2010/767/EU: Commission Decision of 9 December 2010 amending Decision C(2007) 2286 on the adoption of ERC Rules for the submission of proposals and the related evaluation, selection and award procedures for indirect actions under the Ideas Specific Programme of the Seventh Framework Programme (2007 to 2013) Text with EEA relevance

The ERC Rules for the submission of proposals and the related evaluation, selection and award procedures for indirect actions under the Ideas Specific Programme of the Seventh Framework Programme (2007 to 2013) adopted by Decision C(2007) 2286 are replaced by the rules in Annex.

1 The ERC Rules for the submission of proposals and the related evaluation, selection and award procedures of indirect actions under the Ideas Specific Programme of the Seventh Framework Programme (2007 to 2013) shall apply to all ERC calls for proposals published from the date of entry into force of this Decision.

2 The provisions on the appointment and reimbursement of independent experts and Principal Investigators invited for an interview, as laid down in the model appointment letters adopted by the Commission as well as in section 3, and Annexes B, and C to the ERC Rules for the submission of proposals and the related evaluation, selection and award procedures of indirect actions under the Ideas Specific Programme of the Seventh Framework Programme (2007 to 2013) shall apply from the date of entry into force of this Decision.

This Decision shall enter into force on the 20th day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

1 These rules shall apply to: (a) Interviewees who have been invited by the ERCEA to attend an interview according to section 3.1.6.1. (b) Anyone responsible for accompanying a disabled person who has been invited by the ERCEA to attend a meeting in an interviewee capacity.

2 The authorising officers for commitments shall specifically try to ensure that interviews are organised in such a way as to enable interviewees to benefit from the most economical travel rates. The authorising officers for payments shall scrutinise particularly closely any requests for reimbursement involving abnormally expensive flights. They shall have the right to carry out any checks that might be needed and to request any proof from the interviewees required for this purpose. They shall also have the right, where it appears to be justified, to restrict reimbursement to the rates normally applied to the usual journey from the interviewees’ point of origin to the meeting place.

3 Where, taking into account any expenses incurred by disabled interviewees as a result of their disability or any person accompanying them, the allowances provided for in Article 3 appear to be clearly inadequate, the expenses shall be reimbursed at the request of the responsible authorising officer on presentation of supporting documents.

4 The ERCEA shall not be liable for any material, non-material or physical damage suffered by invited interviewees or those responsible for accompanying a disabled interviewees in the course of their journey to or stay in the place where the interview is held, unless such harm is directly attributable to the ERCEA. In particular, invited interviewees who use their own means of transport for travelling to such interviews shall be entirely liable for any accidents that they might cause.

1 All interviewees shall be entitled to the reimbursement of their travel expenses from the point of origin specified in their invitation (work or home address) to the place of the interview, by the most appropriate means of transport given the distance involved. In general, for journeys of less than 400 km (one way, according to official distance by rail) this shall be first-class rail travel, and for distances of more than 400 km economy class air travel. If the journey by air involves a flight of 4 hours or more without stopovers the cost of a business class ticket shall be reimbursed.

2 The cost of travel by private car shall be reimbursed at the same rate as the first-class rail ticket.

3 If the route is not served by a train the cost of travel by private car shall be reimbursed at the rate of EUR 0,22 per km.

4 Taxi fares and parking expenses incurred at the place of origin (or departure airport) shall not be reimbursed.

1 The daily allowance paid for each day of the interview is a flat rate to cover all expenditure at the place where the interview is held, including for example meals and local transport (bus, tram, metro, taxi, parking, motorway tolls, etc.), as well as travel and accident insurance.

2 The daily allowance shall be EUR 92.

3 If the point of origin cited in the invitation letter is 100 km or less from the place where the interview is held, the daily allowance shall be reduced by 50 %.

4 Interviewees who have to spend one or more nights at the place where the interview is held because the times of interviews are incompatible with the times of flights or trains , shall also be entitled to an accommodation allowance. This allowance shall be EUR 100 per night. The number of nights may not exceed the number of interview days + 1.

5 An additional accommodation allowance and/or daily allowance may, exceptionally, be paid if prolonging the stay would enable the interviewee to obtain a reduction in the cost of transport worth more than the amount of these allowances.

1 The reimbursement shall be made by the ERCEA upon submission of a request for reimbursement, duly completed and signed by the interviewee and by the ERCEA official responsible for certifying the interviewee’s presence. By signing the request for reimbursement the interviewees declare on their honour that the travel expenses and/or allowances claimed will not be met by another European Union institution or another organisation or person for the same journey or the same period, and that their claim corresponds to the costs actually incurred. Irregularities and/or false claims will lead to the application of administrative sanctions applied by analogy with Article 265a(3) of the Implementing Rules to the Financial Regulation.

2 Travel expenses shall be reimbursed on presentation of original supporting documents no later than 30 calendar days after the final day of the interview: tickets and invoices or, in case of online bookings, the printout of the electronic reservation and boarding cards for the outward journey. The documents supplied must show the class of travel used, the time of travel and the amount paid. Unless the interviewee can provide a proper justification that is accepted by reasoned decision by the responsible authorising officer, failure to comply with the provisions of this paragraph shall absolve the ERCEA from any obligation to reimburse travel expenses or pay any allowances.

3 The ERCEA shall reimburse the interviewees’ expenses within the period laid down in the rules implementing the Financial Regulation.

4 Travel expenses shall be reimbursed in Euro, where appropriate at the rate of exchange applying on the day of the interview.

5 The daily allowance and, where appropriate, the accommodation allowance, shall be paid in Euro at the flat rate applicable on the day of the interview. The daily allowance and accommodation allowance may be adjusted in line with changes in the cost of living in Brussels.

6 All reimbursements of travel expenses, daily allowances and/or accommodation allowances shall be made to one and the same bank account.

7 The authorising officer by delegation may, by reasoned decision and on presentation of supporting documents, authorise the reimbursement of expenses which interviewees have had to incur as a result of special instructions they have received in writing.