R.2.1 Right to complain and formal requirements

Lead applicants of projects that were not selected to receive Programme co-financing may dispute the result of the assessment of an application and the subsequent selection decision of the MC. They may object that the project assessment did not comply with the assessment criteria and/or the procedures laid down in the Programme Manual and in the specific documents of a call. They may also find that technical mistakes occurred resulting in an incomplete or wrong assessment. In such cases, lead applicants have the right to submit a complaint.

Lead partners of projects selected for funding may have complaints relating to project approval conditions. The MA/JS will deal with them during the project contracting process as described in the chapters on project types.

The lead applicant – as the legal representative of the project partnership – is entitled to submit a complaint. It will collect information and bring forward the complaint on behalf of all project partners.

The lead applicant has to submit the complaint via e-mail to the MA/JS of the Programme within one month after the notification on the funding decision of the respective call.

The lead applicant will specify the mistakes that – in its view – have occurred during the assessment of the project. This specification will include clear references to the Programme Manual and the specific call’s documents.

R.2.2 Handling of the complaint

The MA/JS confirms to the lead applicant receipt of the complaint. The MA/JS notifies the MC accordingly.

The MA/JS examines the complaint on the basis of the information submitted by the lead applicant. The MA/JS may request additional information from the lead applicant relating to the complaint. The MA/JS informs the MC chairperson about the result of the examination.

Based on the examination by the MA/JS the MC will decide if the complaint is justified and in line with its rules of procedure.

If the MC considers the complaint justified, it will send the case back to the MA/JS. The MA/JS has to review the project application and its assessment and to provide the MC with an updated assessment. Based on this the MC has to make a new decision.

The MA/JS will communicate the final decision on the complaint to the lead applicant.

The decision relating to a complaint will be final, binding to all parties and not subject to any further complaint proceedings within the Programme if the complaint is based on the same grounds.

The MA/JS will provide to the MC an overview of complaints examined and answered by the MA/JS.