Call for proposals — ‘Support for information measures relating to the common agricultural policy (CAP)’ — Implementation of information measures under budget heading 05 08 06 for 2013
Date: 2012-07-27
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: budget, common agricultural policy, exchange of information








C_2012223EN.01000401.xml










27.7.2012   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 223/4





CALL FOR PROPOSALS
‘Support for information measures relating to the common agricultural policy (CAP)’
Implementation of information measures under budget heading 05 08 06 for 2013
2012/C 223/04
1.   INTRODUCTION

This call for proposals is based on Council Regulation (EC) No 814/2000 of 17 April 2000 on information measures relating to the common agricultural policy (CAP), which defines the type and content of the information measures the European Union may co-finance. Commission Regulation (EC) No 2208/2002, as amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1820/2004, lays down detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation (EC) No 814/2000.
This is a call for proposals for funding information measures within the meaning of Article 3(1) of Council Regulation (EC) No 814/2000 from appropriations in the 2013 budget. This call for proposals concerns information measures to be implemented (including preparation, implementation, follow-up and evaluation) between 1 March 2013 and 28 February 2014.
An information measure is a self-contained and coherent set of information activities organised on the basis of a single budget.
As specified in Article 4(2) of Commission Regulation (EC) No 2208/2002, applicants for this call for proposals must be legal persons legally constituted in a Member State for at least two years at the time of submission of the proposal.
This call for proposals is also governed by the Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 of 25 June 2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities and the Commission Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2342/2002 of 23 December 2002 laying down detailed rules for the implementation of Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities.
2.   PRIORITIES AND TYPES OF MEASURE FOR 2013

2.1.   Priorities

The year 2013 will be key in the discussions about the new Common Agricultural Policy.

Priority topic

The priority topic for this call for proposals will be the CAP in general, and the proposed reforms of the policy, in particular.
Under this priority, the proposed projects should seek as objectives to:






—


ensure better public understanding of the CAP, in particular in the context of the proposals for reform,










—


show the role of the CAP in the development of growth that is intelligent, sustainable and inclusive as set out in the Europe 2020 strategy,










—


improve the understanding of the Common Agricultural Policy’s contribution to guaranteeing European citizens healthy and quality food production, to preserving the environment and to helping develop rural areas in the European Union,










—


stimulate public interest in the role of farmers, agriculture and rural development in our society by promoting agriculture's multiple roles and show the contribution of the CAP by supporting farmers, agriculture and rural development in the Europen Union.




The European Commission (‘the Commission’) strongly encourages the cooperation of different stakeholders at national and European level.
Some examples of the type of communication tools that can be proposed as part of the information campaigns are given in the point 2.2.

Priority measures

The Commission will give priority to projects at national or EU level that are likely to have a major impact, are ground-breaking and creative.
The Commission will also give priority to information measures proposed by formally or informally established networks at European level or information measures that includes setting-up and/or developping such networks.
2.2.   Types of information measures

In the context of the current call for proposals, the Commission envisages to select two types of integrated public communication measures:






—


at national level, by uniting various partners around a major joint project,










—


at European level, in a maximum number of Member States so as to increase its impact.




These integrated communication campaigns are campaigns proposing the best possible communication tools mix in order to achieve the pre-established objectives and target as much public as possible.
The integrated communication campaigns should have a significant impact that can be measured through external and internal objectively verifiable indicators which should be set-up taking into account SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-oriented) criteria.
The different activities should be interconnected, clear in their conceptual approach and the results to be achieved. The work schedule shall be in line with the project goals and shall be realistic.
The campaigns should include several of the communication activities or tools listed below (the list is not exhaustive):






—


Production and distribution of multimedia or audiovisual material.










—


Production and distribution of printed material (publications, posters, etc).










—


Setting-up internet and social network tools.










—


Media events.










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Conferences, seminars or workshops.










—


Events type ‘city farm’ which help to explain the importance of agriculture to the urban population.










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Events type ‘open doors’ aiming at showing to the citizens the role of agriculture.










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Static or mobile exhibitions or information points.




2.3.   Target groups

General public (with a special focus on young people in urban areas), the media, civil society and the main players in the rural sector.
3.   DURATION AND BUDGET

This call for proposals concerns information measures to be implemented (including preparation, performance, follow-up and evaluation) between 1 March 2013 and 28 February 2014.
The overall financial envelope for the information measures to be carried out under this call for proposals is EUR 3 000 000. This amount will be distributed among the applications awarded the highest scores by the Evaluation Committee in accordance with the evaluation criteria set out in Annex I and fulfilling all selection, exclusion and eligibility criteria set out in Annex III. The Commission reserves the right to reduce this overall amount to be awarded if the quality of the proposals is not deemed sufficient.
The total amount of grant requested from the Commission must be between EUR 100 000 and EUR 500 000 per grant agreement covering information measures as referred to in point 2.2 (including a flat-rate amount for staff costs).
The Commission's financial participation in the applications selected is limited to 50 % of the overall eligible costs (cf. Annex IV- drawing up the budget). The overall eligible costs do not include the staff costs. Staff costs are covered by a separate flat-rate amount of a maximum of EUR 10 000 for measures whose total eligible costs (exclusive of the flat-rate for staff costs) are less than EUR 400 000 and with a maximum of EUR 25 000 for measures whose total eligible costs (exclusive of the flat-rate for staff costs) are between EUR 400 000 and EUR 950 000.
For information measures of exceptional interest and if the applicant so requests in the application, the percentage of contribution from the Commission may be up to 75 %.
An information measure will be recognised as being of exceptional interest as referred to in Article 7(2) of Regulation (EC) No 2208/2002 if all the following conditions are met:






1.


It includes a dissemination plan capable of reaching as broad a spectrum of the public as possible, covering the public of at least three Member States, and whose expected (ex-ante) and achieved (ex-post) results will be demonstrated by sufficient external proof (externally verified objective indicators set-up taking into account SMART criteria),










2.


In each of the Member States covered by the measure, it should be implemented by, at least, a national co-organiser,










3.


The evaluation committee (hereinafter ‘the committee’) has awarded it at least a total of 75 points out of 100 for the evaluation criteria set out in Annex I.




No prefinancing will be awarded for the information measures receiving a grant under this call for proposals. The beneficiary may request an intermediate payment by submitting an intermediate technical and a financial report. The amount of the intermediate payment will not exceed 30 % of the total amount (excluding the staff costs) provided for in the grant agreement. The amount will be determined on the basis of the measure being carried out and the eligible costs actually incurred, submitted in the intermediate financial statement and validated by the Commission; the percentage of co-funding provided for in the grant agreement will be applied to these costs. The flat-rate for staff costs will be paid only with the final payment.
The fact of retaining an application does not commit the Commission to granting the full amount requested by the applicant. The amount of the grant will under no circumstances exceed the amount requested. No grant can be given to a measure which is receiving other EU funding.
4.   GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION

4.1.   How to prepare an application

Each applicant may apply for only one information measure per budget year.
Applications shall be submitted on the appropriate forms available at the following internet address: http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/grants-for-information-measures/
They shall be drawn-up in one of the official languages of the European Union. Nevertheless, in order to facilitate prompt processing of applications, applicants are encouraged to submit their application in English or French or, if this is not possible, to include at least a translation into English or French of the detailed description of the proposal (Form 3).
The application must contain the following documents, models of which are available at the above-mentioned internet address:






—


the letter of application giving the title of the proposed information measure and the amount of grant requested, signed by the legally authorised person responsible within the applicant organisation; it should be noted that the amount of the grant requested in the letter should be the same as the amount of EU co-financing indicated in the income table of the budget (points g and h),










—


form 1 (Information on the applicant), Form 2 (Information on co-organisers, if any), Form 3 (Detailed description of the information measure). If a question does not apply to the proposed information measure, ‘not applicable’ or ‘n/a’ should be entered. Only applications submitted on these forms will be considered. Furthermore, if Form 2 does not apply please write N/A on the cover page of this form,










—


a budget for the proposed information measure (comprising a detailed table of expenditure and a detailed table of income in balance), duly completed, signed and dated by the legally authorised person within the applicant organisation,










—


all the additional documents listed in Annex II.




4.2.   Deadline and address for sending applications

Applicants must send a paper version of their entire application by registered post with acknowledgement of receipt (the postmark on the envelope being taken as proof of the date of posting) by 31 October 2012 at the latest to the following address:





European Commission




Unit AGRI. K.1.




Call for proposals 2012/C 223/04




Attn. Angela Filote




L130 4/148A




1049 Bruxelles/Brussel




BELGIQUE/BELGIË




Applications must be sent in sealed envelopes or cardboard box, which must be placed inside a second sealed envelope or cardboard box. The inner envelopes or cardboard box must bear, in addition to the name of the department to which it is addressed, as indicated in the call for proposals, the words ‘Call for proposals — Not to be opened by the mail service’. If self-adhesive envelopes are used, they must be sealed with adhesive tape and the sender must sign across that tape.
Since all documents sent to the Commission must be scanned page by page, candidates are requested not to staple together the pages of the letter of application or the Annexes thereto. In addition, for environmental reasons, applicants are encouraged to submit their application on recycled paper and print on both sides of the page.
At the same time, by 24:00 (Brussels time) on 31 October 2012 at the latest, applicants must also e-mail an electronic version of their application, containing at least the letter of application, Forms 1, 2 and 3 and the budget, to the following address:
AGRI-GRANTS-APPLICATIONS-ONLY@ec.europa.eu
Applicants are responsible for ensuring that both their paper and electronic applications are identical, complete and are dispatched by the deadline. Applications (paper and electronic version) sent after the deadline shall be rejected. In case of discrepancy between the electronic and paper version, the information in the paper versions takes always precedence.
Questions about the call for proposals may be sent to the e-mail address AGRI-GRANTS@ec.europa.eu at the latest on 17 October 2012. The European Commission has no obligation to reply to questions received after that date.
Replies will be given at the latest on 24 October 2012. In the interest of equal treatment of applicants, the European Commission cannot give a prior opinion on the eligibility of the applicant, the information measure or specific activities contained in it. Questions that may be relevant to other applicants, together with the answers, will be published on the internet site of the Directorate General for Agriculture and Rural Development under the section Frequently Asked Questions concerning the preparation of an application for a grant:
http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/grants-for-information-measures/
5.   PROCEDURE AND TIMETABLE

5.1.   Receipt and registration of applications

The Commission shall register applications and e-mail an acknowledgement of receipt, specifying the number allocated to each application, within 15 working days of the deadline for submission.
5.2.   Evaluation of applications in the light of the evaluation criteria

During this phase, the committee shall evaluate applications in the light of the evaluation criteria described in Annex I (evaluation criteria). Only applications which have obtained a total of at least 60 out of the 100 points available, and at least 50 % of the points available for each criterion, during this phase of the evaluation shall be admitted to the next phase.
Dossiers awarded less than 60 out of the 100 potential points will be rejected. Also the dossiers awarded less than 50 % of the points available in one of the various criteria will be rejected.
It is to be noted that if the evaluation of a criterion leads to the rejection of an application because it has not obtained at least 50 % of the points available for that criterion, the next evaluation criteria will not be evaluated.
The fact of obtaining 60 of the 100 points available shall not, however, guarantee that an information measure will receive a grant. The Commission may raise the minimum acceptable mark on the basis of the number of retained applications and the budgetary resources available.
5.3.   Examination of applications in the light of the selection, eligibility and exclusion criteria

Applicants having succeeded in the first phase will be examinated in the light of the selection, exclusion and eligibility criteria.
An ad hoc evaluation committee shall examine the selection, exclusion and eligibility criteria of applications on the basis of the documents foreseen in Annex II.
5.3.1.   Selection criteria — technical and financial capacity of applicants

During this phase the ad hoc committee shall examine the technical and financial capacity of the eligible applicants on the basis of the information provided and according to the criteria described in Annex III(1) (Selection criteria). Only the aplicants succeeding in this phase will be evaluated in the light of the exclusion and eligibility criteria.
5.3.2.   Exclusion criteria

The ad hoc evaluation committee shall examine the exclusion criteria. Any applicant who is, at the time of the procedure, in one of the situations described in Annex III(2) (Exclusion criteria) will be excluded and its application will not be evaluated in the light of the eligibility criteria.
5.3.3.   Eligibility criteria

During this phase the ad hoc committee will examine the eligibility of the applicants and applications on the basis of the documents provided and according to the criteria described in Annex III(3) (Eligibility criteria).
5.4.   Award of a grant

At the end of the award process and after the award decision taken by the Commission, the selected applicant will receive a grant agreement (a specimen of which may be downloaded from the internet address given in point 4.1 of this call for proposals), denominated in euros, specifying the conditions and amount of financing, which may be less than the amount requested in the application. In the event of errors of calculation, costs exceeding the maximum eligible amounts, costs considered ineligible or unrealistic, the Commission could ask for clarifications and correct the budget if necessary. If the correction results in an increase in the total costs, the amount requested from the Commission shall remain unchanged and the contribution of the applicant shall be increased accordingly. The European Commission reserves the right to ask further evidence from the applicant, and, if necessary, other supporting documents (i.e. agreements for airing, advertising, audio-visual production, etc.). These verifications may lead the Commission to reject the application in case of false declaration. It is therefore in the applicants' interest to provide correct information and a realistic and cost-effective budget.
If the application is rejected in any of the phases, applicants shall receive written notification specifying the reasons for the rejection at the end of the award process.
The award process is scheduled to close at the end of January 2013. The Commission departments are not authorised to inform applicants of the status of the evaluation of their application before the award decision. For this reason, applicants are requested not to telephone or write to the Commission regarding the outcome of their application before that date.
The candidate must notify the European Commission any change (status, legal representative, legal condemnation, etc.) that occurred between the transmission of the application and the signature of the agreement. The European Commission reserves the right not to award the grant if such information has not been notified or if the Commission judges it can put into question the application.
6.   PROMOTION

6.1.   Responsibilities of the beneficiary

For all the actions, beneficiaries shall be under a contractual obligation to ensure, by all appropriate means and in accordance with the conditions laid down in the grant agreement, that throughout the life of the measure any communication or publication or promotional items regarding the measure mentions the fact that it is receiving financial support from the European Union.
In addition, every communication or publication by the beneficiary, in whatever form and whatever format, must specify that the information provided is the sole responsibility of the author and that it does not necessarly represent the official position of the Commission.
Evidence of this publicity shall be included in the technical implementation reports. A model of the EU logo may be downloaded from the following internet address: http://europa.eu/abc/symbols/emblem/download_en.htm with the mention ‘Project supportted by the European Union’.
If the beneficiary organisation does not comply with the above obligations, the Commission reserves the right to reduce the amount of the grant allocated for the information measure concerned or to refuse to pay it at all.
7.   PROTECTION OF PERSONAL DATA

The European Commission shall ensure that any personal data contained in the application are processed as required by Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2000 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data by the institutions and bodies of the European Union and on the free movement of such data (1). This applies in particular to the confidentiality and security of such data.


(1)  OJ L 8, 12.1.2001, p. 1.


ANNEX I

EVALUATION CRITERIA

Each information measure shall be evaluated by the ad hoc committee in the light of the following criteria:






1.



(maximum 35 points): the relevance and general interest of the measure shall be assessed particularly in the light of the summary of the proposal provided in part A of the form 3, and on the basis of:






—


the overall quality of the proposal. The conceptual approach and the results to be achieved must be clearly defined in the project proposals. The description of the measure and the objectives and public target must be precise and the roles and responsibilities of the applicant and of each co-organiser must be clear. The programme for the measure must be detailed and the work schedule must be realistic and in line with the project goals (20 points),










—


the extent to which the goals and the content of the measure meet the objectives laid down in Article 1 of Regulation (EC) No 814/2000 and the priorities set out in point 2.1 and the types of information campaign described in point 2.2 of the call for proposals (15 points);














2.



(maximum 25 points): the overall added value of the proposal shall be assessed particularly in the light of parts B, C and D of the form 3. The aspects that will be taken into account are:






—


the number of countries and population covered by the measure. The measures will be given preference in relation with the number of countries where the activities are implemented and the percentage of their population targeted by the measure (see points 2.2 and 2.3 of this call for proposals) (15 points),










—


the completeness, innovation and originality of the mix of communication activities proposed (10 points);














3.



(maximum 20 points): the impact of the measure and the dissemination policy adopted shall be assessed particularly in the light of the information provided in the parts E and F of the form 3, as well as in the light of the information provided in forms 1 and 2. The aspects that will be taken into account are:






—


the dimension, status and representativeness of the target audience (including indirect beneficiaries) in relation to the type of measure (10 points),










—


the capacity of the applicant and co-organisers to ensure effective follow-up and disseminate the results achieved, and of the dissemination channels used (in particular the press, radio and television, Internet, direct distribution) and their role in the measure (10 points);














4.



(maximum 10 points): the evaluation of the measure shall be assessed particularly in the light of the information provided in the part G of the form 3 and on the basis of:






—


the analysis of the expected impact of the measure before its execution, and the analysis of the results once it is finished, paying special attention to the indicators used (externally verified and objective) (5 points),










—


the techniques used (surveys, questionnaires, statistics, etc.) to measure the impact of the messages transmitted (5 points);














5.



(maximum 10 points): the financial quality of the proposal shall be assessed particularly in the light of the financial tables. The aspects that will be taken into account are:






—


proposals must show that the measure will offer good value for money and that the financial proposal is coherent with the market prices (10 points).











ANNEX II

ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS TO BE ATTACHED TO THE GRANT APPLICATION

To be considered as complete, applications must include (in addition to the letter of application, the application forms and the budget presentation form, which may be downloaded from the Internet address given in point 4.1 of this call for proposals) all the additional documents listed below. Applicants must ensure that the documents accompanying the application are placed in the order shown in the following table. If one of these documents is missing, the application may be considered as incomplete and not retained further.







Document


Description


Comments




Document A


Legal entity identification sheet


For all applicants. Form available at the Internet address given in point 4.1 of this call for proposals.




Document B


Financial identification sheet


For all applicants. Form available at the Internet address given in point 4.1 of this call for proposals.




Document C


Instrument constituting the association (articles of association)


For all applicants that are not bodies governed by public law.




Document D


Recent extract from the official register provided for by the legislation of the Member State of establishment (such as the official gazette or company register), clearly showing the applicant's name, address and date of registration


For all applicants.




Document E


If the applicant is subject to VAT, copy of the registration document


For applicants governed by private law (VAT paid by institutions under public law is not eligible in any circumstances).




If the applicant is not entitled to recover VAT, official document confirming this fact


If the applicant is not entitled to recover VAT, enclose either a certificate from the VAT authority or from any other external person responsible for establishing or auditing the accounts (independent accountant, auditor, etc.)




Document F


Balance sheets and profit and loss accounts for the last two financial years for which the accounts have been closed, or any other document (such as a bank certificate) proving applicants’ financial situation and capacity to maintain their activity throughout the period during which the information measure is being carried out


For all applicants that are not bodies governed by public law.




Document G


Curriculum vitae of the persons who will carry out the preparation, implementation, follow-up and evaluation of the proposed information measure


For all applicants and co-organisers.




Document H


Proof of the financial contributions of the other fund providers (even if the provider of funds is also a co-organiser) to the information measure proposed (such proof shall consist at least of an official financing certificate from each of the expected providers mentioning the title of the information measure and the amount to be contributed)


Form that must be attached if there are contributions from other fund providers.




As regards VAT (document E), it is very important to supply the documents required even if the applicant is not subject to VAT. As regards proofs of financial contributions (document H), these must be submitted by all fund providers (points c, d and f of the budget revenue table).



ANNEX III

SELECTION, EXCLUSION AND ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

1.   Selection criteria

In order to prove their technical capacity applicants shall demonstrate that:






—


they have the necessary technical skills of direct relevance to the preparation, implementation, follow-up and evaluation of the type of information measure proposed,










—


they have carried out at least one integrated communication campaign over the past two years,










—


they have at least two years’ experience in dealing with the subject(s) proposed.




In order to prove their financial capacity applicants shall demonstrate that:






—


their financial situation is sufficiently sound to maintain their activity throughout the period during which the information measure is being carried out.




The technical and financial capacity of the applicants shall be assessed on the basis of the information provided in their application file and the additional information (Annex II). The Commission may, however, request additional information. Applicants are reminded that the Commission will not provide any pre-financing for information measures benefiting from a grant under this call for proposals. Applicants shall assume the entire cost of the information measures themselves. The Commission grant shall be paid only after approval of the final technical and financial implementation report submitted by the beneficiaries at the end of the information measure, and where necessary, after excluding ineligible expenditure.
Applicants can request an intermediate payment (see details at point 3 of the call for proposals: Duration and budget).
2.   Exclusion criteria

The Commission shall exclude any applicant who is in one of the situations described in Article 5 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 2208/2002 and in Article 93(1), Article 94 and Article 96, second paragraph, point (a) of Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 (Financial Regulation of 25 June 2002 applicable to the general budget of the European Union). Grants may not be awarded to applicants who are, at the time of a grant procedure, in one of the following situations: applicants who






—


are bankrupt or being wound up, are having their affairs administered by the courts, have entered into an arrangement with creditors, have suspended business activities, are the subject of proceedings concerning those matters, or are in any analogous situation arising from a similar procedure provided for in national legislation or regulations,










—


have been convicted of an offence concerning their professional conduct by a judgment which has the force of res judicata,










—


have been guilty of grave professional misconduct proven by any means which the contracting authority can justify,










—


have not fulfilled obligations relating to payment of social security contributions or the payment of taxes in accordance with the legal provisions of the country in which they are established or with those of the country of the contracting authority or those of the country where the measure is to be performed,










—


have been the subject of a judgment which has the force of res judicata for fraud, corruption, involvement in a criminal organisation or any other illegal activity detrimental to the Union's financial interests,










—


following another procurement procedure or grant award procedure financed by the EU budget, have been declared to be in serious breach of contract for failure to comply with their contractual obligations,










—


are in a situation of conflict of interest,










—


are guilty of misrepresentation in supplying the information required by the authorising department or of failing to supply this information.




Applicants must declare on honour that they are not in one of the above situations (see the letter of application available at the Internet address mentioned in point 4.1 of this call for proposals). The Commission may, depending on the analysis of management risks, request additional evidence. Applicants who are found guilty of false declarations may be subject to administrative and financial penalties.
3.   Eligibility criteria

(a)   Eligibility criteria concerning the applicant:







—


the applicant shall be a legal person legally constituted in a Member State for at least two years at the time of submission of the proposal. This shall be clearly shown in the application and additional documents. Applicants that have not been legally constituted in a Member State for at least two years at the time of submission of the proposal, or fail to prove it, shall be rejected.




(b)   Eligibility criteria concerning the application:

Applications under this call for proposals must meet all the following criteria:






—


they must be submitted (both by post and by e-mail) no later than 31 October 2012 (the postmark on the envelope serving as proof of the date of posting),










—


they must include the hard copies of the relevant forms provided for the application and budget, which may be downloaded from the Internet address given in point 4.1, and also an electronic version,










—


they must be drawn up in one of the official languages of the Union,










—


they must be accompanied by all the documents listed in point 4.1 of this call for proposals,










—


applicants are authorised to submit only one application per budget year,










—


the amount of grant requested from the Commission (including the flat rate amount for the staff costs) shall be between EUR 100 000 and EUR 500 000,










—


the budget of the proposed information measures must:






—


be presented in euros,










—


contain an expenditure table and an income table in balance,










—


be dated and signed in both the expenditure and income parts by the legally authorised person within the applicant organisation (if signed by delegation, a document proving such delegation should be provided),










—


be drawn up using detailed calculations (quantities, unit prices, total prices) and the relevant explanations in the column ‘comments’; no flat-rate amounts (except for staff costs) will be accepted,










—


respect the maximum amounts established by the Commission for certain kind of expenditures (see Annex IV) and for accommodation (please refer to the document entitled ‘Maximum accommodation costs (hotel) accepted by the Commission’ which is available at the Internet address given in point 4.1),










—


be presented exclusive of VAT if the applicant is subject to and entitled to deduct VAT or if the applicant is an institution under public law,










—


enter on the income part the direct contribution from the applicant, the requested Commission funding, and (if applicable) details of any contributions from other fund providers, as well as any revenue generated by the project, including, where appropriate, the fees required of participants,














—


the proposed information measure must be carried out between 1 March 2013 and 28 February 2014,










—


the following are not eligible:






—


measures required by law,










—


measures receiving EU financing under another budget line,










—


profit-making measures,










—


general or statutory meetings.








Any application which fails to fulfil one or more of the above criteria may be considered ineligible and may be rejected.



ANNEX IV

DRAWING UP THE BUDGET

The budget must comply with all the relevant rules laid down in Annex III(3) (Eligibility Criteria). It must be submitted on the original forms (tables of expenditure and income).
The expenditure table must be specific and permit a clear understanding of each item of expenditure (e.g. no ‘sundries’). The different categories of costs must be reflected in the description of the information measure (Form 3).
The income table must be specific and permit a clear understanding of each item of income/financial contribution and comply with the non-profit rule. Proof of contributions from other fund providers must be provided (see Document H of Annex II).
In order to facilitate the drawing-up of the budget, an example of a correctly completed budget is available at the internet address given in point 4.1.
The budget expenditure table must include only eligible costs (see below).
Any expenditure pre-dating the signature of the agreement shall be incurred at the applicant’s own risk and shall not be legally or financially binding on the Commission.
1.   Eligible costs

Eligible costs for the information measure shall be the costs actually incurred by the beneficiary which meet the following criteria:






(a)


they are related to the subject of the agreement and are set out in the overall budget provided for the information measure;










(b)


they are necessary for the implementation of the information measure which is the subject of the grant;










(c)


they are borne and paid by the beneficiary during the period of the information measure as specified in Article I.2.2 of the grant agreement, i.e. backed by the original supporting documents (see table in point (3) below) and by the respective documents proving payment;










(d)


they are identifiable and verifiable, in particular being recorded in the accounting records of the beneficiary and determined according to the applicable accounting standards of the country where the beneficiary is established and according to the usual cost-accounting practices of the beneficiary;










(e)


they are reasonable, justified, and comply with the requirements of sound financial management, in particular regarding economy and efficiency;










(f)


they comply with the requirements of the tax and social legislation in force.




SUPPLIERS/SUBCONTRACTORS for services exceeding EUR 10 000
It should be noted that, where applicants intend to use suppliers/subcontractors and the amount of all the services to be rendered by one supplier/subcontractor exceeds EUR 10 000, they must submit to the Commission at least three tenders from three different companies, attach the tender selected, show that the supplier/subcontractor selected represents the best value for money and justify their choice if the tender selected is not the cheapest.
These documents must be submitted as soon as possible to the Commission and, at the latest, along with the final technical and financial reports.
Failure to do this shall entitle the Commission to consider those costs ineligible.
Also to be noted that actions cannot be fully subcontracted. Only a limited amount of the activitities falling under a specific information measure may be subcontracted.
2.   Ineligible costs

The following costs shall not be considered eligible:






—


contributions in kind,










—


unspecified or flat-rate expenditure apart from staff costs,










—


indirect costs (rent, electricity, water, gas, insurance, taxes, etc.),










—


cost of office supplies (paper, stationery, etc.),










—


costs connected with the purchase of new or second-hand equipment,










—


costs relating to the depreciation of equipment,










—


costs not provided for in the projected budget,










—


VAT, unless beneficiaries prove that they cannot recover it under the relevant national legislation. However, VAT paid by bodies governed by public law is not eligible,










—


return on capital,










—


debt and debt-service charges,










—


provision for any future losses or debts,










—


debit interest,










—


dubious debts,










—


exchange losses,










—


costs declared by the beneficiary and covered by another measure or work programme receiving an EU grant,










—


excessive or reckless expenditure.




3.   Specific provisions relating to eligible costs and the requisite supporting documents








Category of expenditure


Eligible


Supporting document required (NB: Where more than one document is listed, all must be provided)




Staff costs








1.


Employees
A flat-rate sum will be paid: EUR 10 000 for measures for which the total eligible costs (excluding the flat-rate amount for staff costs) are less than EUR 400 000 and EUR 25 000 for measures for which the total eligible costs (excluding the flat-rate amount for staff costs) are between EUR 400 000 and EUR 950 000 maximum. This will cover the staff costs for preparation, implementation, follow-up and evaluation.






No supporting documents are required in order to obtain the flat-rate amount.
However, for analysis purposes, beneficiaries are requested to attach to the final report a document indicating the staff costs actually incurred in connection with the information measure.










2.


Self-employed persons












—


Invoice indicating at least the title of the information measure, the nature of the work carried out and the dates when the work was carried out.










—


Proof of payment.








Transport costs (1)









1.


Train
Cost of second-class travel by the shortest route (2).












—


Ticket










—


Proof of payment.














2.


Air
Booking fees and the cost of air travel in economy class, using the lowest promotional fare available on the market.












—


Electronic reservation (including the price).










—


Used boarding pass. The boarding pass must state the name, date, place of origin and destination.










—


Where applicable, the travel agency invoice.










—


Proof of payment.














3.


Coach
Intercity travel by the shortest route












—


Invoice indicating at least the place of departure and arrival, the number of passengers and the dates of travel.










—


Proof of payment.














4.


Ferry












—


Ticket.










—


Proof of payment.








Accommodation








1.


During preparation of the information measure
Hotel accommodation up to a maximum amount (excluding VAT) per night determined by country. The relevant maximum amount can be found at the internet address given in point 4.1 of this call for proposals (‘Maximum accommodation costs (hotel) accepted by the Commission’).












—


Detailed invoice of the hotel stating the name of the persons, the dates and the number of nights. If the invoice relates to a group, the same information must be provided.










—


Description by the grant beneficiary of the purpose of the accommodation, the link with the co-financed information measure and the role of the persons concerned in the measure.










—


Where appropriate, record of the meeting.










—


Proof of payment.














2.


During implementation of the information measure
Hotel accommodation up to a maximum amount per night (excluding VAT) determined by country. The relevant maximum amount can be found at the internet address given in point 4.1 of this call for proposals (‘Maximum accommodation costs (hotel) accepted by the Commission’).












—


Detailed invoice of the hotel stating the name of the persons, the dates and the number of nights. If the invoice relates to a group, the same information must be provided.










—


Attendance list signed by the participants as requested for the technical report (see Article I.5.2.2 of the grant agreement).










—


Proof of payment.








Meals


Only during the implementation of the information measure up to a maximum amount (excluding VAT) of:






—


EUR 5 per person for coffee break










—


EUR 25 per person for lunch










—


EUR 40 per person for dinner












—


Overall invoice (3) (from catering company, hotel, conference centre, etc.) indicating at least the title of the information measure, the date, the number of persons, the type of services provided (coffee breaks, lunches and/or dinners), the unit prices and the total price.










—


Attendance list signed by the participants as requested for the technical report (see Article I.5.2.2 of the grant agreement).










—


Proof of payment.








Interpretation








1.


Employees: the salary costs are included in the maximum flat-rate amount provided for under ‘staff costs’.






No document required.










2.


Self-employed persons: up to an amount of EUR 600 per day (excluding VAT).












—


Invoice indicating at least the title of the information measure, the source and target languages covered by the interpreting services, the dates when the services were provided and the number of hours worked.










—


Proof of payment.








Translation








1.


Employees: the salary costs are included in the maximum flat-rate amount provided for under ‘staff costs’.






No document required










2.


Self-employed persons: up to a maximum amount of EUR 45 per page (excluding VAT).

NB. One page is considered to be 1 800 characters without spacing.












—


Invoice indicating at least the title of the information measure, the source and target languages covered by the translation services and the number of pages translated.










—


Proof of payment.








Consultants' and speakers' fees


Up to a maximum of EUR 600 per day (excluding VAT).
The fees of experts or speakers are not eligible where the persons concerned are national, EU or international civil servants or members or employees of the organisation receiving the grant or an associated or affiliated organisation.
Accommodation and transport costs: please refer to these categories of expenditure.








—


Invoice indicating at least the title of the information measure, the nature of the work performed and the dates of performance.










—


Final conference programme including the name and position of the speaker.










—


Proof of payment.








Hire of conference rooms and equipment



NB: hire of simultaneous interpreting booths is limited to a maximum of EUR 750/day (excluding VAT).








—


Invoice indicating at least the title of the information measure, the nature of the equipment and the dates of hire of the conference rooms and equipment.










—


Proof of payment.








Mailing costs


Postal or courier services used for sending documents relating to the information measure (such as invitations, etc.)








—


Detailed invoice indicating at least the title of the documents sent and the number involved or a receipt from the post office together with details supplied by the beneficiary.










—


Proof of payment.










(1)  Only public transport costs (rail, air, ship) shall be financed. It should be noted, however, that bus, underground, tram and taxi fares shall not be eligible. No private car is accepted.

(2)  Where a class other than economy is used, expenses shall be deemed to be eligible up to the amount of the economy-class fare, provided that a certificate specifying the fare in that class is provided by the transport company.

(3)  Individual restaurant bills shall not be accepted.