Understanding Eligible Expenditure in URBACT Health Project

1. Slide N° 1 7 janvier 2020 • URBACT URB HEALTH Project • Eligible Expenditure • Monitoring and Record Keeping Requirements Secrétariat d’Urbact / Adele Bucella

2. Eligible Expenditure • The critical dates for eligible expenditure are those in the approved application: • Start Date – 15 November 2005 • End Date – 30 September 2007 • The approved budget has a series of 8 categories which should be adhered to • Flexibility on these 8 headings is to a maximum of 20% variation by heading without any change in the total project budget. (all changes need prior notification and over 20% need approval by Monitoring Committee) • Only expenditure actually paid is eligible for ERDF refund • Certification of expenditure should be carried out by an independent auditor (specified in the application) • Regulation 448/04 outlines the rules on eligible expenditure

3. Staff Costs • Staff costs from project partners can be considered like any other contribution towards matching ERDF co-funding for the project • Such staff costs are not considered to be an ‘in-kind’ contribution unless they are unpaid voluntary work (Regulation 448/04 gives an exhaustive list of ‘in-kind’ contributions) • If a partner city is making a financial contribution using staff costs incurred there are a number of rules that should be followed: • All public officials should be seconded to work on the project by duly documented decision, showing the tasks to be undertaken and the time required (and who is replacing them for the ordinary tasks) • As no invoice is produced a document of equivalent probative value is required (“certificate”) – a clear timesheet showing hours spent on the project, confirmation of payment from personnel section and a copy of the payslip • Staff costs certification should be carried out in the same way as for all expenditure • Regulation 448/04, Rule N° 11 (2.2), outlines the rules on use of staff costs

4. URBACT Claiming and Monitoring The Lead Partner is required to make two progress reports per year. Standard documents provided The year is split into two semesters for finances and activity: • Jan – June (report due before end Sept) • July – Dec (report due before end March) For each reporting period 4 documents are required: • Activity report • Financial Report • Certficate of Expenditure • Payment Claim • An extra payment claim period has been set for 30th November each year which, reporting expenditure paid within the 31st October, can be submitted without a progress report, but it should be considered in the next claim due in March. • Each local partner will undertake activity and incur expenditure which, with that of the Lead Partner, makes up the total cost for the project. • A system for monitoring expenditure has been created on line - PRESAGE

5. URBACT Presage • The computer management and monitoring system for URBACT has the following objectives: • To provide a tool for URBACT project partners to facilitate exchange of information between different project actors and with the Managing Authority • To provide a space to input and store administrative information about projects • Connection is made through the URBACT website www.urbact.org • Partners and respective “certifying bodies” will need to identify themselves and can ask the access to all networks they belong to (contact: ac.lantin@urbact.org) • Partners are responsible for inputting expenditure information onto the system using a screen and drop down boxes • This information is locally independently certified and then checked by the Lead Partner certifying body before to be collected in a single project certification

6. URBACT Claiming Procedure Procedure for claiming is carried out through the website and can be simply illustrated as follows: Project partner inputs and validates data on expenditure (invoices and staff costs) ↓ Project Partner certifying body certifies relevant city expenditure, prints and signs the audit certificate within the system and send it to the Lead Partner certifying body ↓ Lead Partner certifying body certifies the total expenditure (including that of the Lead Partner and prints and signs the audit certificate within the system. ↓ Using this information the Lead Partner make a payment claim with a certificate from the auditor which is submitted to the URBACT Secretariat along with the Progress Report and Financial Report (text standard documents)

7. REMINDER - Important Information for all Partners • Must ensure all expenditure is eligible in line with the project application and Regulation 448/04 • The independent certifying body, designated in the project application form and in charge to carry out certification of expenditure, has to be confirmed by the national competent authority • Must keep original documents (either with local partner or send to Lead Partner) until 3 years after the last payment to the programme (2012) • Must be aware that expenditure incurred which is considered ineligible, not part of the project budget or incurred outside of the official project time period will not be reimbursed • Any staff time contributions should be evidenced (in line with Regulation 448/04) with time sheets – this can be done via the website • Sample checks can be carried out by Member States and official EU audits can also be undertaken – therefore it is essential that all partners are aware of the requirements.