Evaluation Seminar Czech Republic CSF and OP Managing Authorities

1. Evaluation SeminarCzech Republic CSF and OP Managing Authorities Session 5: Ex-Ante Evaluation and Lisbon Strategy

2. Presentation Structure • Ex-Ante Evaluation • Background and draft regulation • Evaluation stages and key issues • Analysis of investment needs • National Strategic Reference Framework • Operational Programmes • Lisbon Strategy • Main elements • Lisbon and Cohesion Policy • Conclusions

3. Ex-Ante Evaluation: Background • Proposed Regulation from Commission • Article 46 • Ex-Ante requirements • National Strategic Reference Framework • Operational Programmes • Evaluation Plan also required in NSRF

4. Evaluation Stages • Ex-Ante evaluation needed at 3 stages • To help identify investment needs • NSRF (regulation) • Operational programmes (regulation) • Process needs to be organised in integrated way • With ex-ante inputs helping planning and programming process

5. Stage 1: Identification of Investment Needs • Evaluation not a requirement for this purpose • But could help formulate NSRF and OPs • Objective would be to identify main investment priorities • and provide an independent, non-Ministry view • Needs to be done soon • And by independent organisation

6. Investment Needs • Key issues for TOR • Assessment of current economic situation and outlook • SWOT analysis • Identification of constraints and problems • What are the market failures? • Can public/EU investment adress these? • Lisbon Strategy should be explicit focus

7. How did we do this in Ireland? • High level NDP objectives decided at early stage • Then commissioned independent evaluation of needs in early 1998 • Carried out by ESRI, independent body • Separate from other stages in ex-ante process • Evaluators reviewed Ministry submissions • Report made recommendations on investment levels in NDP • Completed in advance of Plan drafting • Report a key input to NDP

8. NSRF Evaluation • Article 46 (2), ex-ante evaluation of NSFR • assess impact of intervention proposed • coherence with • Community guidelines • National and regional priorities • Commission will produce guidance • Earlier SWOT evaluation will help • Could be done by same organisation?

9. OP Evaluation • Article 46 (3) • Evaluation required for each OP • Aim is “to optimise resources and improve programme quality” • Policy Issues • Coherence • Consistency with EU policy and with NSRF • Implementation issues • Quality of procedures • Monitoring, evaluation, financial control • Who should do these? • NSRF evaluator or separate OP evaluator

10. Lisbon: What is it? • March 2000, EU leaders set 2010 objective • “EU to become the most dynamic and competitive knowledge-based economy in the world capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion and respect for the environment” • Currently under review • Kok report (Nov 2004) • Mid-Term Review at Spring 2005 Council

11. Lisbon and Cohesion Policy • Commission wants Cohesion Policy to support Lisbon agenda • Instruments • Community Strategic Guidelines to be adopted by Council • Then NSRF submitted by member states • NSRF and ex-ante evaluation will have to address Lisbon agenda

12. Lisbon Priorities • Lisbon agenda has widened • “Lisbon is about everthing and thus about nothing” (Kok report) • Kok focuses on key policy areas • Knowledge society (R&D) • Internal market • Business climate • Labour market • Environmental sustainability

13. Lisbon Priorities and Cohesion Policy • Internal market not relevant to cohesion policy • Business climate of limited relevance • Risk capital availability • Cohesion policy and 2007 –2013 programmes can contribute in other areas

14. Knowledge Society • Key areas of relevance • Raising R&D investment • Broadband accessibility • Can be directly targeted in OPs • But caution needed • Is there a market failure? • that R&D money can be spent • Focus on basic research

15. Labour Market • Key Lisbon objective: raise employment rate in EU • Cohesion policy of high relevance • Significant investment possibilities in OPs • Improving education and training systems • Reconciling work and family life (Childcare) • Reducing early school-leaving • Lifelong learning (older workers) • Training in companies • Good case for investment in these areas • But need to be sure that money can be spent

16. Environmental Sustainability • Idea is to make environment part of Europe’s competitive advantage • And embed environment in growth • Some investment possibilities • Environmentally friendly transport • Renewable energy • Promoting eco-efficient innovations • Are these priority issues for Czech Republic?

17. Conclusions • Lisbon agenda will have to be addressed in • NSRF • Ex-Ante Evaluation • Should be explicit focus of TOR for ex-ante evaluation of investment needs and NSFR • Highly relevant to a number of areas • Labour market • Knowledge economy • Environment

18. Conclusions • Lisbon agenda is broad and in a state of flux • Most investments can be justified under Lisbon • But Lisbon must be balanced with key challenges/priorities for Czech Republic • Other important considerations • Is there a market failure? • Would other instruments work better? • Need to avoid high-risk areas because of N+2 • Can money be absorbed and spent effectively? • Ex-Ante must consider these