European CO operation in the Field of S cientific and T echnical Research

1. European COoperation in the Field of Scientific and Technical Research

2. Mission: Strengthen Europe in scientific and technical research for peaceful purposes through the support of cooperation and interaction between European Researchers

3. Networking & Co-ordination Pan-European “Non-competitive” (pre-normative; environmental and cross-border problems; public utility) National Financing of Researchers – national responsibility Bottom-up / Flexible “A la carte” participation Multi-disciplinary: wide range of disciplines covered Open to wider cooperation COST Characteristics

4. COST Countries COST Member States The 25 EU Member States1 • EFTA Member StatesIcelandNorwaySwitzerlandCandidate CountriesBulgariaRomaniaTurkey Other CountriesSerbia and Montenegro2Croatia2FYR of Macedonia (FYROM)2 COST Co-operating StatesIsrael 1from 1 May 04 2Not Associated to FP

5. COST- Sixth Framework Programme

6. COST Financing

7. Committee of Senior Officials(CSO) 2 representatives per COST Country Responsible for: • the overall strategy and steering of COST • deciding on the launching of individual Actions • approving participation of institutes from non-COST countries • approving the prolongation/extension of Actions

8. Domain Committees (DC) 1 representative per COST country Responsible for: • selection of new COST Actions (quality control) • monitoring of ongoing COST Actions • evaluation of completed COST Actions • dissemination and valorisation of COST activities • strategic developments in its domain • synergies

9. Management Committee (MC) • Maximum of 2 representatives per signatory country • 1 representative per non-COST institution • Representatives of the European Commission (observer) • Observers from other organisations Responsible for : • supervising and co-ordinating implementation of the Action • ensuring scientific coordination at a national level

10. Working Group (WG) a small number of researchers working together per WG MC members or other scientists from the signatory countries Invited experts/ speakers (workshops/ conferences) Members from non-COST institutes

11. COST Domain Allocation 2005 Agriculture and Biotechnology 1.514.439 Chemistry 1.334.631 Environment 639.225 Food Technology 507.732 Forests and Forestry Products 1.753.348 Materials 861.352 Medicine and Health948.987 Metereology932.935 Miscellaneous188.484 Physics 742.262 Social Sciences 982.630 TIST 1.737.296 Transport 683.812 Urban Civil Engineering 672.868 TOTAL (€) 13,500,000

12. COST Actions – Running Actions 1980-2005(Running any time of the year - status 30/11/2005)

13. COST Actions – what is supported: MC and WG meetings Scientific workshops, seminars and conferences Short Term Scientific Missions (STSMs) Training Schools Dissemination

14. Who can be reimbursed? • Max. 2 per signatory country per meeting • Combined meetings: MC+1WG: max 4 per country; MC+2WGs: max. 6 per country. • Workshops/Conferences: reasonable division over the signatory countries • Invited speakers (max. 4) • Special fund for neighbouring countries

15. Financing systems in COST • Pay-as-you-go (most of the domains including Food and Agriculture) • Annual Grant System (TIST domain)

16. How does pay-as-you-go work? • CSO approves annual budget division over domains/ actions • MC decides how to spend the actions’ budget • For each meeting, STSM, etc. MC chair sends a request • COST Office takes care of administration • ESF is doing the payments • Action reports with annual progress report • COST Office has to deal with auditors

17. How does the grant system work? • Action has to deliver work-plan + budget + dissemination plan for the following year • DC/ COST Office has to approve work-plan and allocates budget • The annual grant contract is signed • The MC decides how to spend the actions’ budget • The money is transferred to the contract holder: 65% of the budget and 35% after approval of the preliminary financial report after around 9 months • Action reports with annual progress report, a preliminary financial report and financial report • All COST rules still valid • Action has to deal with administration,reimbursements and auditors

18. Contract holder • Institute of chair (or other MC member) • Preferable in euro-zone or possibility for euro-account at bank (less transfer and valuta change costs • Check VAT-position institute (non-eligible costs!)

19. Pay-as-you-go Procedures for requests

20. Meeting request • Request chair by email, including reference to MC decision (legal basis!); at least one month in advance; preferable earlier • Programme (venue, local organiser, dates, time schedule, presentations, etc) • List of participants (including email-addresses)

21. Workshops/ Conferences • Request for organising money by local organiser at least one month in advance • Reference to MC decision to ask this money • Up to 3.000 euro without financial reporting • From 3.000-10.000 euro with financial reporting + invoices • MC approval financial report

22. Combining with non-COST meetings • COST finances only COST meetings; therefore the COST meeting as such has to be justified! • COST meetings to be organised before or after the other meeting • Reimbursement is restricted to travel + accommodation during COST meeting • COST does not sponsor other meetings

23. Short Term Scientific Missions Aim: • promote exchange within an Action’s scientific objectives. How: • by allowing a scientist (especially a junior researcher) to go to a laboratory in another signatory country to learn a new technique or to make measurements using instruments and/or methods not available in their own laboratory. Period: minimum 5 working days and maximum 3 months. Means: • Maximum contribution for a mission of 3 months is EURO 2,500

24. Publications Possibilities: • COST finances certain number of copies of book or special volume journal • COST takes care of printing through OPOCE • COST can print folders per COST Action on request

25. General support chair • Maximum 2000 euro per year can be asked by the chair • In principle for the website of the Action • MC decision needed

26. Positive arguments for pay-as-you-go • More money available for activities (up to 15% can be spent on management by contract holder in grant system) • More flexible in planning • Less under spending (reallocation of money not-used) • Cash is operated by professional service (accounting, auditing); secure for operation of the contract with the CEC

27. Positive arguments for Grant system • More financial support for MC chair > better status in institute • More certainty about the available budget • Delays in reimbursements could be further reduced

28. Grant system next year • Web-based IT tool will be developed for actions activities (ready March 2007) • Contracts for 2 years in stead of 1 year: under discussion • Training for contract holders will be organised • Per domain switch to grant system in the same month

29. Budget 2007 for COST 869 General rule: fixed amount of 54.000 euro for each action + 2000 per signatory country. Budget COST 869: 54.000 + 21 x 2.000 = 96.000 Asked from the first MC 869: activity plan for 2007 (and possibly rough planning for following years); next MC meeting when and where

30. How to plan reimbursements • Overall average cost per person per meeting is at the moment 800 euro • Counting with real costs: 150 euro per night + 400 travel (higher for remote places)

31. Discussion items MC 869 • Reimburse 1 MC member per country? • Executive Committee for MC? • WG-leaders? • Committee/ coordinator for STSMs? • Ask for general support for chair? • Who is doing the website? • Who will be the future contract holder?

32. COST Office • Address: Bouktje Stol 149 avenue Louise 1050 Brussels Belgium • Tel: +32 (0)2 533 3800 • Fax: +32 (0)2 533 3890 • E-mail: office@cost.esf.org • Website: http://cost.cordis.lu