The need for simplification and reduction of administrative burden for beneficiaries of the ESI funds have been already widely recognised – it is time to move on to its practical implementation with the help of Simplified cost options (SCOs).

After the autumn’s workshop in Tallinn (September 2019) which brought together both content and finance project managers and kicked off joined work on designing SCOs, this event invites programmes to move forward. We will work further on the Interreg specific SCOs, which were jointly agreed at the workshop in Tallinn, i.e., lump sum for preparation, lump sum for closure costs, SCOs for meetings and events, along with moving forward in deciding for the most optimal simplified option for staff costs. 

Participants will also receive information on the latest developments related to SCOs from different working areas and stakeholders (e.g., results of HIT, eMS, network meetings, post2020, advisories, TN SCOs meeting, etc., as well as developments from the legislative framework). Once again, we will jointly reflect on what does it take and which efforts it require to set up and implement the SCOs (readiness to gain/ loose, SCOs and innovation, simplifications for the project).

Furthermore, we will look in detail on the SCOs and their implications in the quality assessment and project changes (e.g., assessing value for money; different types of project changes and SCOs). We will also discuss what (if any) changes SCOs bring to the project lifecycle, in particular, to such processes as contracting, reporting, monitoring (both programme and project perspective).

 

Objectives

We will seek to:

• reflect on SCOs and discuss willingness to use SCOs,
• decide on how to move forward to simplify staff costs for projects,
• finalise the work on lump sums for preparation costs and closure costs,
• define and agree on activities to be covered by SCOs for meetings & events,
• discuss on how to approach quality assessment when it comes to SCOs,
• discuss on how to deal with SCOs in the implementation phase.

 

Target group

The event is dedicated and limited to the experienced Interreg programmes’ staff. To ensure participation of a wide range of programmes, the participation is limited to 2 representatives per programme (involved in finance and/or content). Participants from the Tallinn workshop and “newcomers” are invited to participate.

 

NB: Right after the SCOs event, the specifically dedicated event for small projects and SPF in Interreg will take place (where SCOs are one key lever to efficiency). If you like to participate in that event, you will have to register for it here.