Glossaire

Since 1994, the Cohesion Fund has been used to provide support for the poorer regions of Europe and stabilise their economies with a view to promoting growth, employment and sustainable development. The Fund contributes to financing environmental measures and trans-European transport networks - particularly high-priority projects of European interest - in the 13 Member States that have joined the EU since 2004, as well as in Greece and Portugal. The Cohesion Fund may also be used to finance the priorities of the EU's environmental protection policy. Member States with a Gross National Income (GNI) per inhabitant below 90 % of the EU average are eligible for funding from the Cohesion Fund. The ceiling for the Cohesion Fund's contribution to public expenditure in the Member States is set at 85 %. The budget for the Cohesion Fund is worth around EUR 75 billion (2014 prices) for the period 2014-2020.

European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) finance cohesion policy for the period 2014-20. The ESIF consist of five different funds, which are all covered by Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council, the so-called ‘Common Provisions Regulation’. The Structural Funds have two components: the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), providing financial support since 1975 for the development and structural adjustment of regional economies, economic change, enhanced competitiveness as well as territorial cooperation throughout the EU; and the European Social Fund (ESF), set up in 1958 and seeking to contribute to the adaptability of workers and enterprises, access to employment and participation in the labour market, social inclusion of disadvantaged people, combating all forms of discrimination, and creating partnerships to manage reforms in employment. The other three funds constituting the ESIF are the Cohesion Fund, which supports exclusively less-developed Member States; the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development; and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund.

An application form is a binding document which describes the project (objectives, results, outputs, partnership) and gives detailed information on the work plan and financial figures. The appplication form has to be submitted during the selection process and is assessed by the programme bodies, in order to select the projects to be funded by the programme. Once the project is approved, the application form becomes the reference document for the whole implementation of the project until its closure. The content of it may change to a certain extent during the implementation, but only according to the programme's project modifications rules and procedures. (HIT)

Travel and Accommodation is the budget line that covers travel costs, accommodation costs, costs of meals, visa costs, and/or daily allowances. It applies only to staff of the partner organisation and relates to delivery of the project.