Request approval from Project Officer

Dear Raluca, 

I highly recommend to request approval from your Project Officer first. 

The definition of a secondment is included in the 'Guideline for Applicants' of your DN call year. A secondment should normally take place at the premises of the receiving organisation. In our ITN, 'virtual mobility'/ teleworking/virtual collaboration was only allowed during the covid pandemic and is not included in the Grant Agreement (please refer to the text I received yesterday from our Project Officer in relation to secondment registrations during the end reporting). That being said: if teleworking/working remotely is a standard practice at the receiving organisation, I expect this will be acceptable to the EU.

Teleworking and mobility are two different concepts: Teleworking (from home; from the place of residence, city where you work): the person works a part of the working time at employer’s premises and a part at home office or similar. This would be something that is regulated by the employer’s Internal Rules, Rules of Employment, or a similar regulation which is typically referred to or annexed to the employment contract. Teleworking is not a secondment period. Secondment typically requires physical mobility (working at some other entity than your employer) and agreement between the two entities. Virtual mobility/secondment was exceptionally accepted during pandemic restrictions with prior REA authorisation: the researcher worked from home office/recruiting beneficiary’s premises for and under the supervision of another entity (thus no physical mobility, but working remotely/online). 

With kind regards, Kimberley