Commission to cut research funding red tape
The European Commission has set out its plans to simplify the procedures
for taking part in EU-funded research projects. The Commission hopes
that cutting red tape in this way will entice the very best researchers
to get involved in the framework programmes.
'I want researchers to spend more time in the lab and less time in
the office,' stated Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, the EU Commissioner for
Research, Innovation and Science. 'Our proposals aim to minimise
administrative burdens in Europe's research programmes. We need to get
the best researchers and most innovative companies taking part and we
need to enable them to concentrate on results, not red tape.'
The simplification strategy, outlined in a Communication from the
Commission, is split into three parts. The first part concerns changes
that can be made under the current legal and regulatory framework. For
example, better user support (in terms of easily understandable
documents, user-friendly IT (information technology) tools and optimised
business processes) reduces the time taken to award grants and make
payments.
The Commission has also committed to ensuring that rules are applied
consistently and that calls for proposals and deadlines are timed to
take into account major holiday periods. Finally, the Commission plans
to investigate the use of prizes, noting that these are administratively
simple to run and encourage other investors to spend money on research
to win the prize. The Commission will run a pilot action for prizes
under the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7).
The second strand of the simplification plan is devoted to more
radical changes to the current financial rules. Both the European
Parliament and Council must give the green light in order for these
changes to take place. Ideas put forward here include a wider use of
'average cost methodologies', which would free projects from accounting
separately for each small item of expenditure.
Recording personnel time for accounting purposes is cited as a
problem by many grant beneficiaries; the Commission suggests paying a
lump sum for personnel based on an agreement of the personnel costs
during grant negotiations. The Commission also proposes allowing
projects to use the same accounting methods for EU projects as they do
for national research schemes.
The third and final part of the Communication concerns changes which
could be implemented under future framework programmes. Here the
Commission plans to explore options which would work on a 'payment by
results' principle. 'The Court of Auditors itself has asked whether
instead of the current system of 'payment by input', we could move
towards 'payment by output',' explained Commissioner Geoghegan-Quinn.
'Agreed objectives would be set in return for funding. Payment of full
amounts would be linked to whether those objectives are achieved.'
Mrs Geoghegan-Quinn emphasised that simplification could be achieved
without compromising on financial control. 'I am a former member of the
Court of Auditors,' she pointed out. 'I can tell you that multiplying
different and overlapping procedures equals confusion. Clear and simple
rules, consistently applied, equal good financial control.'
For his part, EU Budget Commissioner Janusz Lewandowski said: 'The
review of the Financial regulation which the Commission will present
next month will underpin these ideas for simplifying research funding
with concrete legal proposals, helpful also in many other policy areas.
We need simpler rules to encourage potential beneficiaries of EU funds -
such as small and medium enterprises or NGOs [non-governmental
organisations] - to apply for them. Simplification means the EU budget
serving citizens and businesses better.'
The Commission has also released details of the newly-appointed
group of experts that has been tasked with reviewing all aspects of the
FP7. The 10-strong group, chaired by Rolf Annerberg of the Swedish
Council for Environment, Agricultural Science and Spatial Planning
(FORMAS), will probe all aspects of the FP7, including its impacts on
the European Research Area (ERA), the global position of Europe in
science, the efficacy of novel measures under the FP7, and the role of
research in efforts to tackle major societal challenges. The group's
findings will feed into the design of the Eighth Framework Programme
(FP8), which is scheduled to begin in 2014. The Commission is expected
to publish its proposals for the FP8 in late 2011 or early 2012.
Commission to cut red tape in research funding procedures - briefing
Source: Community R&D Information Service (CORDIS)