4.8 Project Closure

This chapter covers relevant topics for the final reporting, project closure, as well as obligations beyond the project lifetime.

4.8.1 Final Reporting

Main Projects

The last project report is considered the final report, and for this reason, the structure of the final report is similar to a regular project report in Jems. This includes the sections for reporting on output and result indicators (see guidance here), as well as Horizontal Principles (see instructions here).

However, projects should be aware that specific parts of the project report are reserved for the final report only.

Project Outcomes tab

Three elements of the Project Outcomes tab in the Jems project report are reserved for the final report:

Project Story
In this section, projects are asked to describe the project's final achievements in a Project Story format. The Project Story should be interesting and understandable for non-specialists as it will be automatically published on Interreg’s knowledge base http://www.keep.eu.
Jems provides some guiding questions for developing your story.

You can find instructions to complete this section here.
Project’s relevant mentions and prizes
In this section, projects are asked to list any relevant mentions and prizes that their project achieved. Information inserted in this field will be automatically published on Interreg’s knowledge base http://www.keep.eu.

You can find instructions to complete this section here.
Typology of Project Impacts checklist
This checklist aims to capture and categorise project impacts, both tangible and intangible.
It is based on a typology of typical NPA project outcomes developed in the 2007-2013 period, which allows a comparison of project impacts over several programme periods.

In addition, the Interreg NPA will use the information to promote project results, both in the programme area, as well as in a wider European context.

You can find instructions to create and complete this checklist here.

Final Claim

When it comes to the last claim, projects should be particularly aware of the final eligibility date outlined in their Grant Letter. By this date, all project activities including closure activities must be finished and all project expenditure must be paid.

This means that activities need to be finalised in good time in order for partners to have the costs booked, paid and included in their final partner reports. It also means that there will be no extra funding for the reporting after the project end date. For this reason, it is recommended to prepare the final report as much as possible during the project duration.

Potential controller invoices for the last reporting period need to be booked and paid before the final eligibility (project end) date. Arrangements need to be in place for the controllers to invoice the agreed amounts in good time for the cost to be included in the final partner reports.

Small-scale projects

Small-scale projects report only once in their lifetime, at the end of the project.

Instructions for small-scale project final reporting can be found in chapter 4.4.2. Small-scale project reporting.

4.8.2 Final communication activities

This chapter reminds of the final provisions and recommendations to meet EU and programme publicity requirements, as well as securing that the project legacy endures and keeps growing.

Meet the mandatory requirements

All project partners must make sure that the publicity rules set by the EU Regulations as outlined in Chapter 4.6.1, and by the programme, as outlined in Chapter 4.6.2, are met. These are mandatory and if not followed the project may incur cut funds even after years the project ends.

In addition to the EU visibility regulations, the Grant Letter outlines specific responsibilities regarding GDPR compliance and copyright. These are outlined in Chapter 4.6.3. Failure to meet these requirements will be the responsibility of the individual partner and the Lead Partner. Therefore, the last period in the project is the final opportunity to verify that there are no outstanding copyright issues within any project materials, both online and offline. It is also the final opportunity to confirm that all individuals featured in project images have provided their consent in accordance with GDPR regulations. The documentation of consent must be retained by the Lead Partner or partner responsible for producing the material.

A shared effort

Projects should make sure to involve all partners also in this phase of the project, as each organisation is in the best position to promote the project achievements within their own network and country.

Tips for securing project legacy and for a long-term effect

Interreg NPA supports projects that are the beginning of something meaningful. Their value continues beyond the project’s end date, through impact and long-term use.

The information that a project provides in the project reports - including outputs, project story, indicators, testimonials, and typology - forms the foundation for promoting a project’s legacy. It is making use of this knowledge in the project communication that helps project results reach the right organisations, be taken up by relevant stakeholders, and be used, reused, and adapted as intended after its closure.

Follow these practical tips to ensure that a project remains visible and relevant after its completion.

1. Prepare your website for long-term use

The programme secures that the project’s mini-websites will be available for a period of 10 years, for this reason it is important to review the copy and content published to make project legacy available to interested users and visitors.

Tips to improve a project mini website:

Think like a visitor or end-user: What would they want to know?
Update the website copy to show that the project is finished.
Write a closing news item that highlights your key successes and the tools used to achieve them. Guide readers through your website and help them find the resources they can use to follow your example.
Tell the project story in a positive way. Highlight the project’s achievements and positive change. Connect it to the outputs and how they can be useful to different types of users, and bring benefits to different end-users. Make use of the facts and figures such as your project indicators.
Create a final media product as required by the programme. This could be a video, infographic, or digital publication showcasing in a simple and clear manner the project story and achievements.
Prepare factsheets in local languages to help users find what they need.
Make use of Umbraco (mini-website content management system) different content blocks – especially in the page “Outputs & Results”.
Consult with the Programme Communication manager if it is necessary to change the mini-website structure.
Avoid creating external websites, but if necessary make sure they meet the visibility requirements and are clearly linked on the project mini-website.

2. Tidy up your project outputs

Project outputs and resources are valuable and should be easily available to interested organisations to be used, reused and adapted.

Navigating across a variety of documents can be tiring and confusing for new visitors. Therefore, it makes sense to package the project’s tools in a meaningful way. There is not only one approach. Each project can decide to organise their materials according to the criteria that works best for their ambition, e.g. by expected impact, by target audience, or by empathising stories.

Here are some tips:

Use storytelling elements to organise and present your outputs.
Be creative, make impactful visuals. Consider using videos, infographics, quotes and testimonials.
Package the materials in a way that encourages reuse and adaptation.
Consult with your partners about what should be translated.
Make use of Umbraco’s (mini-website content management system) different content blocks to showcase each product/story/fact with more impact.

3. Review and update your online presence

The mini-website is not the only online presence of a project. Social media platforms, beneficiaries’ webpages and external project websites also need attention.

What to do:

Beneficiaries’ webpages and external project websites must:

Meet the mandatory EU requirements
Highlight the project’s achievements
Guide visitors to the mini-website to find all relevant information and materials.

Social media

Decide what will happen with your social media accounts, followers and project hashtags
Update the "About" section of each platform to reflect that the project has ended and publish the link to the mini-website.
Download a copy of your social media data for your records.
Publish a final set of posts to:
- Announce the end of the project
- Share key achievements and results
- Explain what happens next
- Show how people can stay in touch
- Share content in multiple languages and from different partner countries

4. Keep spreading the word

Finishing a project does not mean it is over. It is the start of what comes next. Some tips to keep the project alive:

Reuse outputs, posts and materials during relevant events. For example, post about a sustainable tourism tool on Environment Day.
Tag partners and relevant organisations, including the NPA!
Keep the NPA informed about any new developments such as media coverage, additional funding, or changes in policies and practices linked to your project.

4.8.3 Closure

Preparing Jems for project closure

When reaching the end of the project, Lead Partners are asked to check that Jems is up-to-date.

What to check:

Please check the application in Jems, as well as the project data on the NPA website. If the project application needs to be updated, please contact your JS Desk Officer.
In the Contracting section, make sure the following pages are complete, correct, and locked: Contracts and Agreements and Project Managers.
Make sure the Partner details section is complete, correct, and locked.

Instructions for updating the Contracting section can be found here.

Closure letter

After the final payment to your project, there will be a standard 3-week appeal period.

After this period has expired, the Joint Secretariat will carry out a final check to make sure that your project is ready for closure. Please note that as part of this procedure, the JS will change all project privileges to View, with the exception of the project manager.

When the JS has established that the project is ready for closure, the Managing Authority will issue a closure letter to confirm that the project is officially closed. This letter also highlights some obligations after project closure, and inform about the date until which documents need to be kept. Your project status in Jems will be set to Closed.

4.8.4 Obligations after project closure

Article 6 of the Grant Letter outlines a number of obligations for projects after project closure.

Document keeping

The Lead Partner is obliged to ensure that all files, documents and data related to the project are retained for at least 5 years from the 31^st December of the year in which the last payment by the MA to the project is made.

Examples of such documents are the Grant Letter, Partnership agreement, accounting documents, procurement documentation and other project-related documents.

Project partners shall document where original documents are located (Partner Details).

Longer retention periods may apply in case of State Aid or in accordance with national rules. The strictest rule should apply.

Document keeping for partners with State Aid

Partners receiving aid granted under the General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER) need to keep documents for 10 years from the date on which the last aid was granted.

Partners receiving aid under the De Minimis Regulation shall keep documents for 10 fiscal years from the date on which the aid was granted.

Audits and evaluation

Audits can be carried out by programme bodies, national bodies as well as relevant EU bodies.

The Lead Partner or project partner must provide all documents required for the audit, as well as all necessary information, and give access to project premises.

The Lead Partner or project partner must provide all necessary information and access to documents for the purpose of carrying out programme or project evaluations.