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Travel Organisation and Reimbursement

Travel Organisation

General principles

STF/TTF experts shall always organize the travel for the cheapest overall cost (including transportation, accommodation and subsistence), which is compatible with the participation to the meeting/event for which the travel is requested.

ETSI encourages the use of public transport and the Secretariat may suggest alternative solutions.

A traveller can use a more expensive solution but he will be reimburse for the cheapest one.

Accommodation

The accommodation cost must be limited to the maximum daily price (excluding breakfast) in the hotel allowance reference table for the destination country applicable from 01 February 2023.

Note that ETSI has negotiated prices with some Hotels in Sophia-Antipolis: ETSI Website see Hotels in the Area

Exceptions must be justified and explicitly authorized by the ETSI Secretariat in the Travel Order.

Travel by plane

Within Europe, low cost companies must be used when available, and is reimbursed within the limit of the cost of the travel organization agreed in the Travel Order. Tariff reference for the cheapest flight can be found on Internet web site dedicated to travel.

Outside Europe (flights longer than 6 hours), business class travels are authorized, whenever this is compatible with the STF/TTF budget and with the conditions stated in the agreement between ETSI and the organization providing the STF/TTF funding (in particular, the use of business class is not authorized for STFs/TTFs funded by EC/EFTA).

The traveller cannot impose or exclude the use of an airline company. The same company shall be used outbound and return journeys, whenever possible.

When the planning of the activities is compatible with special conditions (e.g. modifications restrictions) applicable to reduced price tickets, such tickets shall be purchased (especially for long haul).

Multiple booking for the same travel, same person, is not authorized.

Travel by train

First class is authorized for travel by train. Tickets must be booked by the traveller.

Travel by private vehicle

Private car may be used to join the airport or train station from the location where the travel starts and vice versa. If experts use their own car to join directly the meeting place, reimbursement will be limited to the price of the cheapest corresponding public transportation for the same journey. When more than one STF/TTF expert travel in the same car, the total cost of public transportation may be used for the comparison, however, only the owner of the car is entitled to claim the reimbursement for the travel cost.

Travel by rented vehicle

Vehicle rental is authorized when economically justified and approved in advance by the ETSI Secretariat, with the request and justifications indicated in the Travel Order. In principle, only a category B car may be rented. Exceptions (justified by number of passengers, distance) shall be authorized in advance by the ETSI Secretariat.

Taxi usage

Taxi may be used from the airport to the hotel or the meeting venue and back for late arrival / early departure and whenever the public transports time table does not allow reaching the meeting on time. Taxis shall be authorized in advance by the ETSI Secretariat.

Duration

Travel duration must be limited to the minimum time needed to perform the work for which the expert is representing the STF/TTF in the event/meeting.

If the duration of the travel is extended beyond the minimum period required to represent the STF/TTF, the additional cost will remain at the charge of the traveller. If the incoming trip is made earlier than the day before the meeting and/or the outgoing trip is made after the day that follows the end of the meeting, the travel cost for the relevant leg will remain at the charge of the traveller if more expensive.

The ETSI Secretariat may agree to take in charge the travel cost of the incoming and outgoing trip if the extension of the travel duration is to attend other sessions of the same event/meeting on behalf of an ETSI Member. If the expert is not representing an ETSI Member in the meeting/event, then the travel cost for the extended duration will remain at the charge of the traveller. The ETSI Secretariat may also agree to take in charge an extension of the travel duration if it induce a diminution of the global price of the travel. In any case, the authorization to extend the duration of the travel must be requested in the Travel Order.

Departure/Returning place

Travels should normally be done starting from and returning to the Contractor's business location. Direct routing to and from the meeting place shall be used.

 

Exception cases:

  • Exceptions must be authorized beforehand and justified in the Travel Order.
  • The Secretariat may agree that the expert travel according to his/her preferred organization but will limit the reimbursement to the equivalent amount that would have been incurred.
  • In emergency situations, the traveller must choose solutions that allow fulfilling the requirements of the mission travel with the minimum possible extra cost and will provide justification of the changes when submitting the reimbursement claim of the travel expenses .

Note: exceptions to the minimum cost principles should be judged with respect to a reasonable evaluation of elements like the travelling time saved with respect to the extra cost. A typical parameter for this evaluation is the daily cost of work (e.g. saving four hours travelling time may justify an extra cost of 300-400 € but not an extra-cost of 1 000 €).

Insurance and other obligations of the traveller

STF/TTF experts remain employees of their original organization. Therefore, during missions, they shall be covered by the mission insurance regime of their employer.

The traveller shall ensure that he/she is adequately covered by his/her insurance policy for business use, third party claims against him and damage to the car. The responsibility of ETSI cannot be sought when using private cars for business travels under any circumstances.

If travel by airplane, the traveller must take direct action to recover lost baggage and/or claim for damages.

The traveller is responsible to obtain Visa, vaccinations and for any additional formality required for the travel.

Travel reimbursement rules

General principles

 Travel cost will be reimbursed to the contracted Organization after the end of the mission, upon registration of actual travel costs in the Travel Management Application, with copy of the detailed bills to justify the expenses (to be sent in a separate email). 

If the bills’ copies cannot be provided, then the cost can be claimed as "sworn statement" (no more than one declaration can be accepted for a single expense, for the whole travel). The invoice must make reference to the ETSI Travel Order number.

Per-Diem allowances are not reimbursed.

Exchange Rate

As a general provision the exchange rate to be applied is the one corresponding to the date when the expenses are incurred.

The actual currency exchange rate incurred must be indicated on the related expense line in the Travel Management application. (See currency converter).

The exchange rate for payment with credit card will be used. Bank charges for cash exchange can be reimbursed for limited amounts and must be documented.

If the reimbursement is asked before knowing the exchange rate applied by the bank, the typical credit card rate may be used.

Reimbursement rules by transportation mean

Provides general and reimbursement information depending on the transportation.

 Travel by airplane: The tickets (including electronic tickets) and the boarding passes must be annexed to prove that travel has actually been done on the flights that have been booked. Boarding passes must be provided also in case the ticket has been purchased by ETSI. Air transportation expenses will not be reimbursed without boarding passes. If paper boarding passes are not available, electronic boarding passes are acceptable as well).

Travel by train: Is reimbursed in first class. If expert travels by train directly to the meeting place, the reimbursement will be limited to the price of the cheapest corresponding airline route. Train tickets must be annexed to the invoice for reimbursement. Electronic tickets are accepted.

Travel by private vehicle: It will be made on the basis of 0,55 € per km plus motorway and parking charges, according to the shortest distance or faster route. Parking and motorway toll must be provided also to give evidence that the travel by car has actually been done. Car parking is reimbursed within reasonable limits (e.g. the cost of a taxi ride). The motorway and parking bills and the printout of the driving directions from a travel map service with the indication of departure, destination, route and total distance of the travel must be annexed to the reimbursement claim.


Taxi: If a taxi is shared with other participants to the meeting/event, the expert should keep a copy of the bill.

Reimbursement rules for Accommodation costs

It will be limited to the daily price (excluding breakfast) in the hotel allowance reference table for the destination country. Exceptions must be justified and explicitly authorized by the ETSI Secretariat in the Travel Order.

Other accommodation than hotel may be reimbursed on the basis of real expenses and within the limits of the maximum cost listed in the table.

Reimbursement of Daily subsistence costs

  • Breakfast must not exceed 25 euros if it is not included in hotel price. 
  • Lunch and dinner added, cannot exceed 80 euros per day. 
  • Lunch OR dinner cannot exceed 40 euros for a half day (breakfast reimbursement remains the same, it cannot exceed 25 euros). 
The detailed bills for meals must be attached, with the indication of the number of persons, and date. If a meal is shared with other persons, then the expert must obtain an individual copy of the bill and can claim the proportional share of the total cost.

Special reimbursement conditions for Meetings in the ETSI headquarters of Sophia Antipolis

ETSI have negotiated special prices for the Members' delegates and STF/TTF experts in selected hotels in the area of Sophia Antipolis. The full list of negotiated prices includes hotels for meetings in other locations than the ETSI headquarters (e.g. Nice, Cannes, Antibes, Juan les Pins). Hotels at walking distance from ETSI are recommended for (see list, see map).

The hotel booking must be made directly by the expert. The expert will be responsible for any charges in case of “no show”. Since the negotiated prices are reserved to ETSI Members and experts, the hotel booking form must be downloaded from the password protected area of the ETSI Portal hotel booking form must be downloaded from the password protected area of the ETSI Portal (Traveling to ETSI).

Transportation cost between ETSI and the hotel during the meeting is not reimbursed.

A bus shuttle service exists between the area of Sophia Antipolis and Nice airport, taking about 30 minutes at the price of 1,50 €. The use of other transport means (e.g. taxi, car rental, private car) is not reimbursed, unless required by the meeting schedule and/or by late/early arrival/departure time of the flight.