Working with partner organisations

The Commission may delegate the implementation of an EU-funded project, including the award and management of contracts, to a partner (so-called ‘indirect management’).

This possibility is limited to partner organisations that fall within one the cases referred to in Article 62 of the Financial Regulation and have been subject to an ex ante assessment referred to in Article 157 of the Financial Regulation. The purpose of such assessment is to establish that the partner organisation’s systems, rules and procedures provide a level of protection of the financial interests of the EU that is equivalent to the one that is provided for when the Commission manages the project itself.

In this set-up, partner organisations are fully in charge of the implementation of the project on the ground. 

However, the Commission remains accountable to the European Parliament and to the Council for the proper use of the EU funds.

Contractual arrangements 

The Commission may decide to sign, with partner organisations, Financial Framework Partnership Agreements (‘FFPAs’) as a means to facilitate the achievement of the EU's objectives by stabilising the contractual terms of a long-term cooperation. 

FFPAs specify, among others, the forms of financial cooperation and the extent to which the Commission may rely on the systems and procedures of the relevant partner organisation.

The decision to open the negotiation for a new FFPA belongs to the Commission based on a prior assessment of the demonstrated interest of a partner organisation. 

The signature of a FFPA is not a pre-requisite for the conclusion of individual Contribution Agreements with the Commission.

Individual EU-funded projects to be implemented by partner organisations are subject to the conclusion of Contribution Agreements which contain, among others, the description and planning of the activities, the budget and the contractual provisions (including any specific arrangements concluded through FFPAs) applicable to the EU-funded project.

The Commission has elaborated different sets of templates depending on the nature of the EU contribution: non reimbursable support or financial instrument (e.g., equity, quasi-equity investments, loans or guarantees, loans, guarantees or other risk-sharing instruments). The Commission is also progressively rolling out the electronic management of Contribution Agreements via the EU Funding & Tender Portal, and thus, different templates are also available.