Payment applications – EU-funding

The payment application in Min ansökan is the formal declaration of expenditure by the Lead Partner EU in order to receive the EU-funding. Payments will be made based on approved expenditures and the approved progress/final report. However, the payment application for a small-scale project do not need to report on costs. The lump sum will be paid as soon as the final report is approved by the Joint Secretariat according to the conditions specified in the grant decision.  Payments will be made in EUR to the Lead partner who shall disseminate the funds to respective partner as agreed.

The economic report in Min Ansökan is created by uploading a csv.-file with the costs for each partner for the current period. Instructions and a template for how the csv.-file shall be compiled can be downloaded on the webpage For project beneficiaries – Interreg Aurora. The amounts entered in the csv-files shall be gathered from the project ledger for each partner. This means that one line in the csv.file shall correspond to one verification number in the ledger. The files must be created according to the template in order for the system to be able to compile the payment application correctly.

Swedish partners’ costs shall be uploaded in SEK and the system will automatically convert the amounts into EUR using the monthly accounting exchange rate of the European Commission in the month during which the payment application is submitted in Min Ansökan.  

The Commission exchange rates used by the system can be found on the official website:
https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/procedures-guidelines-tenders/information-contractors-and-beneficiaries/exchange-rate-inforeuro_en

Payment applications for regular projects – 40%-method
The payment application for projects using the 40%-method will only need to be supported by documentation verifying the eligible staff cost for each project partner. The flat rate of 40% to cover all the other costs will be automatically added to the eligible staff cost.

Payment applications for regular projects – other than 40%-method
The payment application for projects that chose to not use the 40%-method will need to be supported by more documentation to verify the eligible costs for the project. The staff cost as well as costs for external expertise, equipment and infrastructure and works need to be verified. The costs for office and administration as well as costs for travel and accommodation will be reimbursed by flat rates automatically added to the eligible staff cost.

• Mandatory supporting documents for the expenditures in every reporting period:
  • Certificates on respective partners’ reported expenditure, signed by an authorized signatory for each partner (using the template on the webpage For project beneficiaries – Interreg Aurora)
  • project account ledger for the current reporting period, from the system of the financial records of the partner organisations (the system report, not the information exported to excel) Note! If you have a “40%-project” – a project ledger covering the staff costs is enough while all other regular projects need to submit a project ledger covering all project costs.
  • summary of staff cost using the template on the webpage For project beneficiaries – Interreg Aurora, provided there are staff costs in the period.

• Mandatory supporting documents regarding costs in the first reporting period (and whenever changes occur):
  • description of administrative routines for every partner organisation (a template on the webpage For project beneficiaries – Interreg Aurora is available)
  • Proof of authorization to sign the certificate on partners expenditure (for each partner)

• Mandatory supporting documents regarding staff costs in the first reporting period (and whenever changes occur):
  • a task assignment document for each employee, both full time and part time assignments. Or, in exceptional cases, a different document covering requirements as indicated in the template task assignment (the fixed percentage of time to be worked by the staff member on the project per month with a proportionate detailed description of the tasks).
  • document identifying the salary costs (gross salary and employer’s social contributions and other compulsory payments) for the staff member, such as payslips or other accounting documents where the employment costs are clearly detectable.

• Examples of supporting documents on demand:
  • employment contract or any other equivalent legal agreement that permits the identification of the employment relationship with the partner organisation;
  • Proof of payment (e.g., extract from the reliable accounting system of the organisation). Note! If you have a “40%-project” – only proof of payments regarding staff costs may be asked for while all other regular projects may be asked to submit proof of payments regarding all project costs.
  • copies of invoices and receipts
  • documentation verifying the correct public procurement procedure
  • documentation verifying the correct use of the EU-emblem

Management verifications and payments
When the payment application is received, the controllers from Sweden and Finland will perform the management verifications of the expenditure reports belonging to partners from the respective country.

The checks are mostly made as administrative (desk-based) checks by checking supporting documents and calculations but can also be made as an on-the-spot check.

The controllers will contact the project in case completions/clarifications are needed. The person whom the Controller wishes to answer the said completions/clarifications will receive an e-mail notification from Min Ansökan when the Controllers have published a request for completions/clarifications. All contact persons for the project have the possibility to see the request in Min Ansökan. Only the person uploading the answer as well as the Controllers can see the answer.

When the progress/final report is approved by the Joint secretariat and all partners’ expenditures are checked by the controllers, the Managing Authority will make the payment.

The payment will be sent to the Lead Partner EU’s bank account and a payment notification will be sent to the Lead Partner EU. The Lead Partner EU is responsible for distributing the received grant to the project partners. The eligible expenditure as well as any deductions made will be visible for every partner in Min ansökan once the decision on the payment application is done. It is possible to raise complaints if the beneficiary is not consent with the outcome of the decision of payment.