What is the Lead Partner Principle?
Each project has to appoint a Financial Lead Partner for ERDF, which is at the same time the Overall Lead Partner of the project. The ERDF Lead Partner submits the Application Form, is responsible for the division of tasks among the partners involved in the project (a Joint Convention is recommended to govern this) and for the co-ordination of activities among all the involved partners. Should the project be selected for funding, this partner will sign a subsidy contract with the MA, thus undertaking the full financial and legal responsibility for the ERDF part of the project. If the project combines ERDF and external funding, the project has to appoint financial Lead Partner(s) for external funding (ext.LP) among the project partner(s) from the non-Member State(s) concerned. Should the project be selected for funding, this partner will sign a Grant Contract with the relevant Contracting Authority. A separate external Grant Contract will be required for each involved Contracting Author
