Blog
Here our team discusses the arcane world of EU funding. Things you didn’t know you need to know. Be prepared.
5 tips to a successful EC audit
08.10.2025
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Alicja Grzegorzek
If you are a beneficiary of an EU-funded project, the possibility of undergoing an EC audit may have crossed your mind and even kept you awake at night. A significant percentage of beneficiaries will receive audit invitation letters and, unlike...
The Meaning of ‘Systemic or Recurrent Errors’ in HE Audits
07.10.2025
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Filip Fuła
If you are — or have previously been — a beneficiary of a Horizon Europe project and have been selected for a financial audit, you may have wondered what is the worst thing auditors can find in your research &...
SME status check and partnerships in EIC projects
30.07.2025
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Alicja Grzegorzek
The verification of SME status is one of the most important steps for a company to get its EIC grant secured – read more about this at https://getpolite.eu/verification-of-sme-status-in-the-eic-accelerator/ The number of employees and financial situation (turnover and balance sheet) are...
5 tips for a smooth negotiation of your Consortium Agreement
28.07.2025
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Alicja Grzegorzek
The moment the formal notification of approval of an EU-funded project arrives, Consortium members enjoy a well-deserved moment of euphoria. Then come the administrative and legal tasks related to preparing the project start, and they are suddenly overwhelmed. This is...
Lump Sum Funding in Horizon Europe: How Financial Flexibility Works
01.07.2025
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Martin Laprovitera
Lump Sum: A New Approach to Project Financials The lump sum model in Horizon Europe EIC projects offers a fundamental change in how project finances are managed. Rather than reimbursing actual costs, funding is based on fixed lump sums tied...
Amendments in lump sum projects
16.06.2025
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Khrystyna Vadaturska
You have been awarded a lump sum grant – lucky you, no need to report actual costs or keep detailed financial records. This means less paperwork and more time to focus on the technical implementation of the project. You planned...
Ownership Control Assessment (OCA) in Horizon Europe
16.04.2025
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Eva Nyirfa
As one prepares for the signature of a Horizon Europe Grant Agreement, multiple processes run in parallel. Before a grant applicant is cleared for funding, they must demonstrate meeting the eligibility conditions through these processes. The compliance with the different...
‘Dominant influence’ in SME status verification
15.04.2025
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Evangelia Tsiftsi
SME status verification For the participation in some specific Horizon Europe projects, it is necessary to prove that your company qualifies as a small and medium enterprise (SME) according to the definition established by EC Recommendation 2003/361/EC. Therefore, the SME...
Annotated Grant Agreement 2.0: what’s new in 2025?
01.04.2025
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Alicja Grzegorzek
As happened in 2023, this April 1st 2025 we again had the pleasure of welcoming a new version of the Annotated Grant Agreement (AGA) on April Fool’s Day. After six 1.X versions (and more than half of the Horizon Europe...
The importance of being an SME
13.02.2025
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Alicja Grzegorzek
If you are familiar with the universe of EU-funded projects, you may have found yourself wondering why the word “SME” – acronym for “small and medium enterprise(s)” – is so recurrent in guidelines and regulations from the European Commission. Why...