Strengths and weaknesses of European Union policy evaluation methods: Ex-post evaluation of objective 2, 1994–99

Abstract

Baslé M. (2006) Strengths and weaknesses of European Union policy evaluation methods: ex-post evaluation of Objective 2, 1994–99, Regional Studies 40, 225–235. The paper considers ex-post evaluation of Objective 2 at the regional level, focusing on the experience of France over 1994–99. These evaluations were ambitious, and when looking at the reports it identifies both strengths and weaknesses. The paper considers issues that are problematic in the case of the Structural Funds – such as adjustment lags, causality, measurement and ‘cross-checking’ of results using national data – which are explored both through a case study of an ex-post evaluation for the Brittany region, and through examination of the mid-term evaluations for France in 2003. While the paper does find some improvements in the quality of evaluation in the recent mid-term reports, it also identifies continuing problems. These include a weakness in the ‘logical diagram of impact’, tracing the chain of causality from actions to impacts, so that the paper argues for a more-detailed model of intervention. Objective 2 Ex-post evaluation Regional development France Baslé M. (2006) Strengths and weaknesses of European Union policy evaluation methods: ex-post evaluation of Objective 2, 1994–99, Regional Studies 40, 225–235. The paper considers ex-post evaluation of Objective 2 at the regional level, focusing on the experience of France over 1994–99. These evaluations were ambitious, and when looking at the reports it identifies both strengths and weaknesses. The paper considers issues that are problematic in the case of the Structural Funds – such as adjustment lags, causality, measurement and ‘cross-checking’ of results using national data – which are explored both through a case study of an ex-post evaluation for the Brittany region, and through examination of the mid-term evaluations for France in 2003. While the paper does find some improvements in the quality of evaluation in the recent mid-term reports, it also identifies continuing problems. These include a weakness in the ‘logical diagram of impact’, tracing the chain of causality from actions to impacts, so that the paper argues for a more-detailed model of intervention. Objectif 2 Evaluation ex-post Aménagement du territoire France Baslé M. (2006) Strengths and weaknesses of European Union policy evaluation methods: ex-post evaluation of Objective 2, 1994–99, Regional Studies 40, 225–235. The paper considers ex-post evaluation of Objective 2 at the regional level, focusing on the experience of France over 1994–99. These evaluations were ambitious, and when looking at the reports it identifies both strengths and weaknesses. The paper considers issues that are problematic in the case of the Structural Funds – such as adjustment lags, causality, measurement and ‘cross-checking’ of results using national data – which are explored both through a case study of an ex-post evaluation for the Brittany region, and through examination of the mid-term evaluations for France in 2003. While the paper does find some improvements in the quality of evaluation in the recent mid-term reports, it also identifies continuing problems. These include a weakness in the ‘logical diagram of impact’, tracing the chain of causality from actions to impacts, so that the paper argues for a more-detailed model of intervention. Ziel 2 Ex-post-Evaluierung Regionalpolitik Frankreich Baslé M. (2006) Ventajas e inconvenientes de los métodos de evaluación de la política de la UE: evaluación ex-post del Objetivo 2, 1994–99, Regional Studies 40, 225–235. En este artículo analizo la evaluación ex-post del Objetivo 2 a nivel regional, centrándome en la experiencia francesa durante el periodo 1994–99. Estas evaluaciones fueron ambiciosa y observando los informes, se identifican sus fortalezas y debilidades. En este documento se estudian los problemas que afectan a los Fondos Estructurales – tales comoretrasos en los ajustes, causalidad, medición y comprobación de resultados usando datos nacionales – y que se analizan poniendocomo ejemplo un caso práctico de una evaluación expost para la región de Bretaña y examinando las evaluaciones intermedias para Francia en 2003. Aunque se observan algunas mejoras de la calidad de evaluación en los últimos informes intermedios, también seidentifican problemas que ocurren de un modo continuo. Este sería el caso de las flaquezas en el ‘diagrama logico de impacto’. Analizando la cadena de causalidad desde las actuaciones a los impactos, se arguye que es necesario un modelo de intervención más detallado. Objetivo 2 Evaluación ex-post Desarrollo regional Francia