Ex ante-evaluation of Bulgaria-the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia IPA CBC Programme Joint Working Group, Sofia 21/08/2014

Ex-ante evaluation’s main phases and deliverables 2 Contract signature and kick- off meeting Inception Report Indicators Report Final Report 1° Draft Draft Final Report May 2014 Beginning of June 2014 End of June 2014 End of July 2014 May 2014

Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)’s main phases and deliverables 3 Contract signature and kick- off meeting Inception Report Scoping Report Consultat ions on Scoping Report Environm ental Report May 2014 Beginning of June 2014 June 2014 July 2014 May 2014

Ex-ante evaluation as an iterative process 4 Managing Authority Programming team Joint Working Group Relevant stakeholders Ex-ante Evaluator Tight cooperation with programming authorities Timely feedbacks to fit cognitive needs Judgments and recommendations

Lessons learnt from programming:  Strategy is backed by a sound and well-grounded socio-economic analysis  Clear demarcation between spheres of interventions and between Priority axes to be ensured  A border region tourism strategy which outlines destinations and services for tourism development  Soft measures and investments are well balanced  Horizontal principles duly considered programming and will be developed during OP’s life-cycle  More tailored and accountable indicators, including methods for baseline and target values, also broken down in categories where possible Designing the Bulgaria-the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia IPA CBC Programme Involvement of stakeholders:  Develop strategies and propose actions adhering to cross-border needs and demands  Strengthening a sense of collective ownership of Community Policies  Participatory pathway enabling a wide participation of cross-border stakeholders (Main steps: on-line surveys, Regional Consultative Forum, on-line consultations on Draft OP (versions 1.0 and 2.0)  Stakeholders informed about outcomes and tackling methods  On-line instruments and periodic events during Programme implementation

Ex-ante evaluation main findings: Programme strategy 1/2 6

Ex-ante evaluation main findings: Programme strategy 2/2 7

Ex-ante evaluation main findings: Horizontal principles 8 Programming phase  Horizontal principles duly taken into consideration in preparatory works and  Participatory pathway  Dialogue with the Ex ante Evaluator Programme implementation  Horizontal principles will be taken into account in the quality assessment for project selection  Monitor horizontal principles at programme and project level  Breakdown indicators (where possible)

Ex-ante evaluation main findings: Financial allocation 9 Financial weighting took into account lessons learned and needs assessment Financial allocation seems to be coherent, balanced and appropriate Financial breakdown per Priority is consistent with identified challenges and needs

Ex-ante evaluation main findings: Indicators, monitoring and evaluation 1/2 Baseline and target value  Programme specific result indicators’ baseline values established where possible on past experience and budget, others to be established through ad hoc surveys  Output indicators’ target values have been established paying attention to envisaged activities, past experience and budget allocation  Need for further clarification on methods for calculating targets  Definition of Strategic Projects (and related requirements, scope and budget) essential for fine tuning the targets Indicators  The choice of foreseeing one Result Indicator (RI) for each expected result is sharable, though they must prove not to be overambitious  The S.M.A.R.T. analysis proved result and output indicators’ suitability to monitor and verify Programme’s achievements. Nonetheless, some rooms 10

Collection of data and evaluation  The arrangements for the management and control system are explained in detail and are well structured, with a delimitation between institutional and procedural parts  More detailed/clearer criteria still need to be identified for selecting Strategic Projects Administrative capacity  The functions and responsibilities of the bodies in charge of the management system are in line with the regulatory framework and well described  The indicative list of members of the JMC identify which are the institutions and organizations which will take part in the work of this body, though it must be completed  These adjustments should lead to the simplification of the JMC  The Programme may involve advisory bodies in the work of the JMC Ex-ante evaluation main findings: Indicators, monitoring and evaluation 2/211

Ex-ante Evaluation’s main recommendations on Draft Final OP (version 3.2 – August 2014)12 Procedural improvement Clarify synergies between SOs related to competitiveness during the implementation Describe functions of JTS so as to enable its simplification Programme strategy Indicators, monitoring and evaluation Administrative capacity Lessons learnt from Using project forms to monitor implementation & cross cutting issues

Methodology  Iterative process with programming team and cooperation with Ex-ante Evaluator  Literary review of EC guidance documents and reports on the application of the SEA Directive as well as national specific legislation, manuals and guidelines developed by Bulgaria and Turkey  Analysis on Draft OP Objectives  Assessing possible impacts on the environment of the Bulgaria-Turkey IPA CBC Programme (Directive 2001/42/EC and national legislation), taking into account cross- border nature of proposed intervention  Providing a qualitative description on the positive and possible negative effects on the environment at SO level  Drawing recommendations to prevent and reduce and as fully as possible any significant adverse effects during the implementation the Programme Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)13 Main steps  Scoping Report  Consultations on Scoping Report (June 2014)  Draft Environmental Report  Consultations of the Draft of the Environmental Report (underway)  SEA (to be annexed to OP)

THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION! Vincenzo Angrisani Virgilio Buscemi Francesca Solca Federico Benvenuti

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