The consultation concerns the limit applicable to catering expenses (meals) at events organised by projects. These costs must be distinguished from the daily allowance limits set out in regional regulations for staff of beneficiary entities travelling within the framework of the project.

Costs vary significantly depending on the country and type of event, with particular complexity in Africa, making it difficult to establish a fixed limit.

Therefore, no specific limits apply. Reasonableness and adequate justification should be the main criteria, allowing for some flexibility depending on the specific circumstances of each event and its location.

It is important that Regional Controllers can request additional information from partners to demonstrate/verify that the expenditure per person is the best option in terms of value for money.

The visa costs referred to in Article 41 of the Interreg Regulation (Reg. EU 2021/1059 of 24 June) may include all expenses necessary for obtaining the visa.

The African partner must submit to the lead partner, before leaving on a working mission, a justified request with an indicative financial estimate of the expenses incurred in the visa process.

The lead partner shall be responsible for these expenses if the estimate is approved and shall cover the travel and accommodation expenses essential for the African partner to obtain the visa.

It must be duly verified and justified that there is no other more economical method of obtaining the visa (e.g. if it could be processed or received by email), ‘economical’ being understood to mean a reasonable cost/benefit ratio. In this regard, the justification for the most economical option shall refer to all expenses that may be incurred, i.e. travel, accommodation and any other expenses that may be incurred during the stay.

In this case, the following will be accepted as proof:

• The request made to the Main Partner with the respective approval, which must demonstrate that accommodation is cheaper than a new return trip to collect the visa.
• Document from the consulate proving the date of arrival and the time required to collect the visa.
• Invoices and proof of payment for travel and accommodation.

Medical insurance costs shall be considered eligible together with visa costs, provided that they are proven to be compulsory, including, where applicable, a duration longer than the duration of the trip if required by the visa-issuing authority.

The applicable regulations determine the ineligibility of equipment using fossil fuels (with the exceptions set out in Article 7(h)(iii) of Regulation 2021/1058: “for vehicles, aircraft and ships designed, constructed or adapted for use by civil protection and firefighting services”).

As indicated in Sheet 1: Personnel costs, only hours actually worked on the project are eligible, both for in-house staff and for staff hired on an exclusive basis. Therefore, hours of sick leave, leave, holidays, etc. should not be declared.

In the context of international travel, the cost of vaccines, whether mandatory or recommended, will be considered eligible under the project as they are indispensable/necessary for the health of the respective beneficiaries/experts travelling to those countries. This will depend on the type of project:

- Strategic projects: these may be declared as actual costs under the following headings:

• • ‘Travel and accommodation expenses’ for the vaccination costs of the European partner organisations' own staff,
  • ‘External services and consultancy expenses’ for the vaccination costs of partners from third countries/experts/associates, etc.

- Other projects: vaccination costs may be declared at actual cost only for partners from third countries/experts/associates under the heading ‘External services and consultancy costs’. Please note that travel and accommodation expenses for staff of European partner organisations are automatically calculated as 15% of the declared personnel costs and do not need to be justified with supporting documents.

Other expenses that are not strictly necessary will not be considered a real cost within the framework of the project.

The Interreg MAC Programme does not fund scholarships or non-working internships. Only the costs of staff with an employment or commercial contract with the beneficiary organisation carrying out activities within the framework of the project are eligible as unit staff costs.