FantasticSearch

1. Unless otherwise provided in this Article grants shall not be awarded retroactively.

2. A grant may be awarded for an action which has already begun provided that the applicant can demonstrate the need for starting the action prior to signature of the grant agreement. In such cases, costs incurred prior to the date of submission of the grant application shall not be eligible, except:

(a) in duly justified exceptional cases as provided for in the basic act; or (b) in the event of extreme urgency for measures referred to in Article 198, first paragraph, point (a) or (b), whereby an early intervention by the Union would be of major importance. In the case referred to in the second subparagraph, point (b), the costs incurred by a beneficiary before the date of submission of the application shall be eligible for Union financing under the following conditions:

(a) the reasons for such derogation have been properly substantiated by the authorising officer responsible;

(b) the grant agreement explicitly sets the eligibility date earlier than the date for submission of applications. The authorising officer by delegation shall report on each of the cases referred to in this paragraph under the heading ‘Derogations from the principle of non-retroactivity pursuant to Article 196 of the Financial Regulation’ in the annual activity report referred to in Article 74(9).

3. Grants shall not be awarded retroactively for actions already completed.

4. In the case of operating grants, the grant agreement shall be signed within four months of the start of the beneficiary’s financial year. Costs incurred before the grant application was submitted or before the start of the beneficiary’s financial year shall not be eligible for financing. The first instalment shall be paid to the beneficiary within 30 calendar days of the signature of the grant agreement.