Recommendations by the COST Association related to event/activities organisation and reimbursement -

COVID-19 measures

The information on this webpage is meant to guide you in your decision-making about attendance to an Action event and to provide simple precautions to ensure participants can enjoy the event with as little stress as possible.

Due to increasing concerns about further spread of the coronavirus across Europe, some of you may have reasonable questions about the situation related to forthcoming COST Action events.

COST has provided a series of recommendations to COST Actions:

As different countries are implementing different measures regarding gatherings and events, we advise all members to check individual country stipulations before planning any trips.
For the Action’s physical meetings or activities,
- We recommend all individuals purchase travel cancellation insurance, which is an eligible expense.
- Participants who are unable to participate to an Action event due to prohibitions:
  - To enter the country of the event (because of a decision of a public authority of the country of affiliation or the country of the event)
  - Due to an obligation to serve a quarantine period when entering the event country

may, where the prohibitions apply 48 hours before the date of travel, cancel their attendance to the event. This is to allow participants to cancel their hotels and minimise costs under Force Majeure for COST.

Of course, Force Majeure will also apply where, within those 48 hours before the meeting, such a new prohibition is put in place. Participants shall provide supporting documents proving the prohibition (for example via a screenshot from a National Foreign Affairs website or other competent ministry in case of restrictions of travel, or a quarantine certificate).

Recommendations to COST Actions:

With regard to reimbursements:

Participants shall follow the instructions from the contracted insurance (as recommended).
If no insurance was contracted, participants may submit a derogation request as Force Majeure, to the Grant Holder.
Medical expenses of any type (PCR tests, medical consultations, etc) are not eligible.
Other cases of derogations apply as per usual procedure. Please check the Vademecum and / or the Derogation procedure for further information.

The Vademecum is available here and the Derogation procedure at www.cost.eu//derogation_procedure.

With regard to Local Organiser Support (LOS):

It is recommended that Grant Holders and Local Organisers take, for any upcoming event, cancellation insurance to cover the risk.
The LOS cancellation insurance is a temporary measure that is put in place for events organized until further notice. This measure can be revoked at all times.

More information on how to join WECANet and COST rules can be found here.

Last update of this webpage: 28 September 2020.