Brings all required skills (e.g. scientific expertise, team building, knowledge, meeting and conflict management) for leading high-level research projects towards successful completion. Responsibilities of the Project Coordinator include providing intermediation between project partners and the EC, monitoring compliance by project partners and their obligations, collecting, reviewing to verify consistency and submitting reports, other deliverables (including financial statements and related certifications) and specific requested documents to the EC, transmitting documents and information connected with the project to any other entities concerned, receiving the financial contributions of the EC and fulfilling payments to each partner, monitoring compliance with sex and gender policy, even consulting with external experts when required, assessing the risks included in the risk contingency plan and updating this plan if needed.

It is the ultimate decision-making body of the consortium and will have ordinary meetings twice a year, including a full partner meeting as a kick-off for the project during Month 1. Its functions are decision making, minutes’ distribution, invitation to meetings etc. The members are duly authorised to deliberate, negotiate and decide on content and finances, the evolution of the consortium and appointments.

The EMB will consist of one representative per WP Leader, and will be chaired by the Project Coordinator. EMB main responsibilities include proper execution and implementation of the decisions of the GA, monitoring of the effective and efficient implementation of the project, together with the support of the EDT, coordinating partner interaction within the WPs, and collaborate and exchange views with the other WPs for an improved coordination across the project activities, collecting of information every 3 months on the progress of the project, examining that information to assess the compliance of the project with the work plan and, if necessary, proposing modifications of the work plan to the General Assembly and assisting the PC in preparing meetings and related data and deliverables.

The EDT will be elected by the GA at the beginning of the project attending to the previous experience of the nominated components. The main duties of the EDT, to be authorised by the GA, are supervising of the elaboration of the “Plan for Exploitation and Dissemination of Project’s Results”, preparation, distribution and collection of the non-disclosure agreements to enable and facilitate information exchange between the project consortium, and the EEAB and other entities to collaborate within the framework of related initiatives and clusters, elaboration of the project information to be exchanged with other external entities in compliance with IPR issues, presentation of that information to the GA, and modification of the final documentation as required, preparation and follow-up of the workshops, which will be distributed to the GA so this feedback is included in the final “Plan for Exploitation and Dissemination of Project’s Results, supervision of the IPR management and follow-up of the communication actions programmed during the period of the grant.

The EEAB will be composed of up to six independent international experts. Given the scope of the project, the goal will be to include members from relevant organisations, including the IPTS JRC, the DG-AGRI, the OECD and FAO as well as other researchers in the agricultural policy impact assessment area. The establishment of the EEAB will be initiated during the project kick-off meeting. Due to the previous relation and collaboration of project partners with the targeted organisations, it is expected that the EEAB will be formalised within the first 6 months of the project. The members will be contacted frequently and invited to assist to project meetings, so they can provide inputs regarding the project development.

EEAB Structure: