Eurostat grants 2015 (point 10 of the agenda) Eurostat – Unit E2 Arturo de la Fuente arturo.de-la-fuente@ec.europa.eu Joint meeting Working Groups on Environmental Accounts & Environmental Expenditure Statistics Luxembourg, 10 March 2015

2015 grants environmental accounts Estimated Eurostat budget: 800.000 euros Maximum co-financing 70% of the action Timing: Call for proposals: to be launched in the next weeks Deadline for application: announced in the call Target for Eurostat to award grants: late spring Target to sign contracts: summer

Scope grants Very similar technical specifications as in previous years Priorities unchanged: Develop methods to implement the 3 new modules Also applications for major improvements beyond the legal requirements to the three old modules Also applications in other new areas, especially the new development areas mentioned in the ESEA 2014 (ReMEA, environmental transfers, water accounts and forest accounts) Examples: Set up and adapt the national infrastructure for the 3 new modules Set up procedures and solutions for earlier delivery than legally required Create longer time-series

Differences with last year (1/2) Less strict start and duration of the action (To smooth peaks of administrative work related to grants) Start action between 1 November 2015 and 1 March 2016 Estimated action duration not longer than 12 months Acceptable a maximum duration of up to 24 months if justified Revised award criteria and award points The same award criteria for all Eurostat grants across domains Neater distinction between "technical report" and "methodological report"

Differences with last year (2/2) Starting this year, beneficiaries must calculate direct personnel costs as unit costs Using a method  approved by the Commission (Decision C(2014)6332) Your colleagues in financial matters should know already about it In case of doubt please contact Eurostat

Other observations Important that new applications are clearly distinct from similar past actions To ensure there is no double Eurostat financing of the same action Avoid unnecessary amendments of applications and contract Amendments to contracts create sizeable administrative workload Important to contact Eurostat as soon as possible if there are issues during the execution of the action

Thanks!