Rationale

The implementation of the RDPs 2014-2020 made evident the need to simplify the administrative procedures for reporting the costs of the training bodies, at the penalty of low level of applications and of access to vocational training by the farmers, other farm workers and advisors (M1 and M2).

Solution

During the programming period 2014-2022, for the purpose of simplifying the planning and reporting of vocational training activities (M1 and M2), the Managing Authority (MA) of the Tuscany Region adopted a simplified cost options (SCO) method that was based on the series of historical monitoring data already gathered for training courses that were realized under the ROP - Regional Operational Programme of European Social Fund (ESF) 2007-2013.

In practice...

As a first step, monitoring data were clustered by the following key variables that normally affect the costs of training:
A. Category of costs of training: A1 - Training Structural Costs; A2 - Attendance costs.
B. Duration of the training in hours: B1 – Long term training (≥ 61); B2 – Medium term training
(≥21≤60); B3 - Short term training (≤20).

Secondly, average costs were determined for the variables A. in relation to the duration of the trainings (variable B).
As a matter of fact, the results of the data analyses brought to three SUCs that depend on the duration of the trainings (table 2).

Table 1: Categories of costs relating to vocational training under RDPs

Table 2: SUC for vocational training under RDPs

*For single trainee.

The costs of each training course are then determined by the following formula:

Box1: Calculation of training courses under RDPs

Practical implications for replicability

The use of standard costs under the CAP Regulation 2023-2027 has been furtherly simplified. However, some administrative arrangements still remain relevant:

• Availability of reliable series of historical data at country/territorial/sector level in order to determine the best possible approximation to the cost of training courses. However, this kind of data seems to be often available for other funds (such as ESF).
• The methodology for standard costs determination should be shared with MAs, training providers and experts in order to capture the country specificities.
• The use of standard costs and the related methodology to calculated them, should be clearly reported in the CAP Strategic Plan and in the call for training activities.

Benefits

• Administrative simplification due to the reduced use of probative documentation and of time to spend for budgeting.
• Facilitation for the achievement of targets.
• Definition of a homogeneous cost across the country, avoiding excessive disparities.

Further information

• Public call for training and skills acquisition (IT)