Decisions on supported projects are entrusted to an external expert committee, whose members undertake to act in accordance with the code:
- In relation to the evaluation, an evaluator must not have a conflict of interest with regard to the applicants.
- An evaluator must immediately inform their direct superior of any situation that is considered a conflict of interest or that could lead to a conflict of interest at any time during the evaluation process.
- An evaluator who takes part in the evaluation of applications is required to declare in writing that they do not have a conflict of interest.
- An evaluator who takes part in the evaluation: a. must not have any conflict of interest with regard to the entities that submit a grant application within the given grant programme; b. declares that there are no facts or circumstances, whether past, present or likely to arise in the foreseeable future, that could call their independence into question.
- If an evaluator finds, or if it becomes apparent during the selection, the conditions of participation, the evaluation procedure, or the performance or amendment of the contract, that such a conflict of interest has arisen, they shall notify the programme manager without delay. The decision on the adoption of measures is taken by the partner announcing the programme. The measures consist, in particular, of excluding the person concerned from the evaluation process or adjusting duties and responsibilities in order to prevent the conflict of interest from continuing.
- The provisions on the notification of a conflict of interest in evaluation take precedence over the general provisions on the notification of a conflict of interest in this code of ethics.
A conflict arises:
- If the evaluator is:
- a) a member of the applicant’s management or supervisory bodies,
- b) or a volunteer member of a non-governmental organisation.
- If the evaluator cannot remain impartial and objective when assessing the submitted project.
- If the evaluator or their relative or close person has a financial interest in the project being awarded. (Under Section 116 of the Civil Code, the term ‘close person’ means a relative in the direct line, a sibling and a spouse, and possibly other persons in a family or similar relationship, where harm suffered by one of them would reasonably be felt by the other as their own.)
- If organisations in which the evaluator is employed or has a similar relationship, or for which they work as contracted service providers, have a financial interest in the grant being awarded. (The term ‘contracted service providers’ means performance under a commercial or civil-law contract involving the supply of goods and/or services.)