Annotated Rules FAQ

Yes, if they are legally established as an independent professional in their own country.

No. The affiliation of a participant should reflect the real professional situation of the participant.

Any individual, who does not have any affiliation to a legal entity such as an Institution/University or does not have a work contract in a private company, for example, is not eligible for travel reimbursement and/or to receive a grant.

Individuals affiliated to an IPC institution can be reimbursed for their attendance to a meeting only once throughout the lifetime of the Action.

Individuals affiliated to an IPC institution can claim the reimbursement of their travel expenses when attending a Training School as trainer more than once.

Eligibility for funding is not linked to academic degree or career stage. It depends only on the country of the institution the individual is affiliated to. Please see Annotated Rules for COST Actions Section 6.4. ‘Eligibility to receive financial support’.

As for applying for a COST Grant (e.g. STSM, ITC Conference, or Dissemination Conference) Master students proving their affiliation to a research programme can be eligible. To do so, the approved research programme enrolment form signed by the University needs to be presented when applying for COST funding.

Master students enrolled in an undergraduate degree remain not eligible.

The Daily Allowance rate intends to cover expenses related to accommodation, meals, and/or short distance travel (defined as less or equal to 100 km one way).

The Daily Allowance rate is based on the country where the meeting or Training School is held. Please consult the rate list here.

The Daily Allowance is calculated automatically in e-COST against the participant’s travel start- and end dates and hours.

The Daily Allowance rate for NNCs is currently set at 222 EUR.

Yes. However, if they claim the Daily Allowance for the day before and the day after the meeting, they must submit supporting documents attesting for the travel dates and hours (e.g. a hotel bill). Another option is to claim only for a part of the Daily Allowance. This option can be selected when completing the Online Travel Reimbursement claim in e-COST.

No.

Expenses reimbursed as part of the Daily Allowance do not require supporting documents to be uploaded in e-COST.

Any long-distance travel and visa expenses require supporting documents such as tickets, e-tickets and/or invoices. A map is automatically generated in e-COST which serves as supporting document in the case of long-distance car travel.

The participant must indicate in e-COST whether (s)he wishes to receive the Daily Allowance or not and then make the necessary arrangements with their own institution.

Yes, the long-distance travel will be reimbursed regardless of the duration of stay at the meeting location. However, e-COST will only consider the meeting dates attended (based on the signed attendance list) and the travel start and end date and hours, when calculating the Daily Allowance of the participant. The days in between are not taken into consideration for the calculation of the Daily Allowance.

The Grant Holder Manager must check the actual number of days of attendance to the approved activity against the signatures on the official attendance list for each day of the event, and the participant’s travel start- and end dates and hours. When the travel dates and hours cannot be determined, the participant shall provide travel supporting documents attesting their travel dates so that the Daily Allowance can be correctly calculated.

Any eligible participant may claim reimbursement according to the Daily Allowance rules. The recommendation is that if the Daily Allowance of one of the two participants covers the accommodation, meals, and short-distance travel of both, then one participant may claim the Daily Allowance and the long-distance travel expenses while the second participant claims only their own long distance travel expenses.

Yes. The travel cancellation insurance should be claimed together with the related insured train/bus/ferry or flight supported by the ticket and amount paid. In the event of force majeure, please file a claim directly to the service provider/insurer and contact them for any further information.

Yes, if there is no detailed breakdown of the costs on the invoice provided, the price of the complete pack will be reimbursed.

No. The same Daily Allowance and the same maximum amount for long-distance travel shall be applicable to all eligible participants attending a given event.

In a Training School however, trainers can have a different Daily Allowance amount than trainees.

Yes, if the Management Committee (or the Core Group, if delegated with this authority) decides so. However, the same maximum amount shall be applicable to all eligible participants attending a given event.

No. The participant may decide to use their Daily Allowance for these expenses.

No. Expenses related to addressing/treating health issues are not eligible.

No. COST’s reimbursement policy covers the Daily Allowance, any long–distance travel related to the meeting, and when applicable, entry travel visa. Any expenses not explicitly mentioned are not eligible for reimbursement and no derogation to the rule can be requested.

Yes. The maximum limit allowed for long-distance travel is up to 1500 EUR in total.

Yes.

The Daily Allowance applies to all participants. Only in case of cancellations/changes due to Force Majeure, eligible expenses can be reimbursed against face-value, with a ceiling for accommodation and short-distance transport expenses. For these exceptional cases, COST prior approval is mandatory.

If using Microsoft Teams, meeting organisers can view and download a meeting attendance report. Find this report in the ‘Participants’ pane of the meeting by clicking the download arrow. You can download the report as a .CSV file (text format) and upload it in e-COST. Each virtual communication tool has its own way of downloading the attendance log (e.g. Zoom, Webex).

Virtual events that require encoding in eCOST are:

• When funding for a ‘virtual communication license’ is claimed, at least one event needs to be encoded in e-COST;
• Meetings where decisions are involved, such Management Committee or Core Group meetings;
• Meetings or Training Schools involving Local Organiser Support (LOS).

The LOS is paid as a grant and is calculated based on the duration of the event, the type of event (virtual or face-to-face), and the number of unique participants invited via e-COST and who signed the attendance list /or appear on the virtual attendance log.

Yes, the same eligible expenses as for a face-to-face and virtual event can be claimed.

No. The LOS grant may not be used to cover expenses related to lunches and/or dinner. Only refreshments (light edible items and beverages not intended to substitute meals) may be covered from the LOS grant. The Local Organiser is invited to make suitable arrangements so that participants can pay for their meals during the event. The participants receive a Daily Allowance which is intended to also cover for meals expenses.

No. Consumables for training schools must be claimed under the ‘Other Expenses Related To Scientific Activities’ (OERSA) budget line against invoices.

If more than 200 unique participants attended a face-to-face or hybrid meeting, the maximum LOS grant is still 10000 EUR. For a virtual meeting the maximum LOS grant is 7000 EUR.

The LOS grant amount which is paid is based on the number of unique participants who signed the attendance list and/or appear on the virtual log.

The participants who could not travel may attend the meeting online. The LOS grant is the same for face-to-face or hybrid meetings.

If the LOS grant is not sufficient, the Local Organiser should seek other funding sources.

Yes. The same applies to meetings.

No. In case the Action organises a Training School in a Third State (International Partner Country), the Local Organiser needs to be a legal entity in a COST Full Member, in a Near Neighbour Country or an EU RTD.

If the video (its purpose, scope, and targeted audience) is intended for the participants attending the meeting or Training School, then the expenses related to it may fall under Local Organiser Support.

If the video is intended for a varied audience and is going to be widely distributed, then the purpose of this video is to disseminate the outcomes of the Action event. Then the expenses related to the video fall under Dissemination and Communication Products.

Please note that the COST branding and visual identity must be respected as described here in order to correctly acknowledge COST funding.

The LOS grant paid to the Local Organiser does not need to match perfectly the amount spent (e.g. grant: 4000 EUR – actual expenses: 3789,56 EUR).

The difference does not need to be reimbursed to the Grant Holder institution.

Please note that the LO may not pay VAT from the difference between the LOS grant and the actual costs.

The Grant Holder must archive the original and signed Attendance lists and copies of Attendance logs. In case of an audit, the Grant Holder and Local Organiser may be asked to prove how the grant was spent and that they have followed their national and institutional rules.

The Local Organiser must be able to evidence through relevant invoices how the LOS grant was spent. The awarded LOS grant can only be used to cover a limited category of expenses. The LOS grant may not be used to cover any VAT.

This item is eligible. There is no minimum required number of the participants to claim it. Please consult the LOS section of the Annotated Rules.

The following networking activities are organised through a Grant Awarding Process:

• Short Term Scientific Missions (STSM)
• Virtual Mobility (VM)
• ITC Conference
• Dissemination Conference

The Management Committee may set up a:

• Grant Awarding Coordinator who serves the community by coordinating the Calls and awarding of Grants by the COST Action

Or

• Grant Evaluation Committee(s) for evaluating the applications received for proposal to the Action Management Committee.

All applications for COST grants must be submitted via e-COST through the applicant’s profile. The Grant Awarding Coordinator and the Grant Holder Manager use the e-COST tool to manage all the applications and grants awarded.

The application templates for grants can be found on the COST website: www.cost.eu/grants_userguide

The e-COST section for grant applications is accessible only when the Action Grant Agreement is signed by the Grant Holder Institution and COST.

The Grant Awarding Coordinator will have full access to the grant management tool as soon as this role is assigned to them in e-COST.

Yes, the Grant Awarding Coordinator is a mandatory leadership position. The Grant Awarding Coordinator is responsible for the coordinating the evaluation and approval of all grant awarding processes (STSM, Virtual Mobility, ITC Conference, and Dissemination Conference grants).

Yes. Please see the table on Eligibility to Receive Funding in Article 6.4 of the Annotated Rules for COST Actions.

Yes, as long as a conflict of interest is avoided and the Grant Awarding Coordinator is not part of the selection process.

No. The grant is awarded against the submission of a successful application and the approval of the report.

The report must be submitted within 30 days after the end date of the STSM or 15 days after the end of the Grant Period (whichever date comes first).

The host institution must be a legal entity located anywhere in the world*, however, the said institution should be able to provide the necessary training and resources to achieve the objectives of the STSM. The Host can be from any relevant sector, including industry. The Host does not have to be a Management Committee or Working Group member.

*Please note that following the EU Council Decision (CFSP) 2022/52 of 13 January 2022, amending Decision 2014/512/CFSP, activities located in Russia are currently not eligible and as such the Host institution cannot be located in Russia.

No. A STSM must be performed in another country other than the applicant’s home country.

Yes.

The maximum grant amount for STSMs is 4000 EUR.

No. There is no minimum amount per day nor maximum amount for flight. However, the maximum amount that can be applied for is 4000 EUR. The person/s responsible for assessing each grant application should take into consideration if the amount applied for fits the purpose of the STSM, the length of stay as well as the destination country.

Yes, this is possible if the Core Group is given a mandate by the Management Committee to make such decisions.

Virtual Mobility grants are awarded for the collaboration in a virtual setting among researchers or innovators within the COST Action to exchange knowledge, learn new techniques, etc.

More information about VM Grants can be found in Annex 2 Section 1.1.2 of the Annotated Rules for COST Actions.

There is no limit to the number of VM grants awarded per Grant Period. This is to be decided according to the Work & Budget plan and the Action’s Management Committee.

No, there are no minimum or maximal number of days required to perform a Virtual Mobility grant or an STSM. Please note that any activity must be carried out within a given Grant Period.

There is no need to provide receipts. The person/s responsible for assessing each grant application should take into consideration if the amount applied for fits the purpose.

Yes, the conference fee in a virtual setting is eligible to be reimbursed with a limit of up to 500 EUR. This applies to ITC and Dissemination Conferences.

The grantee must be a Young Researcher or Innovator affiliated with a legal entity from an Inclusiveness Target Country (ITC) or Near Neighbour Country (NNC)*. The conference can take place anywhere in the world.

Please note that following the EU Council Decision (CFSP) 2022/52 of 13 January 2022, amending Decision 2014/512/CFSP, activities located in Russia are currently not eligible and as such the Host institution cannot be located in Russia.

A Young Researcher or Innovator is a researcher or innovator under the age of 40.

Anyone who applies for a COST grant will be asked to create an e-COST profile including a date of birth (GDPR compliant) and to upload their CV. Based on the information provided by the individual, e-COST will allow or deny the submission of an application for ITC Grant. The Grant Holder Manager does not need to (and should not) check the age of the applicants.

Only one presenter can be funded per presentation given.

Please visit https://www.cost.eu/about/visual-identity/ for a complete guide on how to acknowledge COST and download the correct logos.

Yes, if the publication is Open Access then Open Access fees are eligible for payment as well as publication in a journal related expense.

Please note that VAT remains non-eligible, and that the product must be delivered during the Grant Period. If the final product cannot be delivered by the deadline, this expense will not be considered as eligible.

Any type of scientific publication is eligible as long as it is published in Open Access.

Yes. Under Open Access, eligible expenses include proofreading, editing, translation and layout.

Expenses related to printing books are not eligible to be reimbursed.

Expenses for books published under Open Access licenses can be supported as ‘Open Access scientific publications’. Eligible expenses are: proofreading, editing, translation, and layout expenses in addition to the Open Access fee.

Pre-publication can be accepted as proof of delivery. For example: having a DOI implies that the publication has been accepted and is going to be published in a very short period of time. An invoice dated within the Grant Period should be provided as well.

Action website eligible expenses include design, production, maintenance, and hosting of the website.

All running Actions may assign a website budget of up to 12.000 EUR for the entire lifetime of the Action.

Actions should maintain their website until the end of the Action. Maintenance and hosting expenses should be included in the last Grant Period.

A COST Action can develop their own logo and own visual identity as they wish. However, the Action website must respect the COST acknowledgement as per the visual identity guidelines.

Yes. The claim for a logo design is not limited to the first Grant Period. The logo and the invoice must fall within the same Grant Period.

Design and production of information or promotional material may be eligible if distributed or used in the frame of an external event that is open to a high number of external stakeholders. This is subject to approval by the COST Association through the Science Officer.

Materials to be used in MOOCs can fall under Dissemination Materials as training materials or as multimedia content. Eligible expenses are design & production and proof reading, editing, translation and layout expenses.

Yes. If the purpose, the scope and targeted audience are not related to a specific event organised by the Action, the expenses related to the recording are eligible. Please note that COST branding and visual identity is a requirement and must be respected as defined here to be considered as eligible.

This is considered part of production costs and, thus, is eligible.

The Action is free to select the provider of any dissemination and communication product as along as it respects the procurement rules of the Grant Holder.

The Grant Holder Manager must encode the expenses in e-COST. Receipts and invoices are required to support each claim and must also be uploaded in e-COST. VAT is not eligible and must be deducted from the total price of the invoice. The Grant Holder Institution will make the payment of each item under OERSA to the relevant provider.

No. The costs related to cloud-based software/cloud storage are not eligible.

Invoices that go across different Grant Periods can be claimed as a pro-rata.

No, as long as the expenses fit the Action allocated budget and are approved by the Management Committee and the Science Officer of the Action. These expenses are reimbursed based on invoices.

Only virtual communication and collaboration tools are limited to 500 EUR per Grant Period.

Yes, the grantee can apply for VNS grant in more than 1 Grant Period.