EUROPEAN COMMISSION
Brussels, 12.4.2021
COM(2021) 180 final
ANNEX
to the
Proposal for a Council Decision
on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union in the Regional Steering Committee of the Transport Community as regards certain administrative and staff matters of the Transport Community
DRAFT
DECISION No 2021/
OF THE REGIONAL STEERING COMMITTEE OF THE TRANSPORT COMMUNITY
of …
on the adoption of rules on the reimbursement of expenses incurred by persons from outside the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community, who are invited to participate in meetings of the Transport Community
THE REGIONAL STEERING COMMITTEE OF THE TRANSPORT COMMUNITY,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the Transport Community, and in particular Article 35 thereof,
HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:
Sole Article
The rules on the reimbursement of expenses incurred by persons from outside the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community, who are invited to participate in meetings of the Transport Community, are set out in the Annex.
For the Regional Steering Committee
The Chairman
ANNEX
Rules on the reimbursement of expenses incurred by persons from outside the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community, who are invited to participate in meetings of the Transport Community
1.Scope
1.1.These rules apply to participants who are invited to the following meetings of the Transport Community:
(a)the Ministerial Council, the Regional Steering Committee, Technical Committees, the Social Forum;
(b)the Budget Committee;
(c)task Forces, Coordination Groups and other working bodies established by the decisions or conclusions of the Ministerial Council, the Regional Steering Committee;
(d)conferences, meetings, workshops and other fora, organised by the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community relating to the work program of the Transport Community;
(e)meetings of a different nature organised within the scope of Transport Community Treaty implementation (high level debates, workshops etc.);
(f)selection procedures for posts published by the Transport Community (selection panel members); or
(g)selection procedures for posts published by the Transport Community (applicants).
1.2.In principle, only one representative per beneficiary party (ministry, regulatory authority, agency, entity etc.) shall be eligible for reimbursement. The Director of the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community (the ‘Permanent Secretariat’) may depart from this rule, by a reasoned decision, in the event of joint meetings of several committees or working groups.
1.3.Only costs of travel and accommodation shall be reimbursed. No per diems shall be paid in addition to that.
2.Travel costs
2.1.All invited participants shall be entitled to the reimbursement of their travel expenses from the place specified in their invitation (work or home address) to the place of the meeting, by the most appropriate means of transport given the distance involved. In general, this shall be second-class rail travel for journeys of less than 400 km (one way, according to official distance by rail) and economy class air travel for distances of 400 km or more.
2.2.The Director of the Permanent Secretariat shall try to ensure that meetings are organised in such a way as to enable participants to benefit from the most economic travel rates.
2.3.Travel expenses shall only be reimbursed on presentation of original supporting documents.
2.4.When air or rail transport is not available or is not cost-effective, travel by bus or car shall be authorised.
2.5.The cost of travel by private vehicle shall be reimbursed at the rate of EUR 0.22 per km.
2.6.Taxi fares shall only be reimbursed if no local transport is available.
2.7.Travel costs shall be reimbursed up to EUR 700.
3.Accommodation
3.1.Invited participants who have to spend one or more nights at the place where the meeting is held because the meeting times are incompatible with the times of flights or trains shall be entitled to have the costs of accommodation, up to EUR 120 per night, reimbursed. The number of nights may not exceed the number of meeting days + 1.
3.2.An additional night may be exceptionally reimbursed, subject to the prior approval of the Director of the Permanent Secretariat, if prolonging the stay would enable the invited participant to obtain a reduction in the cost of transport worth more than the cost of the additional night.
3.3.Only accommodation costs shall be reimbursed. Any other expenditure related to the stay at the hotel shall not be reimbursed (internet, telephone, photocopying, minibar, non-included breakfast, etc.).
4.Purchase of tickets and accommodation
4.1.In principle, the invited participants as defined under Article 1.1, points (a) to (e) shall book their own tickets and accommodation. The bookings shall be made as early as possible so that the most economic fare/rate can be obtained. An advance payment of expenditure, including booking of travel and/or accommodation by the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community, shall remain limited to exceptional cases and is subject to the provisions of Article 6.
4.2.For participants as defined under Article 1.1, points (f) and (g), the travel and accommodation arrangements shall be made by the Permanent Secretariat.
5.Reimbursement Procedure
5.1.A travel reimbursement request shall be submitted in an electronic format to the Permanent Secretariat at the latest 15 calendar days after the date of the meeting in question.
5.2.The form in Appendix 1 shall be used. The request shall be supported by documents as evidence of the costs incurred, namely tickets (public transport tickets included) and invoices or, in the case of online bookings, the printout of the electronic reservation and boarding cards for the outward journey. The documents supplied must show the class of travel used, the time of travel and the amount paid. There shall be no reimbursement where a complete set of invoices is not provided.
5.3.Any related correspondence regarding the reimbursement matters shall be sent in writing to: finance@transport-community.org
5.4.Reimbursements shall be made via bank transfer only.
5.5.Reimbursement shall be made in Euro to the stated bank account of the institution or organisation nominating the meeting participant. The rate of exchange that applies on the date of the meeting shall apply.
5.6.Reimbursement may be made to a private bank account of the invited participant only upon written request by the institution or organisation nominating the participant.
5.7.The bank account details to be submitted shall contain the following: name of the beneficiary (account holder), address of the account holder, bank name, bank account number (IBAN), Swift Code (BIC).
6.Advanced payments of travel and accommodation expenses
6.1.The Director of the Permanent Secretariat may decide, based on a request submitted to him/her in writing from the nominating institution or organisation, whether an advanced payment of travel and accommodation costs for participants as defined under Article 1.1, points (a) to (e) is to be made.
6.2.The request for advanced payment shall be submitted in writing to the Permanent Secretariat, to the dedicated email address finance@transport-community.org, at least 21 calendar days before the date of the meeting. The form in Appendix 2 shall be used. The late submission of such a request may serve as a justification for rejecting the request.
6.3.Following the approval of a request, and in accordance with the draft agenda for the meeting, the Permanent Secretariat shall book the travel and accommodation for the participant in question. The Permanent Secretariat shall send to the invited participant via email the booking confirmations for the ticket and accommodation.
6.4.When applying for the advanced payment of travel expenditures, the participant commits to taking part in the meeting in question.
6.5.Where the invited participant is not in the position to participate in the meeting - for reasons, which are not directly attributable to the Transport Community - the nominating institution or organisation shall indemnify the Permanent Secretariat for the costs incurred in relation to the organisation of the trip (e.g. costs of tickets booked including cancellation fees, etc.).
7.Administrative and final provisions
7.1.The Director of the Permanent Secretariat shall be responsible for the proper implementation of these Rules.
7.2.The Permanent Secretariat shall retain, for a period of five years, the records, documents and evidence related to the reimbursement, including documents related to exceptional treatment.
7.3.These Rules shall be made public through the website of the Transport Community upon their adoption.
APPENDIX 1 – TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT REQUEST
1. MEETING DETAILS
Description of the meeting:
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Place:
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Date:
No. of days:
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2. PARTICIPANT
FAMILY NAME:
FIRST NAME:
INSTITUTION/ORGANISATION:
TITLE:
COUNTRY:
E-MAIL:
TEL:
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3. BANK DETAILS — please provide full IBAN and SWIFTIBIC code
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NAME AND ADDRESS OF ACCOUNT HOLDER (INSTITUTION): (please indicate the name of owner/beneficiary of the bank account in this field)
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BANK NAME
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Account Number
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SWIFT (BIC) Code
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IBAN
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4. ACCOMODATION
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From:
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To:
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DATES OF STAY
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Total number of hotel nights (max. rate of 120 €/night)
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Please attach a copy of the hotel receipt invoice
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5. TRAVEL EXPENSES
Airplane, train, long distance bus, local transport, etc.
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FROM
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TO
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CLASS
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AMOUNT
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CURRENCY
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In EUR
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Itinerary
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Continue on a separate sheet if required. Please attach a copy of the available receipts/invoices, including boarding passes for flights/train/bus tickets
CAR
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From:
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To:
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To: (Return)
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Proof of distance attached (copy of the route from Google Maps or
ViaMichelin.com or Rome2Rio.com, to be submitted in PDF or JPG format)
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KM both ways:
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Total EUR:
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TAXI (if local public transport was not available) – receipts required; additional justification necessary
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Amount
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Currency
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In EUR
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TOTAL AMOUNT CLAIMED in EURO:
Other Remarks:
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I certify that this travel claim is a true statement of travel expenses incurred by me. I have not been and will not be reimbursed for these expenses from any other source nor have I included any expenses paid or to be paid directly from another source.
Date: PARTICIPANT SIGNATURE:
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APPENDIX 2 - APPLICATION FOR ADVANCED PAYMENT OF TRAVEL EXPENDITURES
1.Traveller’s Details - please fill in ALL fields marked with {*}
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Last Name*:
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First Name*:
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Name of the organisation/ institution*:
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Function:
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Passport Number* (required for booking purposes):
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Contact Phone No.:
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E-mail:
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Title and Place of Meeting
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Dates of the Meeting:
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From:
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To:
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Travel Route:
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Departing from:
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Arriving to:
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2.Request for Booking – please tick relevant box
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TRAVEL ACCOMMODATION
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IMPORTANT NOTES FOR PARTICIPANTS:
•This form serves as a basis for the travel arrangements made by the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community on behalf of the traveler. It shall be approved in advance by the traveler’s direct superior and submitted in a scanned form to the Permanent Secretariat’s mailbox: finance@transport-community.org
•The traveler is solely responsible for the correctness of the submitted details and bears full responsibility for incomplete or erroneous data that might result in cancellation, impossibility to travel, change of booking details and/or additional related charges.
•All extra costs (use of mini-bar in the hotel, parking fees, additional nights etc.) shall not be reimbursed.
•The traveler is obliged to keep all boarding passes/travel tickets as proof of travel and upon return he/she is asked to send the scanned copies to the email specified above.
•The Permanent Secretariat shall make travel arrangements within the available travel and accommodation offers on the market that match the Reimbursement Rules limits and rates.
•The undersigned, confirms that he/she is aware of the refunding clause laid down in the applicable Transport Community Reimbursement Rules, in its Article. 6.5: Where the invited participant is not in the position to participate in the meeting - for reasons, which are not directly attributable to the Transport Community - the nominating institution or organisation shall indemnify the Permanent Secretariat for the costs incurred in relation to the organisation of the trip (e.g. costs of tickets booked including cancellation fees etc.).
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Requestor’s signature: _____________
Date: _______
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Head of nominating institution/organisation approval: ___________ Date: ______
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3.FOR TRANSPORT COMMUNITY PERMANENT SECRETARIAT INTERNAL USE
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Estimated Costs (in EUR)
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Budget Availability
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Flight Ticket / Train Ticket/ Car
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YES NO
Financial & Accounting Officer:
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Accommodation
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TOTAL cost estimation:
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DIRECTOR’S APPROVAL:
Approved Not Approved
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Budgetary Commitment No.:
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DRAFT
DECISION No 2021/
OF THE REGIONAL STEERING COMMITTEE OF THE TRANSPORT COMMUNITY
of …
on the adoption of rules on the reimbursement of staff of the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community for travel and relocation costs upon taking up duties and termination of service
THE REGIONAL STEERING COMMITTEE OF THE TRANSPORT COMMUNITY,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the Transport Community, and in particular Articles 30 and 35 thereof,
HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:
Sole Article
The rules on the reimbursement of staff of the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community for travel and relocation costs upon taking up duties and termination of service are set out in the Annex.
For the Regional Steering Committee
The Chairman
Annex
Rules on the reimbursement of staff of the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community for travel and relocation costs upon taking up duties and termination of service
1.Scope
1.1.These rules apply to:
(a)the reimbursement of travel costs of staff of the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community subject to the Staff Regulations of the Transport Community (the ‘staff’), their spouses, and dependent children between the ages of 2 and 18 years, actually living in their households, upon taking up duties and termination of service;
(b)the reimbursement of removal and storage cost of staff, upon taking up duties and termination of service;
(c)the payment of an installation allowance to staff upon taking up duties.
2.Travel expenses
2.1.Travel expenses shall be reimbursed upon:
(a)taking up duties: from the place of recruitment to the place of employment;
(b)termination of service, from the place of employment to the place of origin, provided that this involves a change in the main residence and is carried out within three years of the date of termination.
2.2.In general, the means of transport shall be second-class rail travel for journeys of less than 400 km (one way, according to official distance by rail) and economy class air travel for distances of 400 km or more.
2.3.The costs of excess baggage may be reimbursed up to 10 kg per each eligible traveller.
2.4.Travel expenses shall only be reimbursed on the presentation of original supporting documents.
2.5.When air or rail transport is not available or is not cost-effective, travel by bus or car shall be authorised.
2.6.The cost of travel by private vehicle shall be reimbursed at the rate of EUR 0.22 per km.
2.7.Taxi fares shall not be reimbursed.
3.Removal Expenses
3.1.Expenses incurred in respect of removal of furniture and personal effects including the cost of insurance against ordinary risks (notably breakages, theft, fire etc.) shall be reimbursed, subject to the prior authorisation of the Director of the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community upon:
(a)taking up duties, not more than one year after the end of the probationary period: for a removal from the place of habitual residence to the place of employment. The costs for a removal effected prior to the entry into service of a member of staff shall not be reimbursed;
(b)termination of service, for a removal from the place of employment to the place of origin, or to a place which is at the same or at a shorter distance.
3.2.The costs to be reimbursed shall be a lump sum removal allowance or the expenses actually incurred.
3.3.The expenses actually incurred, including the cost of storage for a maximum of 60 days and insurance against ordinary risks, shall be reimbursed within the following limits:
(a)8000 kg or 40 m3 for eligible members of staff accompanied to the duty station or joined there by at least one member of his/her family travelling at the expense of the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community;
(b)4000 kg or 30 m3 for eligible members of staff not accompanied by any member of his/her family travelling at the expense of the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community;
(c)the ceiling for the reimbursement of removal costs actually incurred shall be EUR 6 000.
3.4.Transportation shall be by land or sea or the most economical means as determined by the Director of the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community, taking into account costs related to packaging, crating, cartage, unpacking, uncrating and customs duties, if any.
3.5.Staff shall be required to submit for approval to the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community offers from at least three removal companies.
3.6.A lump sum removal allowance shall be 30 percent of the basic salary of the member of staff, with a maximum ceiling of EUR 1 500.
4.Installation allowance
4.1.Staff not accompanied by any member of his/her family, and travelling at the expense of the Permanent Secretariat, shall be entitled to an installation allowance upon appointment equal to the amount of one monthly salary.
4.2.Staff accompanied to the duty station or joined there by at least one member of his/her family, and travelling at the expense of the Permanent Secretariat, shall be entitled to an installation allowance upon appointment equal to the amount of two monthly salaries paid simultaneously by the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community.
5.Administrative and final provisions
5.1.Members of staff shall inform the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community if their travel and removal expenses and, when applicable, those of their family members, are partially or totally covered by a third party (e.g. Governmental authorities, inviting entity, spouse’s employer, other employer, etc.), in which case the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community shall reimburse or cover only the portion of the expenses not covered by the third party.
5.2.The Director of the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community shall be responsible for the proper implementation of these rules.
5.3.The Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community shall retain the records, documents and evidence related to the reimbursement of removal and travel expenses and the payment of installation allowances for a period of five years.
5.4.These rules shall apply from the day following that of their adoption by the Regional Steering Committee.
5.5.Staff who took up duties before the adoption of these rules, shall be entitled to the reimbursement of the travel and removal expenses and the payment of an installation allowance in line with these rules, upon presentation of supporting documentation on the actual cost incurred and up to the maximum ceilings defined.
5.6.Depending on the price developments, the Director of the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community may propose to the Regional Steering Committee to review the present rules.
5.7.The present rules shall be made public through the website of the Transport Community upon their adoption.
DRAFT
DECISION No 2021/
OF THE REGIONAL STEERING COMMITTEE OF THE TRANSPORT COMMUNITY
of …
on the adoption of rules on the contribution of the Transport Community to the health, unemployment, pension and disability insurance for staff of the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community
THE REGIONAL STEERING COMMITTEE OF THE TRANSPORT COMMUNITY,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the Transport Community, and in particular Articles 30 and 35 thereof,
HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:
Sole Article
The rules on the contribution of the Transport Community to the health, unemployment, pension and disability insurance for staff of the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community are set out in the Annex.
For the Regional Steering Committee
The Chairman
Annex
Rules on the contribution of the Transport Community to the health, unemployment, pension and disability insurance for staff of the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community
1.Scope
1.1.These rules apply to staff of the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community who are subject to the Staff Regulations of the Transport Community (the ‘staff’).
1.2.In accordance with Article 12(b) of the Staff Regulations of the Transport Community, these rules set out the contribution of the Transport Community to the health, unemployment, pension and disability insurance for the staff.
2.Health insurance
2.1.Staff are responsible for arranging an appropriate health insurance scheme as of the first day of appointment. Staff shall inform the Transport Community in writing of their health insurance scheme within one month after their date of appointment.
2.2.The contribution of the Transport Community to the health insurance of the staff shall be 7.8%, calculated on the average base salary paid by the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community during the preceding month.
3.Pension insurance
3.1.Staff are responsible for arranging an appropriate pension insurance scheme for themselves as of the first day of appointment. Staff shall inform the Transport Community in writing of their pension insurance scheme within one month after their date of appointment.
3.2.The contribution of the Transport Community to the pension insurance of a member of staff shall be 5 % of the base salary of that member of staff.
4.Disability and life insurance
4.1.The Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community shall insure staff in case of injury, accident, occupational illness, death or disability attributable to the performance of official duties.
5.Unemployment insurance
5.1.Staff are responsible for arranging an appropriate unemployment insurance at their own expense.
6.Final provisions
6.1.The Director of the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community shall be responsible for the proper implementation of these rules.
6.2.These rules shall apply from [the first day of the calendar month following their adoption].
6.3.Depending on the price developments, the Director of the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community may propose to the Regional Steering Committee to review the present rules.
6.4.The present rules shall be made public through the website of the Transport Community upon their adoption.