Glossary
partner declaration A Partner Declaration is a statement signed by each project partner confirming their awareness of programme rules and requirements, and that they are familiar with what they are committing to. It can also include a partner's confirmation of their financial contribution to the project budget. |
déclaration du partenaire |
partnership A partnership is an arrangement where parties, known as partners, agree to cooperate to advance their mutual interests. The partners in a partnership may be individuals, businesses, interest-based organizations, governments or combinations. They may work in a partnershiop to increase the likelihood of each achieving their mission, and to amplify their reach. |
partenariat |
partnership agreement The Partnership Agreement is a document prepared by a Member State with the involvement of partners in line with the multi-level governance approach, which sets out that Member State's strategy, priorities and arrangements for using ESI Funds in an effective and efficient way so as to pursue the EU strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. |
accord de partenariat |
payment of the final balance Payment of the final balance is the final payment made by the Commission to the Programmes. To receive a final payment from the Commission, the Member States must provide a final statement of expenditure and a final implementation report for each operational programme. |
paiement du solde final |
performance framework The performance framework is the basis which the European Commission will use to assess the performance of a programme. They use the framework as a tool for examining the performance of the programmes at the level of priorities against the milestones set for the end of 2018 and the end of the programming period. Where performance is unsatisfactory, the Commission may decide to issue a warning, propose reprogramming resources, or suspend funds. |
cadre de performance |
pilot activity Pilot activity is a practical measure implemented in the context of a territorial cooperation project that aims to test or pilot strategies and tools in the partner regions. |
activité pilote |
plausibility check A plausibility check is a standard verification by controllers to verify that a project-related expenditure is credible and probable. Plausibility checks are based on the professional judgement of the controller. |
contrôle de vraisemblance |
polluter pays principle "Polluter pays principle" (PPP) is one of the principles of the EU's environmental policy. The "polluter pays principle", which is mentioned in Article 191 § 3 of the TFEU (ex Article174, § 2, of the EC Treaty), means that the cost incurred in combating pollution and nuisances in the first instance falls to the polluter; i.e., the polluting industry. Given, however, that the polluting industry can pass the cost of the prevention or elimination of pollution on to the consumer, the principle amounts to saying that polluting production should bear the expenditure corresponding to the measures necessary to combat pollution (investment in apparatus and equipment for combating pollution, implementation of new processes, operating expenditure for anti-pollution plant, etc.), and the charges, the purpose of which is to encourage the polluter himself to take, as cheaply as possible, the necessary measures to reduce the pollution caused by him (incentive function) or to make him bear his share of the costs of collective purification measures (redistribution function). The European guidelines on State Aid for environmental protection are designed to ensure that aid granted for environmental purposes complies with the "polluter pays" principle. |
principe du pollueur-payeur |
potential beneficiary A potential beneficiary is an entity that is eligible (in type, geographic location, etc) to apply for and receive funds from a programme financed by ESI funds. |
bénéficiaire potentiel |
pre-financing payments Pre-financing payments are made between 2014 and 2016 once the Commission has approved an operational programme. Initial pre-financing is made in yearly instalments of 1 % of the funding amount for the operational programme over the entire programming period. From 2016 to 2023, an annual pre-financing of between 2 % and 3 % of the entire funding amount is paid. |
préfinancements |
preparation costs Preparation Costs are costs borne by project partners when carrying out activities directly linked to preparation of the project (e.g., development of the project idea, meetings with project partners/ programme bodies (Contact Points, JS), preparation of the application, etc.). |
coûts de préparation |
press release A press release is a written or recorded communication directed at members of the news media for the purpose of announcing something newsworthy. Typically, they are sent to editors and journalists at newspapers, magazines, radio stations, online media, television stations or television networks. |
communiqué de presse |
priority axis A priority axis is a priority of the strategy in the Cooperation programme. It contains operations which are related and have specific measurable goals. |
axe prioritaire |
private contribution Private contribution refers to the amount of funds secured by the partners from sources with a private legal status.The programme funds meet only a proportion of the project expenditure. The remainder has to be covered from other sources, which can be the partner's own resources or it can come from external sources, but not from another EU fund. |
contribution privée |
pro-rata allocation of costs Pro-rata allocation of costs means proportionate allocation of costs, revenue, shares, etc. to a project or project partner on the basis of a fair, equitable and verifiable calculation method. |
allocation au prorata des coûts |
procurement procedure Procurement procedure is a structured procedure designed to consult the market for the purchase of the goods and services. A procurement procedure leads to the conclusion of a public contract. The purpose of a procurement procedure is threefold: (1) to guarantee the widest possible participation of economic operators, (2) to ensure the transparency of operations, and (3) to obtain the desired quality of services, supplies and works at the best possible price. |
marché public |
professional judgement Professional judgement is the application of relevant training, knowledge and experience in making informed decisions; e.g., about the checks necessary for the first level control work. |
jugement professionnel |
programme area The Programme Area is a geographical area covered by a specific programme or, in the case of a programme covering more than one category of region, the geographical area corresponding to each separate category of region. |
zone géographique couverte par le programme |
programme co-financing Programme co-financing is the programme financial support provided to the project. Depending on the programme, this entails support from EU funds (ERDF, IPA II, ENI) and ERDF equivalent (e.g., Norwegian fund). |
co-financement |
programme language Programme language is the language used in all communication between the applicants/beneficiaries and the programme bodies. In some cases it could be more than one language. |
langue du programme |
programme output indicator A programme output indictaor is an indicator that describes the physical product of spending resources through policy interventions. |
indicateur de réalisation du programme |
programme priority (axis) A programme priority (axis) is an area of thematic intervention in the programme. |
priorité du programme (axe thématique) |
programme result The programme result is the change sought (in the reference situation) in view of the specific objective to be achieved. |
résultat du programme |
programming Programming refers to the administrative mechanism used to pursue the objectives of the European Structural and Investment Funds. Multi-annual programmes – known as operational programmes – ensure consistency and continuity over a seven-year period. Programmes relate to specific geographical areas at international, national or sub-national level, depending on the governance arrangements in place. Programme aims include identifying strategic priorities and indicative actions, outlining financial allocations, and summarising management and control systems. |
programmation |
progress report The Porgress Report is a document written to describe the findings of an assessment that takes place during the project by project partners, that conveys details such as what objectives have been achieved, what resources have been expended, what problems have been encountered, and whether or not the project is expected to be completed on time and within budget. |
rapport d'avancement |
project A project is a sequence of tasks needed to achieve fixed objectives with limited resources (budget and staff) and within a defined timeframe. |
projet |
project (main) output The project (main) output is the outcome of the activities funded, telling us what has actually been produced for the money given to the project. It can be captured by a programme output indicator, and directly contributes to the achievement of the project result. |
réalisation principale du projet |
project approval Project Approval is the letter lead partners of approved projects receive after the funding decision has been made, stating the decision of the Monitoring / Steering Committee, as well as the total ERDF fund approved. The programme might also recommend certain project modifications to optimise the project delivery. |
approbation du projet |
project assessment Project Assessment is a part of the project selection process. It implies in-depth quality assessment of the project application. |
instruction du projet |
project closure Project closure is the last phase in the project implementation process. The focus is on the completion of all work packages and delivery of project results. If the work plan has been successfully completed within budget the project can be closed – once it has completed the final financial control. The financial aspects of the closure process involve making sure that all costs have been appropriately charged to the project, that a proper audit trail exists, and that all post revenue incomes have been accounted for. The project closure also refers to putting the relevant arrangements in place regarding post-project obligations towards such legal aspects as ownership and changes thereof, cessation of activities, reallocation of outputs, and Intellectual Property Rights of project outputs and results and free of charge access to them. |
clôture du projet |
project evaluation Project Evaluation is the process of determining the merit or worth or value of something; or the product of that process. The special features of evaluation include a characteristic concern with cost, comparisons, needs, ethics, and its own political, ethical and cost dimensions; and with the supporting and making of sound value judgements, rather than hypothesis-testing. Evaluation of the project happens during and/or after its implementation and aims at obtaining an impartial judgement on project's achievements (scope and quality of outputs and results) and impact. |
instruction du projet |
project implementation phase The project implementation phase starts after project approval, and is the period when project partners perform the activities which were presented in the application form and approved by the programme. |
phase de mise en oeuvre du projet |
project management Project management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet the project requirements (objectives, resources, time). |
gestion du projet |
project modification Project modifictaion is a change in the agreed-upon project scope as defined by the approved application form. |
modification du projet |
project overall objective The project overall objective provides the general context for what the project is trying to achieve, and aligns with the programme priority specific objective. It relates to the strategic aspects of the project. (HIT) |
objectif (global) du projet |
project partner A project partner is a partner organisation involved in the project implementation. |
partenaire de projet |
project partner role The project partner role defines the nuture of the project partner's function in the project, and depends on partners' responsibilities or location. |
rôle du partenaire du projet |
project partner type Project partner type refers to the classification of project partners according to their main purpose, not taking into account their legal status (which could be either public or private). |
type de partenaire du projet |
project partnership agreement The Project Partnership Agreement is the contract signed between the Lead Partner and all Project Partners. It contains all duties and responsibilities of each project partner before, during and after the project implementation. |
convention partenariale du projet |
project preparation phase The project preparation phase is the period when project partners develop the project proposal and prepare the application form. |
phase de préparation du projet |
project result The project result is the immediate advantage of carrying out the project, telling us about the benefit of using the project main outputs. It should indicate the change the project is aiming for. (HIT) |
résultat du projet |
project specific objective The project specific objective is a concrete statement describing what the project is trying to achieve. It refers to the project main outputs. It can be evaluated at the conclusion of a project, to see whether it was achieved or not. |
objectif spécifique du projet |
proof of payment Proof of Payment referes to a document that shows the actual defrayal of expenditure; e.g., bank account statement, bank transfer confirmation, cash receipt, etc. (HIT) |
preuve de paiement |
proportionality Proportionality regulates how the European Union exercises its powers. The proportionality principle means that, to achieve its aims, the EU will only take the action it needs to and no more. The principle is enshrined in the Treaty on European Union under Article 5, which states: ‘the content and form of Union action shall not exceed what is necessary to achieve the objectives of the Treaties’. |
proportionnalité |
public contribution Public contribution refers to the amount secured by the partners from sources having a public legal status.The programme funds meet only a proportion of the project expenditure. The remainder has to be covered from other sources, which can be the partner's own resources or it can come from external sources, but not from another EU fund. |
contrepartie publique |
public expenditure Public expenditure refers to any public contribution to the financing of operations the source of which is the budget of national, regional or local public authorities, the budget of the Union related to the ESI Funds, the budget of public law bodies or the budget of associations of public authorities or of public law bodies and, for the purpose of determining the co-financing rate for ESF programmes or priorities, may include any financial resources collectively contributed by employers and workers. |
dépenses publiques |
public private partnership Public private partnerships' (PPPs) are forms of cooperation between public bodies and the private sector. Their aim is to improve the delivery of investments in infrastructure projects or other types of operations, delivering public services through risk sharing, pooling of private sector expertise or additional sources of capital. |
partenariat public-privé |
publicity Publicity refers to information, documents, materials and/or other products prepared by a programme/project for the public, using one or several communication channels/instruments. For example, publishing a report, document or publication on a programme website. |
publicité |