Implementation of COST actions - Specific Grant under Framework Partnership Agreement

The European Commission funds almost the entire programme under a Framework Partnership Agreement (FPA) with underlying Specific Grant Agreements (SGAs). In the FPA and the SGAs the beneficiary COST Association commits to a mandatory conditionality to spend at least 50% of the budget at the benefit of researchers from Widening countries and to run 80% of the activities with a significant widening dimension. This specific grant agreement covers the expenditures for a duration of two years. The primary purpose of this grant is the implementation of the COST networking actions. Other services may be implemented as far as complementary and appropriate. The personnel costs operations incurred by the COST Association as the implementing structure are eligible as direct cost up to a maximum of 14,7 million Euro as far as they are necessary for the implementation of the COST networking actions and related other support activities. For the same purpose cost for other goods and services and subcontracting are eligible up to a cumulated maximum of 2,3 million Euro. COST networking actions will be implemented by third party grant holders using financial support to third parties.

The beneficiary may provide financial support to third parties in the form of grants. The maximum amount to be granted to each third party must be necessary to meet the objectives of the SGA and will be fixed in the grant agreement in line with the COST Vademecum. It will be used for the implementation of networking tools defined in a closed list that is fixed in the description of the action.

The COST Association will organise competitive open calls and an independent evaluation and selection procedure according to its own rules in agreement with the European Commission. At proposal stage at least 50% of the participants must be located in Widening countries.

This grant will be awarded without a call for proposals according to Article 195(e) of the Financial Regulation and Article 24(3)(b) of the Horizon Europe Regulation