Horizon 2020 FAQ

Financial questions resulting from the provisions of the Model Grant Agreement / Consortium Agreement in Horizon 2020
This FAQ is based on the information included in the AGA: Version 5.0, July 3, 2018.

Disclaimer: The answers are drafted by members of the COST Action BESTPRAC based on their understanding and experience as a help to colleagues, but they do not substitute official interpretations by the EC. For other questions please consult also the official FAQ of the European

Personnel costs
Other direct costs
Other financial issues

Personnel costs

fold faq How to calculate personnel costs in the following situation: A PostDoc researcher is employed part-time…
fold faq Personnel cost/ additional remuneration: how does it work?
fold faq Personnel cost: Can each beneficiary use the annual productive hours of the organization even though these can be less than that of the average set by the Commission?
fold faq Timesheets: What are the details that are to be requested by the EC in timesheets as regards the different activities a person may have?
fold faq Increase of person-months (PMs): To what extent can the PMs be increased for one partner (keeping the same activities) within the same estimated budget?
fold faq Increase of person-months (PMs): When the actual hours claimed on the tasks are performed by “cheaper” staff than anticipated in the budget and therefore more PM can be claimed without exceeding the initial budget
fold faq Increase of person-months (PMs): What should be considered “substantially deviation” from the Annex 1…
fold faq The AGA now states that basic remuneration of employees can be up to the beneficiary’s usual remuneration practice for national projects. Does this mean it can be higher than calculated based on the regular calculation methods?
fold faq What is the difference between project-based remuneration and non-project-based remuneration?
fold faq Personnel Costs Wizard. How does it work?
fold faq Timesheets: Is it necessary to show in timesheets 1720 productive hours…
Other direct costs

fold faq Depreciation of equipment
fold faq Equipment: Can the beneficiary’s own equipment be an eligible cost (depreciation and service costs)? How will this be claimed?
fold faq Eligibility of equipment maintenance costs: Is maintenance of scientific equipment which is not used exclusively for the action eligible (for e.g.: old equipment already bought before the project that needs small parts to be changed + calibration
fold faq Eligibility of equipment maintenance costs: If maintenance of scientific equipment is eligible shall it be charged as other goods and services or equipment costs?
fold faq Eligibility of computer costs: Are computers bought for hired staff considered as indirect costs (as in FP7 most of the time but subject to Project Officer interpretation) or are they eligible as direct costs?
fold faq Eligibility of travel costs in case of combination with personal travel and travels for other purposes: How to justify such travel costs and in what amount?
Other financial issues

fold faq Internal invoicing: Commission changed its position and has been responsive to the multiple concerns coming from the scientific community. How does it work now?
fold faq Full payment of allocated living/mobility/family allowances in Marie- Sklodowska-Curie Actions
fold faq MSCA IF: The unit costs are divided into two groups: researcher unit costs and institutional unit costs. Our researcher receives a MSCA IF grant and is going to the USA for two years…
fold faq MSCA IF: Our researcher receives a MSCA IF grant and is going to the USA for two years. Supporting documentation to prove the number of units declared and that the costs for the recruited researcher will be in USD…
fold faq Currency exchange rate: How is the currency exchange rate calculated at institutional level?
fold faq Currency exchange rate: If no daily euro exchange rate is published in the Official Journal of the EU, how to convert the project costs recorded?
fold faq Budget modification: Within what limits can the beneficiary modify the budget unilaterally and within which budget categories?
fold faq In-kind contribution: What is meant by in-kind contribution and when it can be accepted? What are examples of in-kind contribution that can be claimed?