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ESF 2000 – 2006EX POST EVALUATION

International Evaluation & Methodology Conference6-7 May 2010 Budapest

Anna Galazka European Commission,

DG Employment, Social Affairs & Equal Opportunities,Evaluation and Impact Assessment Unit

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EX POST POST EVALUATION OF THE ESF (2000-2006) OF THE ESF (2000-2006)

Context Context

Mandate, DesignMandate, Design

Key factsKey facts

Main findingsMain findings

Impact on labour market institutionsImpact on labour market institutions

Impact on social inclusionImpact on social inclusion

Conclusions and further challengesConclusions and further challenges

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The ObligationThe Obligation

Article 43 of Council Regulation 1260/1999: Article 43 of Council Regulation 1260/1999:

the ex post evaluation shall cover:the ex post evaluation shall cover:

■■ the the utilisation of resourcesutilisation of resources

■ ■ the the effectiveness, efficiency, impact and effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainabilitysustainability of ESF interventions of ESF interventions

■■ the the factors for success and failurefactors for success and failure of of implementationimplementation

shall be the responsibility of the Commission, in shall be the responsibility of the Commission, in collaboration with the MS and MAcollaboration with the MS and MA

shall be carried out by independent evaluatorsshall be carried out by independent evaluators

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Evaluation DesignEvaluation Design

Preliminary studyPreliminary study Quality of available information Quality of available information

Main evaluationMain evaluation

Thematic evaluationsThematic evaluations ESF & Social Protection and Social InclusionESF & Social Protection and Social Inclusion

ESF support to labour market systems and structuresESF support to labour market systems and structures

Effects of EQUALEffects of EQUAL

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Key factsKey facts

2000-6 ESF expenditure: 120 bln 2000-6 ESF expenditure: 120 bln €€

ESF 62 bln € (52%) ESF 62 bln € (52%)

MS 58 bln € (48%)MS 58 bln € (48%)

3 objectives3 objectives

Number of OPs: 238Number of OPs: 238

Number of measures: 2136Number of measures: 2136

15 MS in 2000-2004 and 25 MS in 2004-200615 MS in 2000-2004 and 25 MS in 2004-2006

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5 policy fields of ESF interventions5 policy fields of ESF interventions

developing and promoting developing and promoting active labour market active labour market policiespolicies to combat and prevent unemployment; to combat and prevent unemployment;

promoting promoting equal opportunitiesequal opportunities for all in accessing for all in accessing the labour market, with particular emphasis on those the labour market, with particular emphasis on those exposed to social exclusion;exposed to social exclusion;

promoting and improving training, education, promoting and improving training, education, counselling and as part of counselling and as part of lifelong learninglifelong learning policy to policy to facilitate and improve access to the labour market;facilitate and improve access to the labour market;

promoting a skilled, trained and promoting a skilled, trained and adaptable adaptable workforceworkforce;;

specific measures to improve specific measures to improve women's access to women's access to and participation in the labour marketand participation in the labour market

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Impact on labour market institutionsImpact on labour market institutions

ESF was an important instrument promoting/ ESF was an important instrument promoting/ enabling structural changes in labour market enabling structural changes in labour market institutionsinstitutions

Mediterranean MS: fundamental reforms of Mediterranean MS: fundamental reforms of existing systemsexisting systems

Eastern/new MS: development of systems which Eastern/new MS: development of systems which are not yet fully developed often combined with are not yet fully developed often combined with elements of modernisationelements of modernisation

The other MS: experimentation and piecemeal The other MS: experimentation and piecemeal improvementimprovement

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Impact on labour market institutionsImpact on labour market institutions

ESF support to systems & structures wasESF support to systems & structures was

relevant relevant addressing significant policy challengesaddressing significant policy challenges consistent with national policiesconsistent with national policies

effectiveeffective increasing effectiveness of support to peopleincreasing effectiveness of support to people around 2/3 of working age population can benefit around 2/3 of working age population can benefit

from improved PES and/or better training from improved PES and/or better training organisationorganisation

bringing different actors togetherbringing different actors together

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Impact on labour market institutionsImpact on labour market institutions

ESF support to systems & structures wasESF support to systems & structures was

sustainablesustainable new ways of functioning are often retained – but new ways of functioning are often retained – but

specific follow-up is required. More effective in specific follow-up is required. More effective in objective 3 regionsobjective 3 regions

importantimportant the 7-year programming periods allow for a the 7-year programming periods allow for a

strategic approach to institutionsstrategic approach to institutions

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Further structural impactsFurther structural impacts

Strong institutional impact of ESF and in Strong institutional impact of ESF and in particular EQUAL (mainly indirect/spill-over/ particular EQUAL (mainly indirect/spill-over/ mainstreaming effects)mainstreaming effects)

ESF improved situation of women ESF improved situation of women in the labour in the labour marketmarket

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Main Findings Main Findings SSocial Inclusion and Equal Opportunities

ESF recognised as financial instrument able to cope ESF recognised as financial instrument able to cope with the multidimensionality of social exclusion with the multidimensionality of social exclusion

- notably through its ability to implement - notably through its ability to implement complex complex projects (even more so in the case of projects (even more so in the case of EQUAL)EQUAL)

mainly assistance to persons, but proper balance with assistance to systems and structures more effective

social inclusion mainly used to facilitate access to social inclusion mainly used to facilitate access to employment and to provide training to disadvantaged employment and to provide training to disadvantaged groups groups

but also contributing to wider OMC objective of fighting but also contributing to wider OMC objective of fighting against povertyagainst poverty

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Main Findings Main Findings SSocial Inclusion and Equal Opportunities

No correlation could be found between ESF No correlation could be found between ESF expenditure and the major expenditure and the major macro-level indicatorsmacro-level indicators of of social inequalitiessocial inequalities

At At final recipient levelfinal recipient level

social inclusion brings disadvantaged persons social inclusion brings disadvantaged persons closer to the labour market and empowers them closer to the labour market and empowers them

mainly: young unemployed people and long-term mainly: young unemployed people and long-term unemployed persons unemployed persons

less: disadvantaged women, socially disadvantaged less: disadvantaged women, socially disadvantaged persons and/or with low educational attainments persons and/or with low educational attainments and people with disabilities and people with disabilities

not very effective for other categories not very effective for other categories

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Conclusions from the processConclusions from the process General challengesGeneral challenges

Diversity of the EU25 Diversity of the EU25

Comparability of dataComparability of data

Context analysis crucialContext analysis crucial

Country groupingsCountry groupings

Aggregation to EU level impossibleAggregation to EU level impossible

Strong reliance on case studiesStrong reliance on case studies

High requirements towards the evaluation consortiaHigh requirements towards the evaluation consortia

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Conclusions from the processConclusions from the process General challengesGeneral challenges

Problems with data collectionProblems with data collection

Overlapping themesOverlapping themes

““Intangibility” of resultsIntangibility” of results

Large number of factors determining macro-level Large number of factors determining macro-level processesprocesses

TimingTiming

Too late for outputs too early for impactsToo late for outputs too early for impacts

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Conclusions from the processConclusions from the process An approach for the futureAn approach for the future

Some improvements introduced for 2007-2013Some improvements introduced for 2007-2013

Further improvements neededFurther improvements needed

Put evaluation more upfrontPut evaluation more upfront

Stronger cooperation with MSStronger cooperation with MS

Ensure more comparabilityEnsure more comparability

Make better use of MS evaluationsMake better use of MS evaluations

Stronger focusStronger focus