Glossary terms
a
Specific task/stage of the project delivery for which resources are used. Each activity shall result in at least one deliverable and/or an output. The planned activities should be necessary and sufficient to achieve the project's objectives and expected results. Any activity carried out in the framework of the project shall be for the direct benefit of the area concerned by the urban authority(ies) involved in the project.
A written document submitted by EUI-IA projects on a regular basis (reporting period), describing the activities implemented, the deliverables/outputs produced, the results achieved, the resources used, etc.
Binding document which describes the project (its objectives, results, outputs, Partnership, budget, etc.) and gives detailed information on the Work Plan and financial figures. The Application Form has to be submitted during the application process and is assessed by the panel of External Experts and the Permanent Secretariat, in order to select the projects to be funded. Once the project is approved, the Application Form becomes the reference document for the whole implementation of the project until its closure. The content of it may change to a certain extent during the implementation, but only according to the EUI-IA project modification rules and procedures.
Urban authority involved in the EUI-IA project along with a Main Urban Authority in the framework of an association/grouping of urban authorities without a legal status of organised agglomeration. An Associated Urban Authority is not the main responsible organisation of the overall project implementation (the overall responsibility stays with the Main Urban Authority) but is responsible for the implementation of specific activities and the production of the related deliverables/outputs. It has a share of the budget and reports the costs incurred for the delivery of the activities.
Association and/or grouping of urban authorities with a legal status of organised agglomeration or without a legal status of organised agglomeration and created on a voluntary basis by the authorities involved (already existing or created for the purpose of the EUI-IA).
Set of evidence documenting that expenditure claimed by the project fulfils the eligibility criteria set out in the Guidance. An adequate audit trail ensures that the accounting records and the supporting documents held at the level of the Main Urban Authority and its Project Partners and at EUI level are adequate to trace expenditures.
b
Name given in the EU regulations to the Project Partners (Main Urban Authorities, Associated Urban Authorities, Delivery Partners and Transfer Partners) which receive ERDF co-financing for the implementation of project activities.
c
Mechanism whereby an application and selection process is launched to choose projects on a competitive basis.
Process meant to capture and share with an external audience the knowledge and the lessons learnt generated by the project.
Document automatically generated by the online platform EEP when the Application Form is completed. It has to be printed, signed by a legal representative of the Main Urban Authority, scanned and uploaded in the EEP. It is a compulsory document and part of the application pack.
Counterpart to the ERDF co-financing secured by all the Project Partners (paid by the Partners from their own resources or paid to the Partners from external sources). Depending on the source of contribution (Partner’s own resources, external sources) and their legal status, the contribution can be public and/or private. The contribution can be also considered in-kind or cash.
Agreement signed between the European Commission and the Entrusted Entity defining the entrusted tasks, the rules applicable to their implementation and the rights and obligations of the parties in their implementation.
Contributions in the form of provision of goods, services, land and real estate for which no cash payment supported by invoices or documents of equivalent probative value has been made.
Any measure taken to provide reasonable assurance regarding the effectiveness, efficiency and economy of operations, the reliability of reporting, the safeguarding of assets and information, the prevention, detection and correction of fraud and irregularities and their follow-up, and the adequate management of the risks relating to the legality and regularity of the underlying transactions, taking into account the multiannual character of the EUI-IA as well as the nature of the payments concerned. Controls may involve various checks.
A set of cost centres that facilitates reporting on expenditure. Each cost item can be allocated to one cost category only, according to the nature of the cost.
Costs accumulated in relation to implementation of the project that are recorded as liabilities on a balance sheet of the Project Partner until they are discharged or paid. Incurred costs may include both direct and indirect costs.
d
Tangible or intangible object delivered during project activities. It’s an intermediary step in the delivery of a project output and usually, one or more deliverables are needed to produce an output.
Any organisation different from the Main or Associated Urban Authorities, which has a direct role in the design and implementation of the project. It is responsible for the delivery of specific activities and the production of related deliverables/outputs. A Delivery Partner has a share of the budget and reports the costs incurred for the delivery of the activities.
e
Online platform to be used by the projects to generate and submit the Application Form, Annual Progress Reports and Financial Claims.
Checks carried out to verify that an application complies with certain eligibility criteria as defined by EUI-IA and that it is complete in terms of required information and documentation.
A timeframe during which project expenditure must be incurred (unless simplified cost options are used) in order to qualify for co-financing from the ERDF funds.
All project expenditure that is in line with the approved Application Form and compliant with EU, EUI, national and Partner organisation rules, and thus is eligible for ERDF co-financing.
An entity delegated by the European Commission for the implementation of the European Urban Initiative. In the framework of the EUI the Entrusted Entity is the Region Hauts-de-France.
European Regional Development Fund.
The EUI-IA financial support provided to the project from ERDF. Combined with the Project Partners' contribution it forms the total project budget.
Individuals in charge of providing support and advice to approved EUI-IA projects throughout their implementation.
Expected change that is to be achieved by the project. Reflect the desired mid-term change in the local situation as direct consequence of the project implementation, the immediate advantage for beneficiaries or end users and the behavioural change. They shall be as realistic, specific, concrete and measurable as possible. Expected results should correspond to specific objectives.
f
Before submission to the Permanent Secretariat for payment, each Financial Claim must be verified and validated by an independent controller. This process is carried out by a qualified First Level Control, which is an independent company or person.
Specific categories of eligible costs which are clearly identified in advance are calculated by applying a percentage fixed ex-ante to one or several other categories of eligible costs. Flat rates involve approximations of costs and are defined based on fair, equitable and verifiable calculation methods, or they are established by specific regulations. It is one of the simplified cost options.
i
Indirect costs are costs that cannot be assigned in full to the project, as they link to various activities of the Project Partner organisation. As such costs cannot be connected directly to an individual activity, it is difficult to determine precisely the amount attributable to this activity (for instance, telephone, water, electricity expenses, etc.).
European Urban Initiative is an “Initiative”, as EU legislation provides that ERDF may support innovative actions “at the initiative of the European Commission”. The terminology is different from a “programme”, as the impulse exclusively comes from the Commission, and not Member States.
The various dimensions of urban life – spatial, environmental, economic, social and cultural – are interwoven and success in urban development can only be achieved through an integrated approach. For example, measures concerning physical urban renewal must be combined with measures promoting education, economic development, social inclusion and environmental protection. In addition, the development of strong Partnerships between local citizens, civil society, the local economy and the various levels of government is a pre-requisite.
Output of a project activity(ies) that remains in use by the project’s target group after the completion of the project. Productive investments, investments in infrastructure and fixed investments in equipment are among the types of activities to be supported by ERDF.
l
A person authorised to sign binding documents (e.g. Application Form, Subsidy Contract) on behalf of an organisation.
It is a single sum of money paid to the project upon completion of pre-defined terms of agreement on deliverables and/or outputs. Lump sums involve approximations of costs established based on fair, equitable and verifiable calculation methods. It is one of the simplified cost options.
m
The Main Urban Authority is the main entity responsible for the overall project implementation and management. It bears the entire financial and juridical responsibility vis-à-vis the Entrusted Entity.
n
The Nomenclature of territorial units for statistics, abbreviated as NUTS (from the French Nomenclature des Unités territoriales statistiques) has been created by Eurostat in order to provide a standard classification of the EU territory. It is a geographical nomenclature subdividing the territory of the EU into regions at three different levels.
o
Carried out by the Permanent Secretariat against the selection criteria defined in the Guidance. The main objective of the Operational Assessment is to assess the robustness of the proposal i.e.: is it justified, realistic, consistent and coherent, complete, ready to be managed effectively and implemented swiftly and if it demonstrates value for money.
Association and/or grouping of urban authorities with legal status of organised agglomeration having delegated competencies for policy-making and implementation to a politico-administrative body. Organised agglomeration shall be recognised by the national legislation as tier of government (i.e. Communautés d'Agglomération in France, Città Metropolitane in Italy, etc.).
Output is what has actually been produced as a result of the funding given to the project. It is a main product (in other words: end product) of the project. It directly contributes to the achievement of project result(s). It shall be realistic, specific, concrete and measurable. Each implementation Work Package should lead to the delivery of at least one output.
p
The Panel of External Experts is in charge of the Strategic Assessment of the admissible and eligible Application Form. Set up through Calls for Proposals, the Panel is composed of independent experts with in depth knowledge of the topic of relevance for each Call for Proposals; a good understanding of the urban dimension of EU policies; a proven track record in assessing applications of urban projects. The panel shall be geographically balanced and ensure that the territorial diversity of the EU's urban areas is taken into account.
Contract signed between all the Project Partners containing all duties and responsibilities of each Project Partner before, during and after the project implementation.
Composed by a team of experienced professionals, it serves as "one-stop-shop" for all urban authorities and stakeholders involved in the European Urban Initiative.
Urban Authorities (Main Urban Authority and, if relevant, Associated Urban Authorities), Delivery Partners and Transfer Partners involved in the project implementation and listed in the Partnership section of the approved Application Form.
r
A designated period of time during the project lifetime; activities carried out and expenditure incurred (unless simplified cost options apply) during a reporting period are presented in an Annual Progress Report.
A systematic approach in project management with the identification and assessment of risks and the planning and implementation of risk responses to control the risks.
s
The Second Level Control carries out checks to ensure that no mistakes are made in the accounting records at the level of individual projects and, on that basis, to obtain an overall picture of whether the management, control procedures and documents set up at EUI level are being applied and if they allow the prevention and correction of potential weaknesses and errors.
Set of criteria against for which Application Form are assessed in the framework of EUI-IA including Eligibility Check, Strategic Assessment and Operational Assessment.
Contrary to real costs, simplified cost options modify the concept of expenditure paid by Project Partner. They involve approximations of costs and are calculated according to a pre-defined method (e.g., established by the EUI-IA on the basis of a fair, equitable and verifiable calculation, or defined by the Fund specific regulations) based on outputs, results, or some other costs. In EUI-IA, the lump sums for project preparation, Initiation Phase and closure, and the flat rate for office and administration costs and travel and accommodation costs are simplified cost options.
Person, group or organisation that can affect, be affected by, or perceive itself to be affected by the project.
Any aid granted by a Member State or through State resources (national, regional or local) in any form whatsoever which distorts or threatens to distort competition by favouring certain undertakings or the production of certain goods, offering an advantage over competitors, in so far as it affects trade between Member States. Control of State aids reflects the need to maintain free and fair competition within the EU. =
Carried out by a panel of External Experts against the selection criteria defined in the Guidance, it is meant to assess the innovativeness and relevance, partnership and co-creation, measurability of results and impact, sustainability and scaling-up, as well as project’s transferability of the proposal.
Grant agreement between the Entrusted Entity and the Main Urban Authority, specifying the conditions upon which the Entrusted Entity transfers the subsidy for the Project implementation to the Main Urban Authority (on behalf of all Project Partners).
t
Areas where less than 50% of the population lives in rural grid cells and less than 50% of the population lives in urban centres. Definition provided by Eurostat (http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Glossary:Town_or_suburb).
u
Local administrative unit (LAU) defined according to the degree of urbanisation as city, town and suburb.
w
Building blocks of the Work Plan, they represent the main pillars of the project and are composed of related project activities required to deliver specific components of the project and produce project outputs.
Presents the “how” of the project. It’s a roadmap representing the guide for implementing the project if it gets funded. The Work Plan is a breakdown of the project into major steps called Work Packages, and Work Packages are broken down into smaller steps called activities. Activities lead to deliverables and each Work Package leads to one or more outputs.