Review of evaluations of Cohesion policy 2007-2013 and a structured approach to assessing evaluation plans for 2014-2020

Summary:

This is report synthesises the results of a project undertaken as a follow-up to the activities of the network of independent evaluation experts which monitored the performance of Cohesion policy over the 2007-2013 programming period. It updates the findings of that project by summarising the features of the evaluations carried out on EU co-financed programmes after the previous project came to an end.. It also outlines the results of an in-depth peer review of 8 selected impact evaluations undertaken as a continuation of the exercise .started during the previous project. In addition, it sets out a suggested structured means of assessing the evaluation plans which Managing Authorities across the EU are required to prepare for each Operational Programme in the 2014-2020 period. An underlying purpose of the project was to help prepare the ground for an Evaluation Helpdesk to assist the Commission to carry out its new responsibilities as regards evaluations in the current period. The report concludes by listing the main lessons learned from the project which are relevant for the operation of the proposed ‘Evaluation Helpdesk for Cohesion Policy’.