How do I calculate the hourly rate for salaries?
First, it’s up to you (the beneficiary) to work out the hourly rate with the tables in the cost catalogue. Here’s how you do it: take the employee's full-time salary (also called FTE salary) from their payslip for the first full calendar month they work on the project.
Make sure you only include the basic gross salary. If there’s a fixed allowance (like a position allowance) and it’s confirmed in official documents (such as a contract or salary scale), that’s always part of the pay.
However, don’t include any extras, like bonuses, overtime, or payments that are taxed differently than regular salary - these are not eligible. Only the salary parts taxed as a normal salary can be used.
Once you’ve calculated the hourly rate - with the help of the cost catalogue - declare it and multiply it by the hours worked on the project when you make your report. Don’t forget to include the payslip you used for this calculation with your very first report! We’ll double-check the details you provide and get back to you if needed (i.e., more information is needed or we think you made a mistake in the calculation).
The hourly rate, once determined, applies for the entire period of the project.
How many hours of staff costs can I claim per year?
If an employee works full-time, you can claim up to 1,720 hours per calendar year for that person. If someone works part-time or is only involved in the project for part of the year, the maximum number of hours is lower. For example, with a 50% contract, you can claim up to 860 hours per year (50% of 1,720). If someone only works from September to December, you can claim up to 4/12 of their annual maximum. Both rules apply together when someone works part-time and is only involved in the project for a few months.
This maximum number of hours applies to each individual, not to each project. If someone works on several EU-funded projects, you must add all the hours together. The total must not exceed the annual maximum per person.
It is possible to claim more hours in busy months and fewer hours in quieter months. This is permitted as long as you do not claim more than the maximum annual quota of hours.
Please note: If an employee changes their working hours during the year, you must inform their project manager at Interreg Maas-Rhein. This is important as it will affect the annual maximum number of hours.
If a project ends up claiming too many hours, the excess hours are deducted from the programme. This can also happen after the programme has already approved the hours, or even paid them out.
Which payslip should I use to calculate the hourly rate if an employee joins the project mid-month?
If someone starts working on your project partway through a month, don’t use that month’s payslip. Instead, wait until you have a payslip for the first full calendar month they actually work on the project. Use the gross salary from that complete month to set their hourly rate.
In summary:
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Skip the payslip for the half month.
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Use the payslip from the first full month they work on the project.
This hourly rate, once determined, applies for the entire period the employee works on the project.
Can I include salary costs for people who do not work for any of the project partners in the project reports?
The general rule at the programme level is that staff costs can only be claimed for persons directly employed by the project partner. An hourly rate is determined based on the pay slip, which serves as the basis for calculating the eligible costs under the project.
The only exception to this general rule is seconded staff. The salary costs for staff seconded by a third party to a beneficiary to carry out project activities are eligible in the same way as the salary costs of regular staff, provided that the project partner covers the salary costs itself on a non-profit basis.
This means that the salary cost of personnel seconded by a third party to a partner organisation to implement project activities is eligible, provided the partner pays the third party solely the actual salary costs incurred, without any profit margin. The project partner must therefore restrict any compensation to the real costs borne by the original employer.
The secondment must therefore be substantiated by:
- A secondment contract
- including the name of the seconded individual;
- clearly outlining the tasks assigned to the employee (including start and end dates), and these tasks must reasonably cover the activities of the Interreg project;
- and the financial compensation by the project partner to the legal employer (amount per
hour).
- The pay slip issued by the third party
The hourly rate calculation method outlined in the cost catalogue must be applied when determining the cost claimed for seconded staff. This implies that the hourly rate is derived from the pay slip issued by the original employer of the seconded individual. In each reporting period, the project partner must report:
- corresponding timesheets
- invoices paid to the legal employer.
The secondment must be genuine and comply with all relevant legal requirements. Any cost claimed for a person who is not directly employed and not seconded under a valid legal arrangement must be reported under external expertise and services.
In Summary:
The salary cost of staff seconded by a third party to a partner organisation to carry out project activities is eligible and should be calculated using the same method as that applied to regular staff, provided the partner can demonstrate the secondment is made on a non-profit basis. Project partners can by no means use secondment to circumvent public procurement provisions.
