Commission Implementing Decision of 22 November 2013 on setting up the European Social Survey as a European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ESS ERIC) (2013/700/EU)

Article 17 Budget

1. The Director shall prepare and submit to FINCOM for approval a draft core budget and a business plan for each Biennial Period covering income and costs of the ESS ERIC on an annual basis (the ‘Budget’).

2. The Budget shall cover the following main costs, expenses and income:

(a) central design, coordination, quality control and dissemination by the Headquarters and the CST institutions;

(b) the secretariat of the ESS ERIC (including the operation of the General Assembly and all other committees and bodies of the ERIC when necessary); and

(c) monies received from Members and/or third parties or others by way of grants or other payments.

And so that, for the avoidance of doubt, each Member in the European Social Survey will cover its own costs of fieldwork and national coordination and such costs shall not form part of the Budget.

3. Each Budget shall also include such matters as are approved by the General Assembly when necessary on the advice of FINCOM in Standing Orders.

4. Once FINCOM approves each Budget then it shall submit it to the General Assembly for approval. In the event that FINCOM does not approve such Budget then they shall convey their reasons to the General Assembly which shall then make the final decision about its adoption.

5. Once the Budget is approved then the Members (or a paying agent on behalf of a Member) shall make annual contributions as shown in the Budget on the terms of Standing Orders when necessary calculated as follows:

(a) firstly a base contribution by each Member of such amount as may be approved by the General Assembly when necessary;

(b) secondly a contribution by the Host Country of an amount agreed when necessary; and

(c) thirdly a contribution from each Member of the balance required calculated according to their relative GDPs. If such calculation results in some (but not all) Members paying a further amount of equal to or less than the base amount referred to in Article 17(5)(a) then each such Member shall not be required to make any further contribution and the shortfall thereby caused shall be divided on a relative GDP basis amongst those Members required to contribute under this Subarticle.

Contributions in kind by Members shall only be acceptable after approval by the Chair of the General Assembly having received advice from FINCOM.