EU Structural Policy: Evaluations Lack Credibility
Research
19.06.2024
ZEW Study Identifies Potential for Improvement in the Evaluation of EU Cohesion Policy
The EU’s Cohesion Policy aims to reduce economic and social disparities between Member States. However, there is a lack of clearly defined objectives and uniform standards for evaluating policy success. Evaluations are typically commissioned by national or regional administrative authorities, who have an interest in demonstrating the success of their policies. This reduces the credibility of the evaluations. These are the findings of a study by a team of researchers from ZEW Mannheim and the ifo Institute, based on data from the Cohesion Open Data Platform, which contains more than 2,500 evaluations from the last two programming periods by Member States. The researchers recommend establishing a European Advisory Panel on Cohesion Policy Evaluations.
“The EU Cohesion Policy requires transparent and impartial evaluation to ensure that funds are used efficiently and the intended goals are achieved,” explains Friedrich Heinemann, head of the ZEW Research Unit “Corporate Taxation and Public Finance”. “The application of advanced evaluation methods and the promotion of the factual independence of the evaluators are key factors for an effective Cohesion Policy in the EU.” Clemens Fuest, president of the ifo Institute, adds, “Previous evaluations that do not meet these standards report unrealistically high effects of Cohesion Policy and use inappropriate methods.”
Transparency and objectivity must be ensured
The researchers call for more precise definitions of evaluation methods. Additionally, Member States should be required to provide sufficient resources for their evaluation processes. An ‘evaluate first’ principle should be introduced, whereby adjustments to cohesion programmes are based on the results of previous evaluations. Furthermore, the introduction of a ‘charter for evaluators’ is recommended, setting minimum standards for evaluations. All these demands aim to increase the transparency of evaluation processes to ensure informed decision-making and effective use of evaluation results.
More cross-border evaluations
In terms of cooperation between Member States, the researchers see considerable potential for further improvements. Currently, there is a lack of cross-border teams that carry out evaluations. The authors suggest that minimum requirements for the internationality of evaluation teams should be included in the procurement conditions for large cohesion programmes. Member States’ evaluations should also be subject to peer review involving experts from other Member States.
