Ex post evaluation report on the Daphne Programme (2007-2013)

Daphne III was set up in 2007 by Decision No 779/2007/EC, following three Commission instruments with the same aims: the Daphne Initiative (1997-1999); the Daphne Programme (2000-2003); and the Daphne II Programme (2004-2008). It is managed by the Directorate-General (DG) Justice of the European Commission.

Article 2 of Decision No 779/2007/EC outlines its general objectives, which are:
- to help protect children, young people and women against all forms of violence and to help them attain a high level of health protection, wellbeing and social cohesion;
- to help develop Community policies (in public health, human rights and gender equality) and action to protect children’s rights and combat trafficking in human beings and sexual exploitation.

The Decision establishing the Daphne III programme requires the Commission to present an ex post evaluation covering 2007-2013. The evaluation was carried out by an independent external evaluator assisted by Commission staff.

This report is based on that evaluation. The report is structured by the main evaluation criteria (and corresponding questions), including relevance, coherence and complementarity; effectiveness, impact and sustainability; efficiency and scope for simplification; and European added value.