Value for money. Accessible funds. Simplicity. Results.

The call for more straightforward and effective regulations and policies has accompanied the 2014-20 Programmes from the outset. Incessant pressures from sluggish economic growth, high unemployment rates, a larger EU, high error rates and much more have led European leaders to stop the buck and truly focus on what matters most – results that make the difference in people’s lives.

In the 2014-20 period, the role of Simplified Cost Options is being taken to a higher level, where the European Parliament and the European Court of Auditors are considering them as highly effective solutions to excessive paperwork, delays in decision-making, complex monitoring and verification of processes. But they still come with strings attached.

Shifting to SCOs creates a culture shock that shakes systems into more flexibility and less rigidity. It redefines the roles of all stakeholders in the field, who need to be trained well to trust the new systems and apply them correctly.

This course explains all the simplified cost options available, with practical examples which clearly define the differences between SCOs and the classical view of real-cost reimbursement. We explore the pros and cons of each option and discuss how they truly contribute towards better results from our operational programmes.