for eSYMBIOSIS Project
LIFE 09/ENV/GR/000300
May 16th 2011
Location: Athens, Greece
Meeting room: Teleconference Room, Library Building, National Technical University of Athens , 9, Heroon Polytechniou Street Zographou Campus, 15780
Project Title: Development of knowledge-based web services to promote and advance Industrial Symbiosis in Europe
Participants:
1. Region of Sterea Ellada (VIOT): Konstantina Kotsifi, Mirella Skoubla
2. National Technical University of Athens (NTUA): Nikolaos Markatos, Maria Loizidou, Antonis Kokossis, Konstantinos Moustakas, Stella Pitsari, Kostas Chrysagis, Patrik Karlsson, Ioanna Thomatou
3. CLMS SA (CLMS): Antonis Migiakis
4. External Monitoring Team: Georgia Valaoras
The British partners were not able to attend the meeting, since they had not received the first installment yet, while the representative of ENVIRECO CONSULTING SA was in England. Professor Markatos welcomedDr. Georgia Valaoras and all theparticipants andpresented an overview of the project and its progress so far. Prof. Markatos briefly brought up the delay concerning the distribution of the first pre-financing installment to the associated beneficiaries and also the non-submission of the change in the coordination.
Dr.Valaoras initiated a series of questions regarding the coordination, the money transfer and the cause of the delay of the launching event.
At this point, Prof. Kokossis informed Dr. Valaora that the main reason for all the above mentioned delays (except the money transfer) was the withdrawal of the associated beneficiary Link2Energy from the project a few weeks ago. He pointed out that the proposed associated beneficiary for replacing Link2Energy includes a group of people who have been part of NISP in the past and have played a key role in NISP’s development and success in UK.
Then, Mrs. Kotsifi clarified that the administrative issues concerning the financial situation has been resolved and the payments will be sent out this coming week to all beneficiaries.
However, since L2E has left the project readjustments should be considered.
Dr. Valaora requires a Modification request for the coordination, for the change of beneficiary, for the budget modification, a new Partnership agreement and signature from all partners.
Then, Dr. Chrysagis went on to present the eSymbiosis technical description-and its objectives. Dr. Valaoras made questions and there was a detailed ongoing discussion for each objective and implementation. Certain objectives were asked to be rephrased and all participants agreed. There was also an illustrative discussion on the meaning of ontologies.
Dr. Valaora also drew NTUA’s attention to the Monthly reports. The activities done each month should be presented as team work and not each beneficiary’s work separately. Furthermore the importance of the Inception report was clearly stated.
The actions and each activitiy in progress were presented in detail right after:
Activity 1.1 by Stella Pitsari and Maria Loizidou
Activity 1.2 & 1.3 by Ioanna Thomatou
Activity 1.4 by Patrik Karlson
Activituy 2.1 by Kostas Chrysagis
Action 5 was discussed throughout the meeting especially the actions taken for the launch event (Invitation, agenda, contact with key stakeholders, questionnaire)
It was also clarified that Prof. Markatos will be the Project Manager of the project after the approval of the modification of the coordinating beneficiary (instead of Ms. Kotsifi) and Kostas Moustakas the Contact person and the Financial Manager.
Dr. Valaoras also checked the project’s website (http://uest.ntua.gr/esymbiosis) on line and asked to include under ‘Results” category the results per action and also the available resources to be available in the project homepage. The working team agreed to cater for that immediately after the meeting.
Regarding the Financial management of the ESYMBIOSIS project the relevant cost center should be better organized so that it is readily accessible to an external audit. Dr. Valaoras received copies of the supporting documentation of indicative expenses of the ESYMBIOSIS partners and advised the partners to submit the inception report one week prior to the final deadline so that she can provide her comments before the official submission of the inception report to EC. Furthermore, discussion took place in relation to the checklist of the ESYMBIOSIS partners. Mr. Moustakas took over the responsibility to get in contact with the partners in order to be able to send the revised checklists within the following days in order to cater for the missing information.
Minutes of Monitoring meeting, May 16th 2011 Page 1