Evidence-Based Agricultural and Rural Policy Making: Methodological and Empirical Challenges of Policy Evaluation 122nd EAAE seminar Ancona (Italy), February 17-18, 2011

Innovation for Rural Development Presentation of the Results of the Assessment Carried out on Implementation Procedures for Measure 311a of the Rural Development Programme of Marche Region Gianluca Letizia, Ecosfera VIC EAAE Seminar "Evidence-Based Agricultural and Rural Policy Making: Methodological and Empirical Challenges of Policy Evaluation", February 2011, Ancona

Objectives of the assessment of implementation procedures Assess transparency and accountability Assess efficiency and effectiveness Identify the information requirements and the overall workload for the beneficiaries to apply to the Programme Review the overall legal framework and its effect on the procedures Results of the Assessment Carried out on Implementation Procedures for Measure 311a of the RDP of Marche Region - 18 February 2011, Ancona - G. Letizia, Ecosfera VIC

The context Main difficulties highlighted (in %) by the potential beneficiaries for the completion of the request of support Source: Study of INEA on the offer of agritourism services in Italy in 2007 Results of the Assessment Carried out on Implementation Procedures for Measure 311a of the RDP of Marche Region - 18 February 2011, Ancona - G. Letizia, Ecosfera VIC

The context: The strategy of the Managing Authority  Simplification  Decentralisation  Information technology Results of the Assessment Carried out on Implementation Procedures for Measure 311a of the RDP of Marche Region - 18 February 2011, Ancona - G. Letizia, Ecosfera VIC

Focus of the assessment: Measure 311 a) “Support to agritourism” The Assessment was carried out on Measure 311 a) in relation to: Relevance Specificity Structure of the normative framework Implementation complexity Continuity with the previous Programme ( ) The assessment carried out in the framework of the MTE 2010 has focussed on the organisational procedures related to the applications for support It will be followed by the assessment of the payment procedures Results of the Assessment Carried out on Implementation Procedures for Measure 311a of the RDP of Marche Region - 18 February 2011, Ancona - G. Letizia, Ecosfera VIC

Assessment of procedures: procedural items set-up by the MA Procedures Manual Roles, groups and risponsabilities Information TechnologyCoordination structuresCheck List, application formsTraining, information Results of the Assessment Carried out on Implementation Procedures for Measure 311a of the RDP of Marche Region - 18 February 2011, Ancona - G. Letizia, Ecosfera VIC

Methodology The applied assessment methodology is the “Business Process Modeling” Deadline Application form Activity 1 Tender procedures and realted documents Resources Activity 3 Activity 2 Activity 4 Acceptance Communications /outputs Conclusion of selection procedure Projects admitted to support Non eligibility Results of the Assessment Carried out on Implementation Procedures for Measure 311a of the RDP of Marche Region - 18 February 2011, Ancona - G. Letizia, Ecosfera VIC

Assessment of the procedures: the main players information Systems : SIAR SIAN BENEFICIARIES AGEA Paying Agency AGEA Paying Agency AGRICULTURAL SERVICE AGEA Paying Agency AGEA Paying Agency Agreements Procedures Manual AGEA Coordination EUROPEAN UNION Results of the Assessment Carried out on Implementation Procedures for Measure 311a of the RDP of Marche Region - 18 February 2011, Ancona - G. Letizia, Ecosfera VIC

Assessment of the procedures : Phases and offices involved Collection of application forms Collection of application forms Management of the requests for project amendments and on-going modifications All the above Regional Service for Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery Regional Service for Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery Processing of application forms Drafting and communicating the classification list Rural Assistance Centres Regional Decentralised Units Results of the Assessment Carried out on Implementation Procedures for Measure 311a of the RDP of Marche Region - 18 February 2011, Ancona - G. Letizia, Ecosfera VIC

Assessment of the procedures: organisational solutions Decentralisation of certain phases of the procedures to local regional offices Involvement of Agricultural Assistance Centres (CAA) Transferring responsibilities, for the execution of certain functions within the procedure, to third parties (CAA) through delegation agreement Results of the Assessment Carried out on Implementation Procedures for Measure 311a of the RDP of Marche Region - 18 February 2011, Ancona - G. Letizia, Ecosfera VIC

Assessment of the procedures: simplification principles The various phases foreseen in the procedures cannot be further “compressed”, therefore the process of simplification has focussed on: Definition of simple procedures and efficiency in the information flows Crystal clear application form and selection guidelines Transparency in all phases of the selection Easy access to services and information on-line supports including the Regional information System Clearly defined responsibilities within the Management Authority and delegated bodies Full integration of the various administrative levels involved Results of the Assessment Carried out on Implementation Procedures for Measure 311a of the RDP of Marche Region - 18 February 2011, Ancona - G. Letizia, Ecosfera VIC

Assessment of the procedures: organisational effectiveness (1 of 2) Results of the Assessment Carried out on Implementation Procedures for Measure 311a of the RDP of Marche Region - 18 February 2011, Ancona - G. Letizia, Ecosfera VIC

Phase/ activity First callSecond call Timetable according to manual Actual timing Gap (days) Timetable according to manual Actual timing Gap (days) Eligibility Acceptance Classification Total days Timeframe of tender implementation From opening the call for projects to drafting of the classification report Assessment of the procedures: organisational effectiveness (2 of 2) Results of the Assessment Carried out on Implementation Procedures for Measure 311a of the RDP of Marche Region - 18 February 2011, Ancona - G. Letizia, Ecosfera VIC

Assessment of the procedures : decentralisation process The decentralisation process has involved, in a rather even way, the 4 local offices at NUTS 3 level The assessment shows that the MA has made an efficient use of the decentralised units Results of the Assessment Carried out on Implementation Procedures for Measure 311a of the RDP of Marche Region - 18 February 2011, Ancona - G. Letizia, Ecosfera VIC

The results of the assessment: information obligations The analysis shows the complexity of the procedures in terms of normative framework is influenced by several administrative levels and sector regulations The MA has foreseen the use of the self-declarations in order to reduce as much as possible the information obligations Results of the Assessment Carried out on Implementation Procedures for Measure 311a of the RDP of Marche Region - 18 February 2011, Ancona - G. Letizia, Ecosfera VIC

Judgement →The assessment of the Implementation Procedures for Measure 311a confirms that it is innovative from the point of view of organisational, technical and administrative aspects →The procedural items set-up by the MA are, according to the Evaluator, efficient and effective →The selection and priority criteria are appropriate and the overall selection process is clear and transparent to applicants →Access to support services and information, implemented through the decentralised regional offices and the Agricultural Assistance Centres, is adequate →The information obligations for the preparation of the application are heavy, on the other hand, they are mostly dictated by the exogenous normative framework →The use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is appropriate and it allows a regular flow of information and a timely management of the overall process. Results of the Assessment Carried out on Implementation Procedures for Measure 311a of the RDP of Marche Region - 18 February 2011, Ancona - G. Letizia, Ecosfera VIC

Recommendations → Further reduce the request for presentation of supporting documents in the application form postponing it to a later phase of the selection process → Review the functions performed at central and local levels in order to further speed up the finalisation of the classification list → Continue to strengthen the integration capacity between the Regional (SIAR) and the National Agricultural Information System (SIAN) for the prompt management of the application data → Develop the capacity of SIAR to better support Monitoring & Evaluation of Programme implementation Results of the Assessment Carried out on Implementation Procedures for Measure 311a of the RDP of Marche Region - 18 February 2011, Ancona - G. Letizia, Ecosfera VIC