Synthesis Report - European Commission - Europa

Ex-post Evaluation of the ERDF 2000-2006
Synthesis Report
5 Chapter 5 – Conclusions and implications for future policy
This final chapter is divided into two parts. The first part draws out the main points to emerge
from the results of the evaluation as set out in the previous chapters of this report. This covers a
number of issues, in particular:
• an assessment of the effects of ERDF support under Objective 1 and Objective 2 over the
2000-2006 period on the economic performance of the regions assisted;
• consideration of the wider effects of the ERDF on the social and territorial objectives of
cohesion policy and of the dispersion of funding linked to this;
• examination of the particular case of Objective 2 and its achievements given the small
scale of funding allocated to it and the spatial concentration of this funding;
• a review of the contribution of the management and implementation system for the
deployment of the Structural Funds to the policy-making process in the Member States
and of the deficiencies which came to light during the evaluation.
The second part sets out the implications of the evaluation findings for the future design and
implementation of cohesion policy, focusing specifically on the ERDF.
5.1 MAIN CONCLUSIONS
The primary conclusion to emerge from the evaluation is that cohesion policy made a major
contribution to the economic development of the regions assisted by the Structural Funds over
the 2000-2006 programming period. This is especially so in Objective 1 regions but significant
effects are also evident in regions receiving Objective 2 funding despite the relatively small
amount of financing involved. At the same time, cohesion policy helped to further social cohesion
and improve territorial balance across the EU.
5.1.1 The challenges facing the evaluation
The present report draws together the main points to emerge from the various Work Packages
which made up the ex post evaluation of cohesion policy programmes financed by the ERDF
across the EU in the 2000-2006 period and synthesises the findings.
As also indicated at the outset and as highlighted at various points in the analysis, the evaluation
had to overcome the challenges posed by:
• the difficulties of distinguishing the effects of the measures financed by the ERDF from
the many other influences, especially given the often lengthy time lags between policy
measures being taken and their effects becoming apparent;
• the multiple nature of cohesion policy objectives, which are not confined to economic
development as such but encompass the maintenance and strengthening of social and
territorial cohesion as well;
• the lack of clarity in policy documents and official statements on the precise objectives
which particular programmes and measures were intended to achieve and how their
achievement was to be verified;
• the fact that, while accepted indicators exist to assess economic development, there are
few indicators available which can be used to assess social and territorial cohesion, not
least because of their intangible nature;
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