Increasing the scope of standard scales of unit costs and lump sums is essential for reducing administrative burdens and simplifying the use of the European Social Fund (ESF).

Taking into account the disparities in cost levels of operations, the definition and amounts of unit costs and lump sums may differ across Member States. To account for Member State differences, the unit costs and lump sums for reimbursement to Member States are set on the basis of commonly agreed calculation methods and on the data submitted by Member States (or published by Eurostat).

Relying on the methods submitted by Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, France, Ireland, Malta, Slovakia, Spain and the United Kingdom, the conditions for reimbursement of expenditures in ESF by the Commission to Member States based on unit costs & lumps sums have been amended by the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/1127, published on 28 May 2018. This Regulation amended the Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/2195 on supplementing Regulation (EU) No 1304/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the ESF.

To ensure simplification of projects, programmes & control systems, join us in Paris from 26-27 November for a 2-day EU-funds Simplification Training.