"I want researchers to spend more time in the lab and less time in the office", Geoghegan-Quinn continued. The Framework Programmes should not be made for accountants and burocrats, but for scientists and innovators.´Procedures should therefor be simplified without compromising on financial control. In her opinion, clear and simple rules, consistently applied, equal good financial control.

More changes in FP7 rules would be implemented soon, within the current legal framework. E.g., consistency in the way rules are applied, in particular on auditing, will be improved and flat rate reimbursements will be expanded. The Commission also aims to allow projects to use the same accounting methods for EU funding as for national research funding in order to save time and reduce errors. More changes are expected for the 8th Framework Programme (which is, however, expected to operate under a new name).

"Payment by output" on the way?

The EU's Court of Auditors has asked whether instead of the current system of "payment by input", "payment by output" could be applied in the future. Payment of full amounts would be linked to whether the project objectives are achieved.
The Research Commissioner, a former member of the Court of Auditors, thinks this would make financial accounting easier for scientists while making scientific controls more rigorous.

Source: Opening Remarks at the Press Conference on Simplification of Research Funding, April 29, 2010.