COGAIN Kick-Off 5-6 September, 2004 FINANCIAL GUIDELINES The Research Services unit is responsible for the administration of research grants and contracts. The main services include - negotiating and processing contracts (centralized, Rector signs all contracts) - managing research grants and contracts, including financial administration (checking budgets, follow-up, invoicing, cost statements) - ensuring University’s IPR 4 people

EU funded research projects at UTA 4 FP 20 projects, 5 coordinated FINANCIAL GUIDELINES EU funded research projects at UTA 4 FP 20 projects, 5 coordinated 3,7 million Euro 5 FP 30 projects, 9 coordinated 7,1 million Euro 6 FP 10 projects, 2 coordinated (so far) 4 IST projects 3,9 million Euro

Where to find financial information: Contract FINANCIAL GUIDELINES Where to find financial information: Contract article 5 Community financial contribution article 6 Reporting periods article 7 Reports article 8 Payment modalities article 9 Special clauses

In the Annexes of the Contract: Annex I Description of work FINANCIAL GUIDELINES In the Annexes of the Contract: Annex I Description of work 10. Project resources and eligible costs Annex II General conditions Part B: Financial Provisions, pp. 19-30 Annex III Specific provisions related to NoE Calculation and payment of the grant Annex VI Form C – Financial statement per instrument

FP6 GUIDE TO FINANCIAL ISSUES FINANCIAL GUIDELINES FP6 GUIDE TO FINANCIAL ISSUES Very important! The auditor’s guide, too. Latest version April 2004, 246 pages http://europa.eu.int/comm/research/fp6/working-groups/model-contract/index_en.html FP6 Reporting Guidelines?

Some points on costs eligible costs must be FINANCIAL GUIDELINES actual: actually incurred, real, not estimated, budgeted or imputed. They must be recorded in the accounts or tax documents and be identifiable and controllable. This rule ensures that fictitious costs are avoided such as internal invoices, subjective estimations or opportunity costs. (Guide, page 25)

FINANCIAL GUIDELINES eligible costs must be economic: refers to the standard of “good housekeeping” in spending public money effectively… costs must be in relation with the normal behaviour of the participant (Guide, page 26) necessary: means necessary for carrying out the project and directly linked to the subject matter and scope foreseen in it… must be present in the budget included in the contract or Annex I

FINANCIAL GUIDELINES actual: eligible costs must be incurred during the lifetime of the project COGAIN: start date 1 September 2004, duration 60 months - 30 August 2009

FINANCIAL GUIDELINES Unlike former FPs, no eligible cost categories are established. The usual accounting principles of the participants are the basis for determining their costs. Although the participants have the freedom to use their usual accounting principles, it does not mean that they have the freedom to create specific accounting principles for FP6 indirect actions. (Guide, p. 26)

Reports FINANCIAL GUIDELINES Must be submitted within 45 days following the end of each period = project year In practice, the coordinator needs the reports immediately after the end of each period, 31 August Activity report, management report, Financial statements (Form C), audit certificates required Instructions and guidance notes given by the Commission

Reports FINANCIAL GUIDELINES PLEASE NOTE: Annex II page 24 Contractors using the additional cost model must also identify in their periodic technical reports all the resources employed on the project and provide a global estimate of all their costs (not just the additional eligible costs which are reported in the financial statement)… a couple of pages in free format

FINANCIAL GUIDELINES Payment modalities: The coordinator receives the Community financial contribution and then, according to the internal rules of the consortium, the Community financial contribution is allocated to the contractors by the coordinator. Payments through periodic pre-financing, the first corresponding to the first 18 months, within 45 days following the date the Commission is informed of the accession of the last contractor.

Payment modalities: FINANCIAL GUIDELINES Payments through periodic pre-financing: the next payments - a payment that settles the amounts justified and accepted during the reporting period and - pre-financing of 80% of the estimated Community financial contribution for the next 18 months within 45 days following approval by the Commission of the reports related to each reporting period If no comments, changes or corrections required: payment within 90 days of receipt of the activity reports and financial statements

FINANCIAL GUIDELINES Payment modalities: Where substantial comments, changes, further information or adjustments are requested, the delay is suspended. The remainder of the 90 day payment period begins again only after submission by the contractors of the required information. 15 Oct submitted 30 Nov evaluation completed, approval 15 Jan 2006 within 45 days following approval, if further information required… end of February…

FINANCIAL GUIDELINES Annex III The Commission shall pay the Community financial contribution in respect of a completed period provided that the following conditions are fulfilled: - that the project is making satisfactory progress towards achieving its agreed objectives, in particular the durable integration of the research capacities of the contractors, as judged by the annual review arranged by the Commission - that the eligible costs, incurred in implementing the JPA for the period, calculated in accordance with part B of Annex II, are at least equal to the Community financial contribution for that period.

What we will be asking for soon: FINANCIAL GUIDELINES What we will be asking for soon: Name of the Duly authorised Financial Officer Bank Account number of the contractor, must be the IBAN