Don't forget … An important step towards simplification
{"Image DocumentName": "Don\u2019t forget \u2026 An important step towards simplification", "Image ImageDescription": "National authorities have 4 possible options for grants. No choice = use of \u2018real cost\u2019 principle. Choice to do => fully understand the three simplified cost options and their consequences. Never forget the purpose of these cost options that is to simplify the management of the Funds and via this simplification to reduce the error rate. It has been shown that a large proportion of the supporting documents inspected by controllers and auditors are needed to justify a minor part of expenditure. This means that a great deal of the human resources and administrative effort involved in the management of the structural funds is absorbed in accumulating and verifying documents, rather than focusing on the achievement of policy objectives. It is expected that the application of these provisions will lighten the administrative burden on beneficiaries and management bodies and will contribute both to a more efficient and correct use of funds. When defining their systems, or selecting one rule rather than another one the national authorities should keep that in mind. The simplified cost options are an occasion for all the stakeholders to reduce the administrative workload and the number of supporting documents required to justify the expenditure \u2013 even if there are still supporting documents required. It is a unique occasion to improve the efficiency of the management by concentrating human resources on the outputs and on the main expenditure related to operations. However as all the new concepts these options will have implications for the management and control of the structural funds : all actors involved will have to adapt their working methods and practices in order to achieve the positive effects of simplification without compromising the legality and regularity of expenditure. That\u2019s the reason why the national authorities fully understand how to implement the three cost options and their consequences.", "Image XResolution": "37", "Image YResolution": "37", "Image ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Centimeter", "Image Software": "SlidePlayer", "Image YCbCrPositioning": "Centered"}