Changes in project implementation

When you foresee a change and you are not sure whether you need to ask for a change decision (major change) or if it is enough that you inform about the change (minor change), please contact the Joint Secretariat. Describe the change together with a justification and an assessment of the impact on the project implementation and outputs. Important that you involve all project partners in the discussion on changes in the project, before contacting the Joint Secretariat.

Minor and major changes are described with examples below.

• No budget changes are possible in lump sum projects and projects using the 40%-method.

Minor changes
Minor changes do not have a significant impact on project implementation. Projects shall inform the programme about the minor changes, e.g. via progress reports and payment applications or an additional document uploaded in Min Ansökan. 

• Change of contact persons and addresses
• Change of the bank account of the LP
• Pure name changes of a partner (a change of partner is considered a major change as well as a total withdrawal of a partner).
• Minor adjustments in the work plan like a change of format of an activity, timeline for one or more activities, involvement of partners in a work package or activity (not the planned approach, nature and use of the outputs which are considered major changes)
• Requests to submit the payment application and progress-/final report later. 
• Requests for changes regarding the reporting periods.
• Budget flexibility – Changes of up to 20%, or where the change is more than 20%, but a maximum of 10,000 euros, in individual cost categories can be approved without the need for a decision to change the project budget. This deviation should be explained in the progress report and fully justified by a project’s needs and the project’s activities must remain in line with the decision for support. Note that it is possible for partners to use more expenditure for a specific cost category than what is registered in the partner budget but if, when all partners costs are added, the total overspending  in the cost category will be more than the above explained budget flexibility (in the EU-budget or Norwegian budget respectively) you need to ask for a change decision to move funds from another cost category.  Projects cannot exceed the total project budget or change the nature and use of planned purchases and outputs. 
• In case of overspending the total partner budget, this must be made in agreement with other partners, e.g some of the other partners must in such case underspend their part of the budget. In case of budget changes between partners, make sure that the national co-financing (own or external) is not affected (if the financing is affected – see budget changes concerning the financing plan which must be handled via a change in the grant decision).

Major changes
If you want to do changes that can have an impact (negative or positive) on the planned outputs and/or solutions, the partnership or the project budget you need to  apply for a change via an application for change that you upload in Min ansökan. The requested change shall be described and motivated. The Joint Secretariat will assess the change request and make a proposal for a changed decision for the MA and the NMO, or if necessary, the Steering Committee. After approval of the change, you will receive a new grant decision, which will form the basis for future reporting.

• Budget changes concerning costs, and which are not covered by the budget flexibility described as a minor change.
• Budget changes concerning the financing plan such as change of financiers, whether it be a change from external to own financing or from one external to another external financier.
• Changes in the partnership such as total withdrawal of project partner /Lead partner or a change of project partner / Lead partner.
• Implementation changes with a major impact on the work plan, the project outputs, results and/or indicators.
• An extension of the eligibility period.