Experiences so far in Wales Ex Ante Evaluations Experiences so far in Wales Kathryn Helliwell Kathryn.helliwell@wales.gsi.gov.uk

Contracting Arrangements ONE contract for 4 Structural Funds Programmes in Wales + Rural Development Plan. Also includes: Strategic Environmental Assessments Equality Impact Assessments Ex Ante Assessments for Financial Instruments BUT split into Work Packages… I thought that before we moved on to the presentation I would remind you, particularly those who have been involved with EU projects for many years, of how the process has changed. My session will focus on the management needs of an EU funded project as defined by WEFO and the European Commission regulations.. Ewrop & Chymru: Buddsoddi yn eich Dyfodol Europe and Wales: Investing in your future Ewrop & Chymru: Buddsoddi yn eich dyfodol Europe & Wales: Investing in your future

Work Packages Ewrop & Chymru: Buddsoddi yn eich Dyfodol WP Involves Status WP1 Ex ante evaluation of four SF Programmes to include: SEA: screening of all, full for ERDF OPs EIA FEIs assessment for ERDF OPs Certain WP2 Ex ante evaluation of RDP to include SEA WP3 Full SEA for 2 ESF OPs Unlikely WP4 FEI assessment for 2 ESF OPs Possible WP5 FEI assessment for RDP WP6 Ex ante evaluation for EFP Programme I thought that before we moved on to the presentation I would remind you, particularly those who have been involved with EU projects for many years, of how the process has changed. My session will focus on the management needs of an EU funded project as defined by WEFO and the European Commission regulations.. Ewrop & Chymru: Buddsoddi yn eich Dyfodol Europe and Wales: Investing in your future Ewrop & Chymru: Buddsoddi yn eich dyfodol Europe & Wales: Investing in your future

Contractor Team Ewrop & Chymru: Buddsoddi yn eich Dyfodol Old Bell 3 - Overall project management; For WP1: programme strategy; monitoring & evaluation; financial allocations; contribution to EU2020 Bangor University - SEAs (inc. work on Sustainable Development as CCT) Cardiff University - Socio-economic analysis; Indicators Mott MacDonald - EIAs (inc. work on Equal Opportunities as CCT) Regeneris - Review of previous programmes; All work on FEIs Wavehill - For WP2: programme strategy; monitoring and evaluation; financial allocations; contribution to Europe 2020 I thought that before we moved on to the presentation I would remind you, particularly those who have been involved with EU projects for many years, of how the process has changed. My session will focus on the management needs of an EU funded project as defined by WEFO and the European Commission regulations.. Ewrop & Chymru: Buddsoddi yn eich Dyfodol Europe and Wales: Investing in your future Ewrop & Chymru: Buddsoddi yn eich dyfodol Europe & Wales: Investing in your future

Methodology Ewrop & Chymru: Buddsoddi yn eich Dyfodol Literature Review EU Regulatory context UK, Wales & EU policy context Socio-Economic data Evaluations of 2000-2006 & 2007-2013 Programmes Other evaluations of what works in specific interventions – starting point for SFs: WEFO Research Summaries Research/data on demand for & supply of venture capital in Wales – for FIs Evaluation of JEREMIE in Wales – for FIs Discussion groups with programme authors & stakeholders Observation of key partnership groups I thought that before we moved on to the presentation I would remind you, particularly those who have been involved with EU projects for many years, of how the process has changed. My session will focus on the management needs of an EU funded project as defined by WEFO and the European Commission regulations.. Ewrop & Chymru: Buddsoddi yn eich Dyfodol Europe and Wales: Investing in your future Ewrop & Chymru: Buddsoddi yn eich dyfodol Europe & Wales: Investing in your future

Progress to Date Appraisal of socio-economic analysis (ESF & ERDF) Appraisal of draft Priorities (ESF & ERDF) Planning meetings held for EIAs, SEAs & Ex Ante Assessments for FIs I thought that before we moved on to the presentation I would remind you, particularly those who have been involved with EU projects for many years, of how the process has changed. My session will focus on the management needs of an EU funded project as defined by WEFO and the European Commission regulations.. Ewrop & Chymru: Buddsoddi yn eich Dyfodol Europe and Wales: Investing in your future Ewrop & Chymru: Buddsoddi yn eich dyfodol Europe & Wales: Investing in your future

Issues Version control of Programme drafts Absence of financial allocations Timescales Changing regulatory context Maintaining evidence-based approach I thought that before we moved on to the presentation I would remind you, particularly those who have been involved with EU projects for many years, of how the process has changed. My session will focus on the management needs of an EU funded project as defined by WEFO and the European Commission regulations.. Ewrop & Chymru: Buddsoddi yn eich Dyfodol Europe and Wales: Investing in your future Ewrop & Chymru: Buddsoddi yn eich dyfodol Europe & Wales: Investing in your future

ESF Ex-ante evaluation: Experiences so far in England Ex-ante evaluation team: Bruce Byrne – statistician Ellenor Brooks – social researcher Jo Daniels – operational researcher

Differences in the programmes for England and Wales Closely aligned with ERDF Contracting out ex-ante evaluation “Less developed” regions large England Different Department and set up from ERDF In-house ex-ante evaluation “Less developed” regions small

Convergence areas in Wales Convergence areas in England

Ex-ante evaluation Working Group Evaluation Team Managing Authority BIS (Department of Business, Innovation and Skills) Other Government Departments (education; local government): policy and analysts Delivery agencies (Skills Funding Agency; National Offender Management Information Service; Department for Work and Pensions) European Commission

Early work Held the initial Working Group meeting in October. Booked the next one for February. Agreed roles and responsibilities within the ESF Evaluation Team. Completed our initial labour market assessment. Set out how we will split up the different areas of work and considered for each of them what else we can be doing now on these. Been through the draft regulation, the guidance and what we did for the 2007-2013 programme.

Next Steps Familiarise ourselves better with the Europe 2020 strategy and National Reform Programme; European Semester; Country-specific Recommendations; Commission Position Paper etc. Gather and assess the work done so far for the Partnership Agreement and in consultations on ESF. Familiarise ourselves with what was done for the 2000-2006 and 2007-2013 programmes and what is good practice. Make others aware that we will be commissioning input from them.

Issues Timing: Negotiations on regulations still being worked on; Ministers need to agree the proposals for the delivery architecture, followed by a public consultation, before real development of the OP can begin. Think creatively about areas we can work on now and which will have to wait 2. Maintaining independence: Structural separation within the Department; Build in peer review of relevant sections. What the evaluation is: Both a process and a report