EN   EN 
 
 
 EUROPEAN  
COMMISSION   
Brussels, 12.5.2020  
SWD(2020) 84 final  
 
COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT  
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THE EVALUATION    
    
of the    
    
TEMPORARY SCHENGEN FACILITY CROATIA  
{SWD(2020)  86 final}   
 
1 
 Background to the evaluation  
 
The main objective  of this evaluation  is to examine all outcomes, outputs, results and 
impacts resulting from the implementation of actions and measures under the Schengen 
Facility in Croatia, in the period between 01 July 2013 and 21 January 2017. As a temporary 
financing instrument, the Schengen Facility  ensured EUR 120 million to finance actions at 
the new external borders of the Union for the implementation of the Schengen acquis and 
external border control.  
 
Main findings  
 
The Schengen Facility had a significant positive impact on strengthening the control at the 
external borders by providing the necessary equipment, information systems, and trainings to 
prepare Croatia for joining the Schengen area and it  has been designed and contributed to 
the broad European Union priorities  on border and internal security.  
 
The objectives of the Schengen Facility were relevant both to the needs of the EU and 
Croatia  to a large extent. There was a strong link between the needs identified in national 
strategic documents and the objectives of the In dicative Programme 2013 -2014. Relevance 
was ensured by the active participation of beneficiaries in the drafting of the Indicative 
Programme , in line with existing national strategies. The objectives setting of the Schengen 
Facility  showed flexibility in l ight of newly identified needs.  
 
The implementation of the Schengen Facility can overall be considered as effective  and 
the majority of the objectives have been fully or largely achieved.  Both internal (limited 
administrative capacity and insufficient guidance in the beginning of the implementation of 
the S chengen Facility ) and external factors (complex procurement procedures and time 
required to acquire permits) have influenced the implementation of the S chengen Facility . 
 
On efficiency, the results of  the Schengen Facility were achieved at a  reasonable cost  due 
to the conducting of com petitive procurement procedures. Considering the achieved savings 
and future cost reductions (e.g. surveillance systems at the green border reduced the need for 
border pa trols) the outcomes of the Schengen Facility for Croatia represent good value for 
money .  
 
Concerning coherence, the implementation of the S chengen Facility  has been to a large 
extent complementary to the overall border control measures in Croatia.  The Schengen 
Facility  has been complementary with national actions (investments in police infrastructure, 
but also access roads and other communal infrastructure near the border crossing points), as 
well as to measures financed by other EU instruments. The measur es/actions implemented 
under the Schengen Facility were internally coherent (i.e. without overlapping and very often 
with significant synergies).  
 
The overall effects achieved under the Schengen Facility are likely to be sustainable in the 
long-run. At th e same time, problems have been identified due to decreasing national 
funding  resulting in inability to maintain and upgrade the acquired equipment and the need 
for continuation of training (in particular on how to use  Border Crossing Point equipment).  
 
2 
  
The actions funded by the Schengen Facility had a significant positive impact on 
strengthening the control at the external borders by providing the necessary equipment, 
information systems and skills to prepare Croatia for joining the Schengen area . There is a 
very small likelihood that outcomes (in terms of both scope and speed) similar to the 
Schengen Facility  achievements would have occurred without the EU support .  
 
Based on the examinations of implemented measures, the evaluation provided elements whic h 
could be taken into consideration for any  future EU funded interventions with similar 
features.