Analysis of the outcomes of the negotiations concerning the Partnership Agreements and European Social Fund (ESF) Operational Programmes, including Multi-Fund programmes, for the programming period 2014-2020. Framework contract WC/2013/0086

The aim of the study is to provide an evidence-based review of EU Member States’ strategic choices related to the programming of the European Social Fund for the 2014-2020 period by mapping the content of Partnership Agreements and ESF Operational Programmes, including ESF multi-fund OPs, and analysing the extent to which the main innovations introduced by the ESF Regulation and the relevant CPR have been integrated in the programming documents, with a particular focus on the provisions concerning strategic programming and result orientation.

The study addresses four main areas:

• the political strategic orientation on how programmes address relevant challenges in terms of selected thematic objectives, investment priorities and specific objectives;
• how programmes support more specifically youth employment, institutional capacity and public administration, and investment in active labour market policies (ALMPs);
• how programmes and countries have allocated financial resources across thematic objectives and Investment Priorities;
• the adequacy of the intervention logic (ie assessing the extent to which selected investment priorities and specific objectives are likely to bring about achievement of the desired changes);
• the set of output and result indicators selected, their relevance and overall target values.

Services:

·   Development of web-based tool for data collection and analysis

·         Country factsheets and EU level analysis. 

Service carried on within the Framework contract WC/2013/0086 (Provision of services related to evaluation, evaluative studies, analysis and research work, including support for impact assessment activities).

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