Transcript “Rural development” 2

Cohesion
Policy
2007 - 13
Ex post evaluation of cohesion policy programmes 2000-2006 co-financed by
the European Fund for Regional Development (Objective 1 and 2)
Work Package 9
“Rural development”
Evaluation network meeting
Brussels, September 22, 2009
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Cohesion
Policy
2007 - 13
• Subject:
Assess the nature and importance of the contribution
of the ERDF to the development of rural areas in the
2000–06 programme period.
• Scope:
- 5 Member States: France, Germany, Poland,
Sweden, Spain
- 5 regions: Centre, Saxony, Świętokrzyskie,
Andalusia, South Sweden
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Cohesion
Policy
2007 - 13
Main tasks
• Typology of rural areas in the EU
• Literature review, analysis of rural socioeconomic trends in the 90s
• Collect evidence of the role of ERDF in rural
areas in 5 Member States and calculate the
share of expenditure they receive
• 5 regional case studies: respective roles of
ERDF/EAGGF/ESF and complementarities
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Cohesion
Policy
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Methodology constraints (1)
• OECD: the only internationally used definition of
rural areas, based on population density, not on
functional links or land use
• A EU definition fitted for all cases would compete
with how national policies qualify areas as “rural”
• “Rurality” is also a local and cultural concept
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Cohesion
Policy
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Methodology constraints (2)
• Rural development draws on different regional
development theories
• Lack of rural data: the ERDF did not specifically
targeted rural development
• Need to go to the NUTS3 level to identify
expenditure related to rural areas in regional case
studies. Rare “pure” rural areas at NUTS 3 level
• Data on commuting not available at NUTS3 level
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Cohesion
Policy
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Methodology constraints (3)
• Chosen typology: based on population density
and demographic trend (attractiveness)
• Chosen hypotheses for ERDF support effects:
- infrastructures entails better accessibility
- Business, entrepreneurship, R&D, networks
entails dynamism and innovation
- use of regional resources entails regional
growth and quality of life
- regional governance entails endogenous
development and self confidence
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Cohesion
Policy
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Main findings (1)
• Important contribution of ERDF to rural areas:
- 28% in Objective 1 (focus on the weakest)
- 24% in Objective 2
• Focus on transport, telecommunications
environment infrastructures
and
• Support to business and R&D but in a lower
proportion than in urban areas
• Less support to social infrastructures, rural initiatives
and governance
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Cohesion
Policy
2007 - 13
Main findings (2)
• Division of tasks between the funds: clear
demarcation at strategic level, less clear at project
level
• In some Member States common programming
framework
(France,
Sweden)
or
explicit
complementarities (Poland) and common instruments
for implementing the different funds at regional level
• Lack of visibility of ERDF in rural areas linked to lack
of rural policy objective, of a locally managed fund, of
adequate information provided to project holders
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Cohesion
Policy
2007 - 13
Main recommendations (1)
• Do not design rural typology without clearly spelling
out the purpose and the chosen methodology
• Cohesion policy should continue to target “weak”
areas regardless of their rural or urban character
• Member States should delimitate those weak areas
according to their different institutional settings
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Cohesion
Policy
2007 - 13
Main recommendations (2)
• One strategic framework programme in each
programming area embracing all sectors and all
aspects of territorial development
• Different delivery mechanisms for different type of
measures, get closer to the citizens
• Two perspectives for the evaluation work:
- success of the policy for the citizens in a region/area
(quality of life, employment, attractiveness…)
- success of the policy for the European tax-payer
(needs for aggregated results)
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Cohesion
Policy
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Conclusion
• An exploratory evaluation more difficult than
anticipated, based on expenditure and qualitative
evidence
• policy issues raised:
- Effectiveness of integrated approach for all type of
territory, including rural, however lack of visibility and
strategic framework including regional and rural
development.
- Better governance and local empowerment still
needed: how to reconcile the need for European
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