Horizon 2020 — transferring indirect costs to direct costs

20.7.2015

Question for written answer E-011641-15
to the Commission
Rule 130
Christian Ehler (PPE)

Under H2020, a new scheme to transfer indirect to direct costs was introduced. How often is this scheme being used and what has its impact on the programme been? In this context, how does the Commission ensure that participants adhere to the co-financing principle enshrined in the Financial Regulation, given that they can claim 125% of their direct costs after having transferred parts of their indirect costs to their direct costs? When answering, please provide concrete information on the following:

• — Participants eligible to apply the guidelines on transferring indirect cost items to direct costs
• — General eligibility criteria
• — Number of participants who have used these practices and to what extent
• — Cases of participants with large infrastructures who applied for certification under this scheme and were not granted certification (if so, what prevented certification?)
• — Number of universities that have been certified for this scheme and the extent to which they have made use of the practice (total costs transferred)
• — Number of companies certified for this scheme and the extent to which they have made use of the practice (total costs transferred)
• — Number of Research and Technology Organisations (RTOs) certified for this scheme and the extent to which they have made use of the practice (total costs transferred).