Project costs to claim after the H2020 project ends
So you are ready to successfully complete your project and get the last payment from the EC. But you still have work to do. After the project officially ends you have 60 days to bring together all of the project results and submit the final reports to the Commission. Check out what costs you can claim in this additional 60-day period after the project closing date.
The Grant Agreement contains detailed provisions about the eligibility of costs in Horizon 2020. One of the main provisions states that the cost must be incurred during the project duration. The ‘project duration’ is the period running from the start to the end date of the project as defined in the Grant Agreement. The general rule is that no costs are allowed after the project end date, even if you have not spent the entire budget.
Are there any exceptions to this rule?
Although normally only costs incurred during the project are eligible, there are some exceptions from this rule. In certain cases defined in the Grant Agreement, costs may also be eligible if they are incurred before or after project end.
One of these exceptions is costs of travel which are organized and paid in advance before the official start of the project (to learn more, check our post Can travel costs be incurred before Horizon 2020 project starts?)
And what about the costs incurred after the project ends?
You are allowed to claim for reimbursement of costs incurred after the project duration in the following special cases:
- Costs for reporting at end of project — these are costs related to drafting and submitting the reports for the last reporting period. As the company has 60 days after project end date to submit the final reports, you are allowed to declare costs of personnel necessary to prepare reports to the EC. However, these must be incurred ONLY in relation to completing the final reports and CANNOT include research or innovation activities undertaken after the end date of the project;
- Cost of certificates on the financial statements (CFS) prepared by an independent auditing company;
- Costs invoiced during the project duration but paid after project end (for instance because the due date of the invoice is after project end or you are waiting for the final payment from the EC);
- Costs of services or equipment supplied to a beneficiary may be invoiced and paid after the project end date if the services or equipment were necessary for implementing the project and used in the project period. The costs of services or equipment supplied after the end of the project are NOT eligible.
If you still have doubts about costs incurred after project end in H2020 projects we can help you. Contact us at hello@getpolite.eu