Eligible Costs II.14.1 Eligible costs of the action are costs actually incurred by a beneficiary, which meet the following criteria: – they are incurred during the duration of the action as specified in Article I.2.2 of the agreement, with the exception of costs relating to final reports and certificates on the action’s financial statements and underlying accounts; – they are connected with the subject of the agreement and they are indicated in the estimated overall budget of the action; – they are necessary for the implementation of the action which is the subject of the grant; – they are identifiable and verifiable, in particular being recorded in the accounting records of a beneficiary and determined according to the applicable accounting standards of the country where the beneficiary is established and according to the usual cost-accounting practices of the beneficiary; – they comply with the requirements of applicable tax and social legislation; – they are reasonable, justified, and comply with the requirements of sound financial management, in particular regarding economy and efficiency. The beneficiaries’ accounting and internal auditing procedures must permit direct reconciliation of the costs and revenue declared in respect of the action with the corresponding accounting statements and supporting documents.
II.14.2 The eligible direct costs for the action are those costs which, with due regard for the conditions of eligibility set out in Article II.14.1, are identifiable as specific costs directly linked to the performance of the action and which can therefore be booked to it direct. In particular, the following direct costs are eligible provided that they satisfy the criteria set out in the previous paragraph: – the cost of staff assigned to the action, comprising actual salaries plus social security charges and other statutory costs included in the remuneration, provided that this does not exceed the average rates corresponding to the beneficiary’s usual policy on remuneration. The corresponding salary costs of personnel of national administrations are eligible to the extent that they relate to the cost of activities which the relevant public authority would not carry out if the project concerned were not undertaken; – travel and subsistence allowances for staff taking part in the action, provided that they are in line with the beneficiary’s usual practices on travel costs or do not exceed the scales approved annually by the Commission; – the purchase cost of equipment (new or second-hand), provided that it is written off in accordance with the tax and accounting rules applicable to the beneficiary and generally accepted for items of the same kind. Only the portion of the equipment's depreciation corresponding to the duration of the action and the rate of actual use for the purposes of the action may be taken into account by the Commission, except where the nature and/or the context of its use justifies different treatment by the Commission; – costs of consumables and supplies, provided that they are identifiable and assigned to the action; – costs entailed by other contracts awarded by a beneficiary for the purposes of carrying out the action, provided that the conditions laid down in Article II.9 are met; – costs arising directly from requirements imposed by the agreement (dissemination of information, specific evaluation of the action, audits, translations, reproduction, etc.), including the costs of any financial services (especially the cost of financial guarantees). Such costs may also include specific costs incurred by the co-ordinator for fulfilling his responsibilities in his capability of the body responsible for the overall management of the action and the co-ordination of the beneficiaries.
II.14.3 The eligible indirect costs for the action are those costs which, with due regard for the conditions of eligibility described in Article II.14.1, are not identifiable as specific costs directly linked to performance of the action which can be booked to it direct, but which can be identified and justified by the co-ordinator or a co- beneficiary using their accounting system as having been incurred in connection with the eligible direct costs for the action. They may not include any eligible direct costs. By way of derogation from Article II.14.1, the indirect costs incurred in carrying out the action may be eligible for flat-rate funding fixed at not more than 7% of the total eligible direct costs. If provision is made in Article I.4.2 for flat-rate funding in respect of indirect costs, they need not be supported by accounting documents.
II.14.4 The following costs shall not be considered eligible: • return on capital; • debt and debt service charges; • provisions for losses or potential future liabilities; • interest owed; • doubtful debts; • exchange losses; • VAT, unless the beneficiary can show that he is unable to recover it according to the applicable national legislation. VAT paid by public bodies is not an eligible cost; • costs declared by a beneficiary and covered by another action or work programme receiving a Union grant; • excessive or reckless expenditure.
II.14.5 Contributions in kind shall not constitute eligible costs. However, the Commission can accept, if considered necessary or appropriate, that the co- financing of the action referred to in Article I.4.3 should be made up entirely or in part of contributions in kind. In this case, the value calculated for such contributions must not exceed: • the costs actually borne and duly supported by accounting documents of the third parties who made these contributions to the beneficiary free of charge but bear the corresponding costs; • the costs generally accepted on the market in question for the type of contribution concerned when no costs are borne. Contributions involving buildings shall not be covered by this possibility. In the case of co-financing in kind, a financial value shall be placed on the contributions and the same amount will be included in the costs of the action as ineligible costs and in receipts from the action as co-financing in kind. The beneficiaries shall undertake to obtain these contributions as provided for in the agreement.
II.14.6 By way of derogation from paragraph 3, indirect costs shall not be eligible under a grant for an action awarded to a beneficiary who already receives an operating grant from the Commission during the period in question.
