EvEUCoP 2022
Evaluating challenges in the implementation of EU Cohesion Policy
| Wednesday, July 6 (Lisbon time) | |
|---|---|
| 09:15-09:30 | Opening session |
| 09:15-10:30 | Plenary session (Presentation slides) |
| 10:30-10:45 | Coffee-Break |
| 10:45-12:45 | Session A |
| 12:45-14:00 | Lunch |
| 14:00-16:00 | Session B |
| 16:00-16:15 | Coffee-Break |
| 16:15-18:15 | Parallel Sessions C |
| 18:15-18:30 | Closing Session |
The European Union (EU) cohesion policy aims at attaining the convergence of economic,
social, and territorial cohesion across EU Member States (MS). The funds dedicated to
the EU cohesion policy constitute the second-highest group of expenditures in the EU budget.
Therefore, the evaluation of their implementation assumes a prominent role in cohesion policy
formulation because it helps supporting policy design, also providing sound evidence on the
results and impacts of the actions undertaken. During the 2014-2020 programming period,
MS became obligated (for the first time) to conduct evaluations to appraise the effectiveness,
efficiency, and impact of each programme’s objective. These rules apply to the European Regional
Development Fund, the European Social Fund and the Cohesion Fund.
Most of these assessments are focused on implementation matters and evaluate progress regarding
targets achievement, being mainly concerned with the alignment of the projects and actions with
the programmes' objectives as well as with the effectiveness and efficiency of their implementation.
These evaluations also focus on whether the existing funding is spent or not and if the targets
established, particularly those of the performance framework, are achieved. The impact assessments
are performed later in the programme cycle when most actions already took place and have also
generated impacts.
This workshop aims at bringing together scientists, policymakers, managing authorities, evaluation
experts, academics, and other stakeholders, to share recent research, stimulate discussion and
disclose new research directions regarding the use of models and methods to address the challenges
arising in the evaluation of the EU cohesion policy.
Contributions to the workshop are expected to cover a wide range of topics including (but not limited
to) the monitoring data; the clearness of indicators in measuring the impact of interventions;
evaluation methods; case studies and applications on evaluations of the thematic objectives under
scrutiny of the cohesion policy, namely:
(Presentation slides)
Anabela M. Santos1
1European Commission, Joint Research Center, Seville, Spain
e-mail: anabela.marques-santos@ec.europa.eu
Disclaimer: The views expressed are purely those of the author and may not in any circumstances be regarded as stating an official position of the European Commission.
Keywords: Innovation; Sustainability; Policy Monitoring and Evaluation.
Abstract: We are living in exceptional times, exposed to an ecological emergency. Climate change is one of the biggest challenges of the century, with effects on environmental ecosystems, population health, socio and economic development. Innovation is seen as an important driver for the development of new technologies to support climate change mitigation; and public policy is crucial to provide effective incentives for this pathway. Adding a directionality to innovation policy makes its design, monitoring and evaluation more complex and challenging. New data, indicators and methods are required. It implies to move from a traditional approach to other methods more inclusive and participative. It also involves to add other evaluation criteria (e.g. equity and acceptability) and in addition to the traditional ones (relevance, coherence, efficiency, effectiveness, utility and sustainability).
Based on the literature on transformative innovation policy, the paper aims to describe a conceptual framework for the monitoring and evaluation of innovation policy for sustainability, as well as, to illustrate how the use of big data can generate new indicators to support monitoring and evaluation.
Findings reveal that monitoring and evaluation of innovation policy for sustainability should not be static and linear, but should follow a dynamic, interactive and flexible approach. It should follow a holistic and multi-level perspective, starting at projects level, moving to programme and then assessing changes in the whole territorial eco-system. Monitoring should also differ in terms of scope and dimensions of analysis. For instance, instead of monitoring achievements, measured by indicators associated with subsidized beneficiaries, it should focus on the monitoring of outcomes and net impacts. Furthermore, it should also screen the spillovers at the territorial level to assess not only the desired effects but also the non-desired effects. Such concepts are also associated with policy footprint. The evaluation framework should be based on a more continuous process, and to go hand in hand with the evaluation of investment projects to be implemented in the territory. Inputs of the policy/programme include not only funding opportunities but also the multi-level governance, policy-mix, and stakeholders’ involvement.
The paper contributes to the literature on policy evaluation and aims to support the policy-decision making process to be more effective in a context of post-pandemic recovery and transition to a climate neutral economy. Gaining a better “real-time” understanding of the impact of R&D and innovation (R&I) funds seems a highly relevant issue, especially when in 2021-2027 EU Member States will have more than double the amount of EU funds available (coming from Cohesion policy and Next Generation EU) to enhance R&I knowledge than in previous programming period.
Due to the pandemic, the conference will be hosted virtually at Coimbra Business School| ISCAC.
Abstracts (one page, 2500 char. max) must be written in English and should be formatted according to the template: Microsoft Word Template. Abstract should be submitted in pdf format. Files should have the name XaaaYbbbZccc.pdf, where Xaaa, Ybbb, Zccc are the last names of authors and should be submitted through https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=eveucop2022 Each participant can present just one paper, although he/she may co-author several papers.
A Special Issue on Socio-Economic Planning Sciences (Special Issue on Evaluating Challenges in the Implementation of EU Cohesion Policy - Call for papers - Socio-Economic Planning Sciences - Journal - Elsevier) will be organized devoted to the best contributions presented at EvEUCoP 2022. Authors will be invited to submit their contributions to the Special Issue based on the abstracts and the presentation at the EVEUCoP2022. All submitted abstracts will be considered for this Special Journal Issue. The paper choice will be conducted throughout the peer review procedure as well as at the workshop presentation phase. Submitted papers should not be under consideration by any other journal or publication and will be subject to a review procedure according to the Journal guidelines.
Since the conference will be held online, there are no registration fees. Nevertheless, a registration form should be filled in and submitted at https://adept.iscac.pt/eveucop2022.
Do you have any questions? Please do not hesitate to contact us directly.
Quinta Agrícola, Bencanta, Coimbra, Portugal
+351 239 802 000
chenriques@iscac.pt
The workshop takes place as part of a scientific research project that aims to develop an innovative methodology to support the monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of programs around three major thematic axes: Research and Innovation; Low carbon economy; and Information & Communication Technologies. This project is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Portugal 2020 Partnership Agreement – Technical Assistance Operational Programme (POAT 2020) under the POAT-01-6177-ERDF-000044 ADEPT: Evaluation of Co-Financed Intervention Policies in Enterprises.
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