Project is co-financed by the

Project is co-financed by theEUROPEAN UNIONEuropean Regional Development Fund

Kick off meeting – Naples , 4th and 5th 2008O.P. URBACT II

Thematic Network

C.T.U.R. -city you are-

Cruise Traffic and Urban Regeneration

of city/port heritage

Project financial and administrative management

Gaetano Mollura – City of Naples Lead Partner Unità di progetto interdipartimentale Programma Urbact Reti Nazionali ed Internazionali

V direzione centrale Infrastrutture – Assessorato all’Urbanistica


main principles The Lead Partner is the sole administratively, legally and financially responsible party

towards the Managing Authority of the URBACT II Operational Programme concerning the due implementation of the project and compliance with obligations arising from the approval of the grant.

Each Project Partner is directly and exclusively responsible to the Lead Partner for the due implementation of its respective part of the project and for the proper fulfillment of its duties and obligations as set out in the Joint Convention agreement and its annexes.

Each Project Partner remains liable for the sound financial management of its own expenditure.

The official language of the partnership shall be English as for the URBACT II Operational Programme.

Any notice or publication by the project must specify that the project has received a subsidy from the ERDF funds, and that it has been funded in the framework of the URBACT II (the use of the EU logo shall be obligatory on all communication materials and tools produced within the framework of the project).


Legal framework at project level

Subsidy contract between MA and LP

Joint convention between LP and PP

Letters of commitment


Financial management

Management of the majority of expenditure by the Lead Partner (LP)

LP is responsible for the spending, accounting and certification of the majority of expenditure

While some specific expenditure (e.g. contribution in staff, travel and subsistence, costs for the URBACT LSGs) are managed, accounted and certified by the designated certifying bodies at Project Partners’ (PP) level


Financial management principlesThe LP acts as an administrative link between the project and the

programme:

realistic spending plans

ready to start project activities very quickly

deadlines for reporting and certification

strong management and control systems set up at LP and PPs’ level

When funds are incorrectly (or unduly) paid to a project, the Programme has to get them back from the project partner concerned

LP repays the irregularly paid amount to the Secretariat, LP recovers the amount from the PP responsible


Eligibility of expenditures

To be considered eligible, costs must:

be paid and borne from the project’s starting date to the closing date as indicated in the DOI/final application;

be directly linked to the subject matter of the project and be provided for therein;

be necessary for carrying out the project covered;

be reasonable and comply with the principles of sound financial management, in particular value for money and cost effectiveness;

have been paid, certified and declared by the Lead Partner during the project eligibility period;

have actually been incurred, be recorded in the beneficiary’s accounts or tax documents, and be identifiable and controllable.


Accounting & certification of the expenditure

Expenditure must be accounted by LP and PP in PRESAGE-CTE (with personal login and password)

The expenditure that has been validated by the LP can be certified by the certifying body of the PP in PRESAGE-CTE (with personal login and password)

Certifying body certifies the eligibility of the expenditure declared by the PP

The LP shall submit the certificates and statements of expenditure signed by the PPs’ and LP’s certifying bodies plus a global project’s payment claim (within 3 months after the end of each reporting period)

Claim deadlines: During development phase: a claim deadline within 21 January 2009 - During implementation phase: two claim deadlines per year + an extra claim round : 30 september,31 March and 31 November


Audit trail requirements

A clear and complete record of the original documentation (invoices or documents of equivalent value) proofing how funds have been spent at partner level

Obligation to keep all original documents until at least 31.12.2020

Availability of documents in case of audits (2nd level control, EC, etc.)


Project Audit trail It is a mandatory document to be submitted with the Final Application

It must be filled in and signed by each Partner

It contains basic information on:

Financial management system

Separation of functions at Partner level

Archive and storing of supporting documents


Reporting responsibilities and tasks The Lead Partner shall report to the URBACT Secretariat about progress of the whole

project, with particular reference to outputs and results.

Documents related to reporting:

Progress Report (Activity and Financial Sections)

Certificates of Expenditure

Payment Claim

Development phase: the project duration is a 6-month period running from 21st April to 21st October 2008

Implementation phase: the project duration is subdivided into 6-month periods running from

July to December

January to June


Reporting periods

For each period, one Progress Report (activity and financial sections) has to be submitted to the Secretariat - using the format available in the web-based monitoring and accounting system PRESAGE-CTE

The Progress Report has to be signed and sent to the Secretariat within 3 months after the end of the reporting period, i.e.

During development phase: within 21 January 2009

During implementation phase:

within the 30 September for the reporting period January to June

within the 31 March for the reporting period July to December


Reprogramming Major changes:

1. Changes in the budget (>20%)

2. Financial changes in the work plan (costs do not correspond to activities)

3. Changes in the partnership (co-financing/ERDF)

4. Others…

Reprogramming only once a year, normally in September

1. Changes on the Application Form/budget through PRESAGE-CTE

2. A new signed Application Form must be sent to the Managing Authority

3. Approval of the Monitoring Committee

4. Amendment of Subsidy Contracts (if it is the case)


Participation of Managing Authorities (MA) joining the project as associated partner

not contributing to the project budget, but can be refunded for travel and accomodation costs for project meetings according to a specific budget line dedicated to MA (40,000 Euro per network min.)

participation of MAs will be considered in the assessment of the final applications

all partners are recommended to establish a dialogue with their MA as soon as possible


Project Partners duties and obligations (1/2) to sign the documents related to the creation and implementation of the project such as

the Joint Convention, the letter of commitment and the audit trail

implement the part of the project for which it is responsible in due time according to the descriptions of individual components outlined in the application

commit to keeping separate accounts of transactions related to the project implementation including an agreed audit trail

notify the Lead Partner immediately of any event that could lead to a temporary or final discontinuation or any other change to the project

retain at all times for audit purposes all files, documents and data about the part of the project for which it is responsible at least until 31 December 2020

be responsible for their proportion of the budget up to the amount as to which the partner participates in the project


Project Partners duties and obligations (2/2) to provide the Lead Partner with the required information for the redaction of the

progress reports (activity and financial)

to account in PRESAGE-CTE the expenditure incurred by the partner’s institution in the framework of its participation to the project

to set up and implement the first level control (certification of the expenditure) and to submit the signed certificate and statement of expenditure to the Lead Partner within the fixed deadlines

to contribute to the implementation of the work programme and to the production of expected outputs in compliance with the calendar and methodological framework defined in the Final Application form;

to set up an URBACT Local Support Group, which shall contribute to the project activities and allow for an impact of these activities on local policies, especially through contributing to the production of the Local Action Plans;


Summary framework / development phase

• Managing authorities of Operational Programmes involved

• involvement of Managing Authorities of Operational Programmes

• 5 URBACT Local Support Groups (1 per partner city)

• setting up of URBACT Local Support Groups (ULSGs)

• animated CTUR mini-website located at URBACT website;

• dissemination plan

• communication and dissemination

• Final Application form + relevant documents from the partner cities;

• Joint convention signed by all network partners

• completion of final application

• 1 baseline study• completion of baseline study

• partnership organized in a thematic network• finalizing partnership

Related outputs Objectives


Final application – deadline 21 October 2008the Final application includes:

the Final Application Form signed and stamped (by the LP)

5 financial Excel sheets (from the core partners)

one signed letter of commitment for each partner included in the partnership

one signed audit trail for each partner

one signed letter of intent for each associated Managing Authority

the Joint Convention signed by all partners

the certificate of expenditures to be certified for the Development phase (only core partners)

the baseline study

Business

Project is co-financed by the