At Polite we come from different countries, hailing from all over Europe and even more distant origins. This diversity means we speak many languages, currently totalling 15. Therefore, there’s a good chance we speak your native language and can work with you in your preferred one.

We also speak another unique language: EU project speak. Why is it unique? It’s not easy to understand, even if you’re a native English speaker. It’s a language you can only learn by working on EU projects. With over 300 projects under our belt, we’ve faced every kind of situation and have become real native speakers of this language.

Understanding the EC Contact

EC jargon is a foreign language that no-one learns for fun. That is why communication with the EC can often be confusing and lead to misunderstandings, especially when you are a newcomer. Indeed, one of the things that surprises our clients from the very beginning is the language of EC bureaucracy. They describe it as confusing, and often ask us to translate it to maintain clear and concise communication both ways.

The European Commission regularly introduces its own special terms that might sound strange at first. If you’re new to EC programmes, all this jargon might seem overwhelming. But you need to understand it properly to effectively implement your project and meet strict requirements. By the way, did you know they will call your project an ‘action’?

Basic Glossary

Here are some other key terms that you may encounter in reading the official EC documents. Don’t be surprised by the vast number of acronyms they use, you’ll see them everywhere.

Annotated Grant Agreement (AGA) – A document explaining the complexities of the Model Grant Agreement, provides explanations and examples of how to deal with various situations that may arise when dealing with the myriad reporting rules.

Beneficiary – Legal entity who has signed the Grant Agreement (GA) with the Commission.

Budget – Estimation of the total eligible costs (broken down by beneficiary and budget category) required to implement the project, annexed to the Grant Agreement.

Coordinator – Lead beneficiary in a group of beneficiaries and the main contact point for the EU regarding a project implementation.

Description of the Action (DoA) – Detailed description of how the project will be carried out, annexed to the Grant Agreement.

Exploitation – Use of project results in further research and innovation activities other than those covered by the project itself.

Grant Agreement (GA) – Grant contract signed between the EU and the beneficiaries, it establishes the rights and obligations that govern the grant.

Legal entity appointed representative (LEAR) – Legal representative of a beneficiary,  formally representing the company towards the EC.

Mutual Insurance Mechanism (MIM) – Insurance scheme for all Horizon Europe beneficiaries providing security against potential defaults in payment.

Person-months (PM) – Metric for the time (effort) that the personnel of a beneficiary devote to a project, corresponding to work of 1 full-time person during 1 month.

Project acronym – Short name identifying your project, it can be derived from the project title.

Work Package (WP) – Major sub-division of the beneficiaries’ project, organising the planned work.

Work Programme – Document by the EU Commission describing the activities that will be undertaken during a certain period of time as well as the overall objectives and the topics within each call and the general rules applied.

Understanding EU jargon isn’t just about knowing fancy words, it’s about being able to work effectively with the EU officers and institutions.  We recognize the complexity of the bureaucratic maze and regularly provide interesting guides on our blog to help you navigate it. Check our posts to become more familiar with the terms, as it all starts to make more sense once you understand what they mean.

Still lost and looking for a professional translator? Don’t hesitate to contact us at [email protected]. It’s useful to have native speakers to guide you along the way!