European CommissionEuropean Commission

IDEAS - New Delhi 14 April IDEAS - New Delhi 14 April 20052005

European Commission

DG Budget – Evaluation Unit

European Commission

DG Budget – Evaluation Unit

Commission Communication on evaluation Commission Communication on evaluation standards and good practisestandards and good practise

Entry into force July 2003Entry into force July 2003

Organisational contextOrganisational context

• Main evaluation responsability on individual Main evaluation responsability on individual

Directorates General (evaluation functions)Directorates General (evaluation functions)

• Centralised support and coordinationCentralised support and coordination

European Commission

DG Budget – Evaluation Unit

Regulatory contextRegulatory context

• Previous good practise guidelinesPrevious good practise guidelines

• Commission Communications:Commission Communications:

- on evaluation (2000)- on evaluation (2000)

- on Activity Based Management (2001)- on Activity Based Management (2001)

• Financial regulation with rules on evaluationFinancial regulation with rules on evaluation

• Internal Control Standards (evaluation is one Internal Control Standards (evaluation is one ofof

24)24)

European Commission

DG Budget – Evaluation Unit

Purpose and scopePurpose and scope

Purpose:Purpose:

• Assist services in organising and managing Assist services in organising and managing their their

evaluation activitiesevaluation activities

• Ensure quality of evaluationEnsure quality of evaluation

• Achieve usefulness and use of evaluationAchieve usefulness and use of evaluation

• Recognition of the importance of evaluation Recognition of the importance of evaluation across across

management levels and decision-makingmanagement levels and decision-making

European Commission

DG Budget – Evaluation Unit

Scope:Scope:• "Evaluation principles", resources, processes"Evaluation principles", resources, processes

• Evaluation function in all Commission Evaluation function in all Commission departmentsdepartments

and the preparation, management and use and the preparation, management and use of of

results of evaluation activitiesresults of evaluation activities

• Type of evaluation:Type of evaluation:

- evaluations of policies, programmes, evaluations of policies, programmes, activities, activities,

... (except individual projects)... (except individual projects)

- ex ante, interim and ex postex ante, interim and ex post

- internal and external - internal and external

European Commission

DG Budget – Evaluation Unit

Structure Structure • 39 standards (binding) and 20 good practice39 standards (binding) and 20 good practice

(recommended). (recommended).

Main sections:Main sections:

• Evaluation function: profile, role, tasks, Evaluation function: profile, role, tasks,

resourcesresources

• Evaluation activities: planning, feedback,Evaluation activities: planning, feedback,

external communicationexternal communication

• Evaluation process: evaluation project, Evaluation process: evaluation project, steeringsteering

groups, conduct of evaluationsgroups, conduct of evaluations

• Quality of evaluation reportsQuality of evaluation reports

European Commission

DG Budget – Evaluation Unit

Contents (1) – The evaluation function Contents (1) – The evaluation function

• Profile, role, tasks and resources of the Profile, role, tasks and resources of the evaluationevaluation

functionfunction

- Evaluation function with clear role and - Evaluation function with clear role and visible in visible in

the DG structurethe DG structure

- Support in the formulation of policies, - Support in the formulation of policies,

programmes and management processesprogrammes and management processes

- Adequate human & financial resources- Adequate human & financial resources

European Commission

DG Budget – Evaluation Unit

Contents (2) – Evaluation activities Contents (2) – Evaluation activities

•Management of Evaluation ActivitiesManagement of Evaluation Activities

- Annual and multi-annual planningAnnual and multi-annual planning

- Feedback to decision-making processFeedback to decision-making process

- Action on conclusions and Action on conclusions and recommendationsrecommendations

- Dissemination of evaluation results - Dissemination of evaluation results

European Commission

DG Budget – Evaluation Unit

Contents (3) – The evaluation process Contents (3) – The evaluation process

- Design of an evaluation project - terms ofDesign of an evaluation project - terms of

referencereference

- Steering GroupSteering Group

- Managing evaluations: responsibilities, - Managing evaluations: responsibilities, independenceindependence

European Commission

DG Budget – Evaluation Unit

Contents (4) – Quality of ReportContents (4) – Quality of Report

• Quality of the reports. Quality of the reports.

- Substance of the reportSubstance of the report

- Conclusions and recommendations: non-Conclusions and recommendations: non-interference interference

and unbiasedand unbiased

- Recommendations: clear, useful, applicable- Recommendations: clear, useful, applicable

European Commission

DG Budget – Evaluation Unit

Regulation vs. persuasionRegulation vs. persuasion

• Binding minimum standards & auditableBinding minimum standards & auditable

• Combined with good practicesCombined with good practices

• Guidance on how to apply the standardsGuidance on how to apply the standards

• Training & exchange of good practicesTraining & exchange of good practices

European Commission

DG Budget – Evaluation Unit

Acceptance and utilisationAcceptance and utilisation

In the establishment phaseIn the establishment phase

• Drafted with the involvement of an interserviceDrafted with the involvement of an interservice

working groupworking group

• Formal Interservice consultation (integration ofFormal Interservice consultation (integration of

comments)comments)

  

  

  

European Commission

DG Budget – Evaluation Unit Acceptance and utilisationAcceptance and utilisation

In the application phaseIn the application phase• Self assessment by servicesSelf assessment by services

- Compliance with Internal Control - Compliance with Internal Control Standards (89% Standards (89% claim compliance) claim compliance)

- Annual reporting cycle- Annual reporting cycle

  • Questionnaire by DG Budget  -open-ended with Questionnaire by DG Budget  -open-ended with 22

questions:questions:

- Useful?- Useful?

- Changes needed?- Changes needed?

  • European Court of Auditors: auditing European Court of Auditors: auditing questionnairequestionnaire

covering many standardscovering many standards