe’s research and innovation capacities 3

COST Policies Moving Forward

COST has identified its priorities and has developed policies on:

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Inclusiveness Early stage researchers (ESR) Gender balance International cooperation SME / industry participation 4

COST and Horizon 2020

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COST will continue to foster scientific and technological excellence and inclusiveness in Europe, by supporting bottom-up, open science and technology involving researchers across the continent networks

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COST is expected to contribute in particular to the Challenges’ and ‘Spreading Excellence and Widening Participation’ pillars of the Horizon 2020 strategy ‘Societal

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COST will receive an increased budget compared to the budget allocated under FP7

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Preparation for the new seven-year period required the establishment of a new legal entity, namely the ‘COST Association ’ 5

COST Association

The ‘COST Association’ was established on 19 September 2013 for the purpose of being the legal entity for the implementation of COST activities under Horizon 2020 The COST International (AISBL) Association Non-Profit has been Association established under as Belgian

COST Funding from June 2014

an law European Commission Horizon 2020

COST Association

How COST works

COST Actions are formed from networks centred around nationally funded research projects who have been selected for funding following a thorough evaluation and selection process administered by COST Selected COST Actions:

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Network nationally funded researchers

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Are based on a joint work programme for a duration of 4 years

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From the onset must consist of at least 5 COST Member Countries 7

COST is Open and Inclusive

Participation in COST is Open to:

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‘Institutions’ from COST Member Countries

Countries and International Partner Countries Near Neighbour

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European Commission and EU Agencies

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European RTD Organisations specifically limited to: CERN, EMBL, ESA, ESO, ESRF, European XFEL, ILL, EFDA JET (see COST Vademecum Part 1: COST Action)

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International Organisations 8

COST Countries

The 28 EU Member States EU Acceding & Candidate Countries

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former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

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Iceland

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Republic of Serbia

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Turkey Other Countries

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Bosnia and Herzegovina

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Norway

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Switzerland COST Cooperating State

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Israel

Near Neighbour Countries (NNC)

Belarus Moldova Montenegro Albania COST Countries NN countries Morocco Algeria Tunisia Egypt Russia Ukraine Georgia Azerbaijan Armenia Syria Lebanon Jordan

International Partner Countries

547 Participants in running Actions from 27 countries – September 2013 Canada (39) Argentina (29) China (27) Japan (12) Mexico (9) RA Countries Colombia (2) only one Action Peru (1) COST Countries Chile (3 USA (109) ) Costa Rica (1) Brazil (11) Iraq (1) Saudi Arabia (1) UAE (1) Sudan (1) Pakistan (3) India (07) Rep of Korea (3) Taiwan (1) Hong Kong (2) Bangladesh (1) Singapore (3) Thailand (1) Indonesia (1) Mauritius (1) Namibia (1) Uruguay (1) Australia (112) South Africa (36) New Zealand (62)

COST Grant System (CGS)

COST Actions are administered under the framework of the COST Grant system (CGS) driven by the following principles:

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The Action Grant Agreement, a legal contract, between COST and the Grant Holder determines the obligations of the Grant Holder to COST Annex A of the Action Grant Agreement is drawn from a Work and Budget plan approved by both COST and the Action Management Committee (MC) detailing the nature and the anticipated expenses of the scientific activities to be performed during the respective Grant Period Funds are administered by an elected Grant Holder Strict adherence to the administrative rules and guidelines set out in the COST Vademecum Part 1: COST Action Use of e-COST is mandatory

GRANT HOLDER (GH)

Action Structure

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE (MC) COST Association WG 1 WG 2 WG 3 WG X

Management Committee

DECISION MAKING BODY Coordination, Implementation, and Management of an Action Supervising the appropriate allocation and use of funds to achieve the Action’s final objectives COMPOSED OF:

The MC is composed of delegates nominated by their respective COST National Coordinator (CNC) Up to 2 representatives per COST country

Management Committee

IF WE ARE THE ONES WHO ARE TAKING THE DECISIONS…..

WHAT IS THE PROCEDURE TO FOLLOW?

MC MEETINGS Minimum once a year in a participating COST Country Typical duration ½ day Decisions only valid if at least 2/3 of the Participating COST Countries are represented Simple majority vote of MC Members with one vote per Participating COST Country MC decision must be minuted and sent to the COST Office WRITTEN PROCEDURE / E-VOTE Initiated and managed by the MC Chair All MC members are in the e-mail list Vote open (7 days) Simple majority vote of MC Members with one vote per Participating COST Country MC decision must be minuted and should be included in the official MC minutes of the following MC Meeting EXCEPT approval IPC and NNC

How are COST Actions funded?

Action Grant Agreement

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE (MC)

GRANT HOLDER

Institution that administers the funds COST Office negotiates and approves Work and Budget plan with MC

COST Association

COST Office signs GA with GH

Approved Work and Budget plan?

The activities approved in the Work and Budget plan are annexed to the Grant Agreement Establishes the Scientific objectives for the respective Grant Period Details the COST Networking Tools to be used during the Grant Period Needs to be approved by COST and the Action Management Committee Changes to the Approved Work Plan need to be approved by COST and the Management Committee

MC Action Chair Negotiation COST OFFICE Approved Work and Budget plan

Legally Binding Grant Agreement

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The Action Grant Agreement is a legal contract which establishes the obligations of the Grant Holder towards the COST Association

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In most instances, it covers a one-year period and must be signed by both parties

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The Action Grant Agreement cannot be transferred by the Grant Holder to a third-party

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The Management Committee is required to plan and define the Action’s activities and related budget in the Work and Budget plan, which is an annex of the Grant Agreement

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Access to e-COST is dependent on the Grant Agreement being signed by both COST Association and the Grant Holder

Core Elements of the Grant Agreement

Specifies the obligation to respect the administrative rules detailed in the COST Vademecum Part 1: COST Action Specifies the duration of the respective Grant period Specifies the maximum financial contribution provided by COST (the grant amount) Specifies Payment modalities

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First Grant payment: 65% of the grant – minus the underspend from the previous Grant period (if an underspend is evident) Second Grant payment: Up to 35% of the grant

Core Elements of the Grant Agreement

Specifies Reporting requirements Intermediate Financial Report (IFR): Submitted by month 8 of the grant period - This report must be validated by COST prior to requesting the second grant payment. This report must also contain an updated forecast which requires the Grant Manager to include all of remaining approved scientific activities up to the end date of the respective grant period Yearly Financial Report (YFR): The report is due within 60 days from the end date of the respective grant period Payments linked to the subsequent grant periods cannot be processed unless the YFR from the previous grant period is finalised and approved by COST

Grant Holder Requirements

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The Grant Holder must be an institution to which one of the Management Committee (MC) members holds an affiliation

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The Grant Holder must be a legal entity. It cannot be an individual

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The Grant Holder must be solvent and must be financially stable

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The Grant Holder must have the capacity to support the coordination of the Action in line with MC decisions and the administrative rules and guidelines set out in COST Vademecum Part 1: COST Action

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The Grant Holder must be able to abide by all aspects of administering the grant namely complying with local taxation schemes and reimbursing flat rates

Grant Manager Tasks

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Create a Grant Manager account profile in e-COST – email address required. Institutional bank account should be linked to the Grant Holder profile

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Support the Action Chair and vice Chair when coordinating meetings: distributing agendas, sending invitations, drafting Management Committee (MC) meeting minutes (if appointed to do so), collecting signed attendance lists.

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Collecting, verifying and archiving administrative documents required to processing reimbursements and payments linked to approved COST activities in line with the rules specified in the COST Vademecum Part 1: COST Action

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Ensure separation of powers: in cases when the Action Chair is affiliated to the Grant Holder, the task of committing funds for approved activities should be performed by the Action vice-Chair

Financial Support for the Grant Holder

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The Financial, Scientific, Administration and Coordination (FSAC) budget line is a fixed percentage contribution afforded the Grant Holder to support the administrative tasks relating to coordinating approved scientific activities during a given grant period The fixed percentage contribution can never represent more than 15% of the incurred eligible scientific expenditure and is defined in the approved Work and Budget Plan At the end of each grant period, the final FSAC amount is calculated by applying the initially defined and approved FSAC percentage to the actual eligible scientific expenses When an amendment to the Grant Agreement is necessary, a possible percentage increase in the FSAC can be requested.

COST Approval is required after a determination as to whether such an increase is appropriate and justified

How is the FSAC Devised

Science Expenditure vs FSAC

Grant amount = € 100,000.00

Percentage of FSAC agreed by the Management Committee = 15% __________________________________________________ Science expenditure = € 100,000.00 /1.15 = € 86,956.52

FSAC amount = € 86,956.52 × 0.15 = € 13,043.48

Financial Scientific and Administrative Coordination tasks (FSAC) can never be more than 15% of the scientific expenditure

How is the FSAC Calculated

Science Expenditure vs FSAC

Grant amount = € 100,000.00

Percentage of FSAC agreed by the Management Committee = 15% __________________________________________________ Science expenditure validated in the Yearly Financial Report (YFR) = € 85,000.00

FSAC amount = € 85,00.00 × 0.15 = € 12,750.00

The fixed FSAC percentage is applied to the actual scientific spend and not the Grant amount – If there is an underspend then not all of the FSAC amount can be claimed by the Grant Holder

Financial Support for the Grant Manager

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If the Grant Manager is both a researcher and a Working Group Member then they are eligible to be funded for their attendance at approved meetings / Training Schools and Short Term Scientific Missions (STSM)

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If the Grant Manager is not linked to the Action in a research capacity but only in an administrative function then they are not eligible to be reimbursed for their attendance at approved meetings / Training Schools / Short Term Scientific Missions (STSM).

Their travel, accommodation and meal expenses associated with attending the approved activities must be sourced from the FSAC

Grant Manager Considerations

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All supporting documents related to the payment of COST funds must be checked, verified and filed in a secure location prior to releasing the respective payment Please ensure that all documents are physically protected and cannot deteriorate whilst in storage Please file supporting documents in an orderly way by using a simple referencing and numbering system so that persons unfamiliar with the Action can navigate through the supporting documents easily and in a timely manner Validated, reliable accounting records must permit direct reconciliation with what is reported on e-COST Eligible expenditure concerning the COST Action must be recorded in the accounting records of the Grant Holder according to the applicable accounting standards of the country where the Grant Holder is established

Grant Manager Considerations

All relevant financial information and supporting documents related to administering COST activities must be archived and be readily available for review by the COST Office for a period of 5 years after the end of the Seventh Framework Programme or Horizon 2020, depending on which framework the Action falls under.

Bank Charges

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Bank charges incurred when grant payments are received by the Grant Holder Institution are absorbed by the Grant Holder Institution

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Bank charges incurred due to currency transfers made to eligible participants are eligible and can be claimed under the budget line: Other Expenses Related to Scientific Activities (OERSA) – Such charges should be encoded as bank fees

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Bank charges incurred due to eligible participants providing incorrect bank account information must be deducted from the responsible participants claim

List of Eligible COST Activities SHORT TERM SCIENTIFIC MISSIONS MC & CORE GROUP MEETINGS WORKING GROUP MEETINGS TRAINING SCHOOLS COST NETWORKING TOOLS WORKSHOPS & CONFERENCES DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES

Important links for Grant Holders

COST Association Vademecum Part 1: COST Action http://www.cost.eu/participate/networking COST Website http://www.cost.eu/ e-COST https://e-services.cost.eu/ STSM On-line application

https://e-services.cost.eu/stsm 31

List of COST Networking Tools

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Meetings Training Schools Local Organiser Support Short Term Scientific Missions (STSM) Dissemination and Publications

Meeting Types

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Management Committee (MC) Meetings Core Group Meetings Working Group Meetings Workshops, Conferences Other Meeting types Final Workshop / Conference / Meeting MC members are always eligible to be reimbursed for MC meetings (Reimbursement is limited to 2 MC Delegates per MC meeting) For all other meeting types, the Action MC Chair if formally nominated to do so (or vice Chair only if the MC Chair and Grant Holder are of the same institution) must formally approve and communicate the final list of participants and their respective reimbursement status to the Grant Manager

Meetings – Eligibility Considerations

Eligibility is determined by the status of the country to where the Researchers primary affiliation is held as is registered on their e-COST Profile The following questions will help determine eligibility:

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Is the Researchers primary affiliation held in a Participating COST Country? - A list of Participating COST Countries can be found on the respective COST Action Webpage at www.cost.eu

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Is the Researchers primary affiliation held in a Non-Participating COST Country?

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Is the Researchers primary affiliation held in an approved institute in a Near Neighbour Country (NNC)? - A list of approved NNC Institutions can be found on the respective COST Action Webpage at www.cost.eu

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Is the Researchers primary affiliation International Partner County (IPC)?

held in an approved

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Is the institution or Country where the Researcher holds their affiliation restricting their eligibility to be reimbursed?

Dissemination Meetings

Dissemination meetings involves facilitating the attendance of eligible participants at international conferences for the purpose of: 1: Disseminating the COST Actions activities to the wider scientific community 2: Collect information to be further disseminated amongst the Actions members The following conditions apply to this meeting type:

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A maximum of two participants per grant period are eligible to be reimbursed at dissemination meetings.

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Meetings must be approved by COST if not already approved in the Work and Budget plan

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Speaker (s) must be listed in the official programme of the conference representing the respective COST Action

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Participants must have their primary affiliation in institutions located in Participating COST Countries, Approved European RTD Organisations or approved institutions located in Near Neighbour Countries

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Up to EUR 500 can be claimed by eligible participants for conference fees

Eligibility Hierarchy

Participating in Approved Meetings by Category

1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 NNC MC Members MC Observer IPC MC Observer EC and EU Agencies European RTD MC Observer MC Observer International Organisation MC Observer WG Members Core Group Members STSM Grantee Trainer Trainee 3 3 Other / Observer IS from participating COST Countries Conditions Country determined from From participating (or under intention) COST Country From participating participating NNC.

From IPC From From participating participating From participating EC/EU European Agencies RTD IO Nomination tool From participating (or under intention) COST Country Participants profile MC Working Group Core Group Workshops/Conferences Final event Other COST relevant Outreach/Dissemination Meeting Up to 2 per country Up to 1 per institution and 2 Depending on MC per country decision Up to 1 per institution Depending on MC decision Depending on MC decision Depending on MC decision Not Allowed Not Allowed 36

Eligibility Hierarchy

Eligibility of Participants in Approved Meetings by Category

1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 NNC MC Members MC Observer European RTD MC Observer IPC MC Observer EC and EU Agencies International Organisation MC Observer MC Observer WG Members Core Group Members STSM Grantee Trainer 3 Trainee Other / Observer IS from participating COST Countries Conditions Country determined from From participating (or under intention) COST Country From From From From participating participating participating participating participating NNC European IPC EC/EU From IO RTD Agencies Nomination tool MC Working Group Core Group Workshops/Conferences Final event Other COST relevant Outreach/Dissemination (2 participants maximum per Grant Period) Up to 2 per country per meeting Up to 1 per institution and 2 per Country Up to 1 per institution Depending on MC decision Depending on MC decision Not eligible Not eligible Not eligible From participating (or under intention) COST Country Participants profile Depending on MC decision Depending on MC decision Up to 2 participants maximum per Grant Period Not eligible Not eligible 37

Meeting Participation - What can be claimed?

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Flight expenses

Economy class flight tickets can be reimbursed up to the value of EUR 1200

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Train or Bus expenses

First and second class train tickets are eligible to be reimbursed (Supplements for fast trains and sleepers are eligible expenses)

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Car travel expenses

Up to a maximum distance of 2 000 km at EUR 0.20 per km can be claimed by eligible participants EUR 0.30 per km can be claimed when 2 or more eligible participants are travelling to the approved COST activity Only the driver can be reimbursed

Meeting Participation - What can be claimed?

Local transport expenses are transport costs associated with shuttle, buses, trains, metro, trams, taxis, car travel, parking costs and ferry costs incurred travelling between the following points:

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Home to Airport / train station Airport / train station to meeting venue / hotel Hotel to meeting venue Meeting venue to hotel Meeting venue / hotel to airport / train station Airport/train station back to home If the claimed amount is less than EUR 25, no receipts are required to be submitted for reimbursement but the journey(s) must be detailed on the TRR (for both outbound & inbound journeys). If the claimed amount exceeds EUR 25, receipts justifying the total amount claimed are required

Meeting Participation - What can be claimed?

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Taxi Expenses - Action participants are limited to use taxis to when no other means of public transport is available and only when travel is required between 10pm and 7am on the dates of travel - An amount of up to a maximum of EUR 80 is eligible for the entire journey when the above conditions have been met

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Other eligible expense - visa fees relevant to attending the approved Action meetings. Claimants must validate the amount incurred by and the conditions of the visa producing a supporting document (a receipt/stamp from the embassy/consulate issuing the visa) which clearly shows the amount paid

Accommodation Expenses

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The reimbursement of accommodation expenses are based on flat rates only (at a maximum of EUR 120 per person per night which includes breakfast) The maximum number of nights that can be claimed by an eligible participant equals the number of attended meeting days (as confirmed by the attendees signatures on the meeting attendance list) plus 1 night To be entitled to be reimbursed, each participant must sign the meeting attendance list eligible The Management Committee (MC) can decide to reduce the accommodation flat rate for any given meeting with all MC members receiving the same flat rate allowance

Meals for Meeting 21-22/10 2013

Meals

Lunch Dinner 20-Oct Before 12:00 Departure After 12:00 Before 19:00 After 19:00 Y N Y N 21-Oct Y Y 22-Oct y y Arrival 23-Oct Before 12:00 After 12:00 Before 19:00 After 19:00 maximum 8 meals (2+2+2+2) if travelling the day before and after the meeting N Y N Y

Meal allowance of 20 Euro per Meal Accommodation

Travelling Y 20-Oct Y N N 21-Oct Y 22-Oct Y Travelling 23-Oct Y N maximum 3 nights = 20+21+22/10 if participant signed attendance list N N

Meeting Participation - Non-eligible expenses

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Registration, honorarium or lecture fees (Except for approved Dissemination meetings – conference fees are eligible) Transportation expenses associated with travelling to an embassy or consulate to obtain a visa Life and medical insurance Travel cancelation insurance Luggage insurance Overnight stay during a trip by car, fuel costs, road tolls and car rental costs Wi-Fi, telephone, internet and minibar consumption Printing costs, postage expenses Regional or national taxation fees, stamp duty expenses

Meetings - Reimbursement Procedure

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All recipients of COST funds must have an e-COST Profile and must register their bank details MC Chair (or Vice Chair only if the Chair and Grant Holder are of the same institution) on behalf of the MC must approve the final list of participants and their eligibility status for each approved meeting Deadline for claim submission of 30 days must be strictly enforced All recipients of COST funds must sign the relevant attendance list – No signature means no reimbursement Any derogation from the COST rules requires prior approval required from COST After each meeting, the MC Chair (or Vice Chair only if the Chair and Grant Holder are of the same institution) must approve the list of participants to be reimbursed

Meetings: How to Maximise your Budget?

When choosing meeting locations:

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Assess where the Action can avail of low cost accommodation so that the Management Committee (MC) can reduce the accommodation flat rate for the given meeting

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Consider the availability of cheap public transport in the locality of the meeting and the availability of low cost airlines that service the meeting venue

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Seek to avail of research institutions linked to MC Members that can avoid meeting room expenses and expensive coffee breaks and lunches For MC Meetings be aware that usually only 80% of the MC attends Subject to rooms being available, meetings can also in theory be held at the COST premises Send Invitations to eligible participants as early as possible

Meetings: Final Considerations

Spend your entire grant on approved scientific activities Unspent funds cannot be carried forward to the subsequent grant period and will be reclaimed by COST and utilised by other COST Actions Always send the minutes of the MC meetings to COST and upload on e-COST Additional activities (meetings, Training Schools) not detailed in the Work and Budget plan need approval from the Action Science Officer Derogation from the eligibility rules require COST approval prior to the expenses being incurred

Training Schools

Intensive training on a subject aimed at widening, broadening and sharing knowledge relevant to the Actions scientific objectives The following must be done prior to issuing invitations via e-COST

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Agree on location of the approved Training School (must be held in participating COST Country or in approved Institutions located in NNC)

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Agree on duration of Training School (Minimum of 3 days and maximum of 15 days) As a form of MC approval, the MC Chair (or vice Chair only if the MC Chair and Grant Holder are of the same institution) must approve and communicate to the Grant Holder the final list of Trainees and Trainers that will attend the approved Training School and the fixed grant amounts that will be afforded to eligible Trainees

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Training School - Eligibility Considerations

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Trainers from participating COST Countries are eligible to be reimbursed Trainees from any COST Country are eligible to receive funding Trainers and Trainers from approved NNC institutions are eligible to receive funding Trainers from approved IPC institutions are eligible to be reimbursed Trainers and Trainees from approved European RTD Organisations are eligible to receive funding Up to a Maximum of 4 invited speakers can be invited as Trainers for any individual Training School

Training School Parameters

      Duration: between 3 days and 15 days Local Organiser Support can be claimed

Trainers:

same reimbursement practice and rules as for meeting participants Travel, accommodation and meals – no lecture fee can be claimed

Trainees:

Fixed grants (No receipts needed) Maximum Grant EUR 1500 (daily subsistence allowance of EUR 160 and up to EUR 300 can be afforded for travel expenses) 49

Local Organiser Support (LOS)

Expenses related to the practical organisation of approved meetings, Workshops, Conferences and Training Schools can be claimed by the organiser in line with the listed items mentioned below: Eligible costs when claiming LOS are:

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Room and technical equipment rental

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Photocopying, phone, fax and mailing costs linked to hosting the approved meeting Personnel expenses – A fixed contribution to cover on site staff support for the event which cannot exceed 15% of the total LOS request

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Coffee breaks and Light lunches (to be deducted from each participants meal allowance)

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Only one conference meal (to be deducted from each participants meal allowance)

Local Organiser Support (LOS)

Two modalities that the local organiser can consider when submitting a claim for LOS: 1. Flat rate - EUR 20 per participant for each day the they attend the approved meeting (as evidenced by each participants signature of the daily attendance list)  The maximum LOS amount claim using the flat rate modality is EUR 5000  No invoices are required 2. Provide Invoices detailing actual eligible expenses   (V.A.T. cannot be claimed) Only to be considered if the eligible expenses cannot be covered by the flat rate modality namely if the expenses exceed what the EUR 20 per participant per day provision will cover or if the claimable amount is above EUR 5000 A final breakdown of expenses using the online LOS breakdown template is required 51

Local Organiser Support (LOS) - Continued

     The justification of expenses and the relevant invoices must be submitted to the Grant Manager and checked for eligibility, accuracy and compliance with the criteria detailed in section 5 of the COST Vademecum Part 1: COST Action Online approval by the Chair (or the vice Chair only if the MC Chair and Grant Holder are of the same institution) is required The overall COST contribution cannot exceed EUR 10 000 All meetings hosted together in the same destination over the same time period are considered to be co-located and are eligible to claim for one LOS provision V.A.T. amounts listed on invoices cannot be reimbursed 52

Local Organiser Support (LOS)

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The following expenses are not eligible to be claimed by the Local Organiser:

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V.A.T. and any other indirect taxes Any meal exceeding the single meal limit Hotel group reservations Translation and editing costs Transportation expenses without COST Approval Purchase of technical equipment and IT devices such as mobile phones, computers, printers

Short Term Scientific Missions (STSM)

From where to where?

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From a participating COST Member Country:

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To another participating COST Member Country To an approved NNC institution To an approved IPC institution To an approved specific organisation

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From an approved NNC institution:

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To a participating COST Member Country

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From an European RTD Organisation:

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To a Participating COST Country or Cooperation State A list of Participating COST Countries can be found on the respective COST Action Webpage at www.cost.eu

Short Term Scientific Missions (STSM)

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Evaluation and selection criteria is the direct responsibility of the Action Duration: A minimum of 5 days and up to a maximum duration of 3 months Financial Support is only a contribution

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Subsistence Allowance: A maximum of EUR 160 is permissible Travel expenses: A maximum amount of EUR 500 is permissible

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In total, a maximum of EUR 2500 for up to three months

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Early Stage Researchers (ESR – ESR is Ph.D. + < 8 years) can claim up to a maximum of EUR 3500 for a STSM between 91 days and up to 6 months)

Dissemination and Publications

Disseminating and transferring knowledge is a key value to COST and the use of results by policymakers, industry and society is vital COST Actions are encouraged to use all means to communicate their findings to the European research community and to society at large

Dissemination and Publications Action Publications and Dissemination Activities

Responsibility of the Management Committee Publication and dissemination strategy must be reflected in the Work and Budget plans and must be reviewed throughout every Grant period

Final Action Publication

COST can fund one final Action publication The final publication is funded directly by the COST Office and not through the Action Grant and must be Requested 6 months before the official end date of the Action

Dissemination and Publications

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Eligible expenses:

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Expenses for the production and distribution of a publication by a printing house

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The purchase and distribution of a fixed number of copies of high-quality publications produced by a renowned publisher (usually books or journals)

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Proof reading, editing, production and distribution expenses relating to the production of approved publications

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Multimedia material production expenses for CD-ROM, DVD and video products The production of proceedings from scientific conferences and meetings The production of dissemination materials other than publications such as flyers, posters, postcards)

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Website development Graphic design and translation expenses are not eligible.

V.A.T. amounts listed on invoices cannot be reimbursed.

Dissemination and Publications Provisions for Website Development

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http://www.cost.eu/media/visualidentity Send the Action website URL to COST once the website is up and running COST should be granted access to password protected elements of the Action website

WEBSITE BEST PRACTICE EXAMPLES

http://www.esnam.eu/index.html

http://www.electrospinning-cost.eu/

Example of Best Practice Action Website

Checklist for Dissemination Materials and Publications

‘This publication is supported by COST’

Communication and COST

Recommendations when communicating with COST:

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Indicate Action number within every correspondence

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Do not include COST contacts in internal discussions

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Communicate only outcome of MC decisions to COST Acknowledge COST

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On the Action website On all peer reviewed publications At all Meetings / Workshops / Conferences

COST – European Cooperation in Science and Technology Avenue Louise 149 1050 Brussels, Belgium T: +32 (0)2 533 3800 F: +32 (0)2 533 3890

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