EN

|| EUROPEAN COMMISSION ||

Brussels, 26.6.2013

SWD(2013) 229 final

COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT

The Action Plan for the Development of the Art 318 Evaluation Report

Accompanying the document

REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL

on the evaluation of the Union's finances based on the results achieved

{COM(2013) 461 final} {SWD(2013) 228 final}

The Action Plan for the Development of the Art 318 Evaluation Report

Timing || Actions

June 2013 and onwards || Integration of Performance information from the SPP Cycle (Management Plans /Annual Activity Report / Synthesis Report) in the Art 318 Evaluation report · Streamline the preparation of the evaluation report with the existing Strategic Planning Programming-process. Include progress and performance indicators, milestones and targets defined in the Management Plans and reported in the AARs, as well as evaluations in the Report. · Include elements of progress and performance management in the Management Plans for 2014: setting objectives, performance indicators and associated targets per programme, evaluations planned. · Deepen reporting in the Annual Activity Reports on how the financial and human resources have been used to achieve the policy objectives set by the College, and on progress and how these policies have generated EU added value. · Strengthen the peer-review process on the Annual Activity Reports, including increased focus on the performance information included in these reports. · Improve consistency between Evaluation report and Annual Activity Reports. · Use more progress and performance information in the Evaluation report. Include the results of, and actions taken following, performance audits carried out by internal and external auditors. · Provide a clear indication in the Evaluation report whether the work is progressing to schedule including assessments of the importance and extent of problems encountered and any remedial action required. · Adopt the Evaluation Report in parallel with the Synthesis Report.

To June 2014 || New Art 318 Evaluation report based on the new performance framework of the next MFF · Develop new structure based on performance objectives for the new generation of programmes under the next MFF. · Follow up on discussions with Member States on the further development of the programmes under shared management and in particular on the concrete performance indicators (output, result, impact, targets), reporting and monitoring arrangements, corrective measures; and evaluation plans. · Progressively develop the statistical and other tools allowing for full follow-up on these indicators. · The 2013 Evaluation Report will describe the framework for monitoring, evaluation and reporting to the end of the next MFF that results from the legal instruments supporting the next generation of programmes and the additional work of the Commission to complete the framework. For each policy area it will include the general and specific objectives of the programme, where appropriate linked to the main indicators attached to each objective, monitoring arrangements and the timing and content of evaluations and reporting. It will show how annual reporting on progress in the early implementation of the next MFF will be accompanied by continuing work on the ex-post evaluation of the performance of the current programmes. Alongside information on progress in implementation, it will show when the main evaluations of the performance of the current programme will have been completed and when and how progress and performance reporting on the 2014 - 2020 programme will be made, including Commission and Member State contributions. It will indicate the timing of actions remaining to be taken to complete the framework.

June 2014 || Adoption of new Evaluation guidelines strengthening Commission evaluation policy under the new performance framework.