Download Participant

REA.A1 - FP7 Support
Validation of beneficiaries
Katrien Steijleman
28 May 2013
The Participant Portal (PP) offers…
A facility to support the validation of legal entities by:
• Submitting data over a web interface
• Generating a Participant Identification Code (PIC)
• Nominating a Legal Entity Representative (LEAR)
How to register via the PP?
• When you connect the first time to PP you have to
self-register as participant.
• In your browser you connect to PP, using the
following URL:
http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/
• To access PP, you have to use your ECAS login and
password (if you don’t have it you must register)
Log on and fill out your data in the PP
Registration of legal data (address), status of the
organisation, Indirect Cost method.
Once the registration done
Reception of an e-mail with the data you entered, and a
temporary Participant Identification Code (PIC) will be
provided to you.
The validation process:
• The validation of a participant is unique and valid
throughout the entire FP7 programme;
• During the validation of a legal entity, the
validation services verify the (i) legal existence and
(ii) FP7 status of an applicant and (iii) the ICM;
• These verifications are based on supporting
documents;
• Documents can be uploaded directly on the URF/PP
or sent via e-mail by the participant to the
mailbox: [email protected];
Types of Legal Entities under FP7:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Public and Private
International Organisation
Higher or Secondary Education
Profit and non-profit
Research organisation
Enterprise
SME
The legal status of an organisation
determines:
• The maximum level of EC financial contribution for
RTD activities
• The Indirect Cost Model (ICM)
Documents required for the validation:
For All Types :
• The Legal Entity Form, dated, duly filled-in, signed and
stamped (please use only that which is appropriate to your
status "Public" or "Private");
http://ec.europa.eu/budget/contracts_grants/info_contracts/legal_entiti
es/legal_entities_en.cfm
For Public Entities:
• A copy of the resolution or law or decree or decision legally
establishing your organisation;
• Extract proving your VAT registration number or proof of VAT
exemption (not older than 6 months);
•
For Private Entities:
• A copy of the registration extract proving registration number,
legal address and legal name;
• Extract proving your VAT registration number or proof of VAT
exemption (not older than 6 months);
Documents required for the validation:
For Research Organisations:
A legal document that proves that your organisation is:
• considered as a non-profit organisation by national or
international law; and
• carries out research or technological development as
one of its main objectives
For Non–profit Organisations:
• A legal document which mentions the non-profit
character of your organisation.
9
Documents required for the validation of SME:
• SME CHECK LIST
• Duly signed and bearing the
representative (provided by the REA)
name
of
the
legal
• BALANCE SHEET
• Clear mention of company’s total assets and liabilities
(ANNUAL BALANCE SHEET THRESHOLD)
• PROFIT & LOSS ACCOUNT
• Clear mention of company’s turnover
THRESHOLD)
(ANNUAL TURNOVER
• The kind of income the company generates help us
understand if it is involved in a commercial/economic
activity.
• STATEMENT OF THE STAFF HEADCOUNT
• In case there is no mention on any of the Balance Sheet,
the Profit & Loss account or accompanying notes
Part 2: The validation process
The Thresholds for SME
COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION OF 6 MAY 2003
concerning the definition of micro, small and medium enterprises
• STAFF HEADCOUNT (ARTICLE 5)
• ANNUAL TURNOVER (ARTICLE 4)
• ANNUAL BALANCE SHEET (ARTICLE 4)
ENTERPRISE
CATEGORY
STAFF
HEADCOUNT
ANNUAL TURNOVER
OR
ANNUAL BALANCE
SHEET TOTAL
•Medium-sized
•< 250
•≤ EUR 50 million
AND/OR
•≤ EUR 43 million
•Small
•< 50
•≤ EUR 10 million
AND/OR
•≤ EUR 10 million
•Micro
•< 10
•≤ EUR 2 million
AND/OR
•≤ EUR 2 million
AUTONOMOUS, PARTNER OR LINKED?
COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION OF 6 MAY 2003
AUTONOMOUS
PARTNER
LINKED
(Article 3.1)
(Article 3.2)
(Art.3.3)
-Totally independent
-Holds less than 25% (capital or
voting rights) in another and/or
-Another holds less than 25%
- Holds between 25% and 50%
(capital or voting rights) in another
and/or
-Another holds between 25% and
50%
- Not linked to another enterprise
-Direct or indirect control of
the majority of voting
rights/Capital
EXCEPTIONS (Art.3.2 (a-d)):
•Venture Capital Companies, Universities, Institutional Investors and
Autonomous local authorities are permitted to hold a stake between 25% and
50% without affecting company’s autonomous status.
•An enterprise is NOT an SME if 25% or more of capital or voting rights are
directly or indirectly controlled, jointly or individually, by one or more public
bodies.
Once the validation completed:
The participant receives an e-mail with his final PIC number, his
FP7 status and the link for appointing the Legal Entity Appointed
Representative (LEAR).
The appointment of the LEAR is mandatory (EC Decision of
18/12/2012 of Rules of validation)
http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/urf-lear_en.html
Tasks of LEAR:
- - maintains and updates regularly the legal and financial data
regarding his entity
- - nominates the persons authorised to sign Form C
Contact details: [email protected]
REA.A1 - FP7 Support
Financial Viability Check
28 May 2013
Legal basis
EC-Decision 2012/838/EU – 18/12/2012
Three categories of participants are subject to
Financial Viability Check:
Coordinators: (if not public bodies, international organisations or
guaranteed).
Beneficiaries: requesting more than €500.000 EU contribution (if
not public bodies, international organisations or guaranteed).
Others: exceptionally, if the operational unit requires it.
Required documents:
The non-consolidated 2012 statements (or 2011, should 2012 not
yet be available):
1. The balance sheet;
2. The income statement;
3. The notes being part of the statements;
4a. If the requested EU-contribution is less than € K500: the
signed statutory audit report (If exempted from auditing under
your national legislation, the statements have to be signed for
approval by the board of directors).
4b. If the requested EU-contribution exceeds € K500: the signed
external auditors report, which has to include the clear
mandate to audit, the responsibilities of both the management
and the auditor, the way of conducting the audit, including the
reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are
free of material misstatement, and the auditor's opinion.
The exemption from auditing under national legislation is not applicable if
the requested EU-contribution exceeds the threshold of € K500.
Start-ups have to provide a signed business plan with the forecasted
financial data (Balance sheet and Income statement) for the 3 coming
years .
• Roles in the FVC-procedure
• FVC-request initiated by NEF
The FVC-team contacts the participant by email.
• Data submission
The participant, directly in the participant portal:
- encodes its data, and
- uploads the supporting documents
If no LEAR has been appointed yet (or if problems with the procedure in the portal), the documents
are sent by email to [email protected] .
• Data validation
The FVC-team:
- checks the data, and
- performs its assessment in PDM (IT-tool for legal and financial validation).
The ratios and qualifications are available in NEF and in the participant portal.
• Project related assessment
The Operational unit assesses the results.
The final decision is with the Authorizing officer (AOSD)
Key points
• Reduced Workflow
All intermediate exchanges are deleted.
(PO  FVC-team, PO  Coordinator, Coordinator  Participant, …).
• Reinforced confidentiality
Transmission by e-mail avoided.
• Ensured equal treatment
Common approach of the data, regardless of differences that may occur due to national
legislation.
• Unique assessment
The results remain valid for any other FP7 project until the data are being considered as outdated.
• Order of treatment
First in, first out (FIFO).
• Role
The FVC-team doesn’t deal with project-related issues.
How can a Coordinator check the FVC-status of the participants?
In NEF