COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Accompanying the document Report on the ex-post evaluation of the Europe for Citizens programme 2007-2013
Date: 2015-12-16
Institutions: Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs, European Commission
Subjects: EU financing, EU programme, European citizenship, European cooperation, European identity, civil society, executive agency

EN 

   EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 16.12.2015  SWD(2015) 286 final   COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Accompanying the document Report on the ex-post evaluation of the Europe for Citizens programme 2007-2013 {COM(2015) 652 final} {SWD(2015) 287 final}  
 
 
COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT  

REPORT ON THE EX POST EVALUATION OF THE EUROPE FOR CITIZENS 
PROGRAMME 2007-2013 

Table of Contents 

1. 

INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................ 3 

2.  BACKGROUND:   DESCRIPTION OF THE EUROPE FOR CITIZENS PROGRAMME ................................. 3 

3.  EVALUATIONS AND MONITORING PROVISIONS OF THE EUROPE FOR CITIZENS PROGRAMME ........ 8 

4.  EVALUATION  QUESTIONS ............................................................................................................. 10 

5.  ORGANISATION, BUDGET AND  METHODOLOGY OF THE EX POST EVALUATION ........................... 11 

6.  RESULTS OF THE EX POST EVALUATION AND ANSWERS TO THE EVALUATION QUESTIONS ........... 13 

7.  CONCLUSIONS ................................................................................................................................ 19 

2 

 
 
 
 
 
 
1. 

INTRODUCTION 

The purpose of this staff working document is to present the results of the ex-post evaluation 
of the Europe for Citizens Programme 2007-2013 carried out under the responsibility of the 
European  Commission,  by  an  external  evaluator  (Coffey  International  and  Deloitte),  in 
accordance  with  the  provisions  of  Article    14.3  (c)  of  the  Decision  N°  1904/2006/EC1  The 
staff  working  document  complements  the  report  from  the  Commission  to  the  European 
Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions 
on  the  implementation,  results  and  overall  achievements  of  the  Europe  for  Citizens 
Programme 2007-2013. 

2. 

BACKGROUND:   DESCRIPTION OF THE EUROPE FOR CITIZENS PROGRAMME 

Since the adoption of the Treaty of Maastricht in 1993 introducing the concept of European 
citizenship, the EU has recognized on many occasions the need to bring the European Union 
and  its  institutions  closer  to  the  citizens  of  the  Member  States  and  to  enable  them  to 
participate fully in the construction of an ever closer Europe, while emphasising the essential 
values that are shared by the European citizens. 

One of the instruments to achieve this political goal is the Europe for Citizens Programme. A 
first  Community  Action  Programme  to  promote  active  European  citizenship  (civic 
participation) was established for a period of three years from 2004 to 2006 to award grants in 
the  field  of  active  European  citizenship.  Based  on  the  experience  with  this  programme,  the 
EU decided to continue promoting civic participation through a second programme.  

The Europe for Citizens programme was established in December 2006 for a period of seven 
years (from 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2013). 

2.1.  Objectives of the Europe for Citizens programme 

2.1.1.  General objectives 

The  Europe  for  Citizens  programme  (hereinafter  referred  to  as  EFCP  or  the  programme) 
aimed at supporting a wide range of activities and organisations promoting active European 
citizenship through the involvement of individual citizens, local authorities and civil society 
organisations in the process of European integration. The objectives of the programme were 
as follows: 

-  giving  citizens  the  opportunity  to  interact  and  participate  in  constructing  an  ever  closer 
Europe,  which  is  democratic and world-oriented, united in and  enriched through its  cultural 
diversity, thus developing citizenship of the European Union; 

1 
Decision N° 1904/2006/EC of the European Parliament  and the Council of 12 December 2006 establishing for the 
period 2007-2013 the programme 'Europe for Citizens' to promote active European citizenship, OJ L 378, 27.12.2006, p. 32-
40. 

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- developing a sense of European identity based on common values, history and culture; 

- fostering a sense of ownership of the European Union among its citizens; 

-  enhancing  tolerance  and  mutual  understanding  between  European  citizens  respecting  and 
promoting cultural and linguistic diversity, while contributing to intercultural dialogue. 

2.1.2.  Specific objectives 

The specific objectives of the programme were as follows:  

-  bringing  together  people  from  local  communities  across  Europe  to  share  and  exchange 

experiences, opinions and values, to learn from history and to build for the future; 

- 

fostering  action,  debate  and  reflection  related  to  European  citizenship  and  democracy, 
shared  values,  common  history  and  culture  through  cooperation  within  civil  society 
organisations at European level; 

-  bringing  Europe  closer  to  its  citizens  by  promoting  Europe's  values  and  achievements, 

while preserving the memory of its past; 

- 

encouraging  interaction  between  citizens  and  civil  society  organisations  from  all 
participating countries, contributing to intercultural dialogue and bringing to the fore both 
Europe's  diversity  and  unity,  with  particular  attention  to  activities  aimed  at  developing 
closer ties between citizens from Member States of the European Union as constituted on 
30 April 2004 and those from Member States which have acceded since that day. 

Given the fact that the general and specific objectives as well as the actions of the programme 
were defined by the Decision establishing the Europe for Citizens Programme 2007-2013, the 
Commission and the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency did not dispose 
of great margins of discretion in the implementation of the programme. 

2.2 

Structure of the Europe for Citizens programme 

The  objectives  of  the  Europe  for  Citizens  Programme  2007-2013  were  pursued  through 
four main actions which were divided into specific measures: 

Action 1: Active citizens for Europe 

Measure 1.1: Town twinning citizens' meetings  

Town  twinning  citizens’  meetings  consisted  in  bringing  together  a  wide  range  of 
citizens  from  twinned  towns,  taking  benefit  of  the  partnership  between  the 
municipalities  for  strengthening  mutual  knowledge  and  understanding  between 
citizens and between cultures. 

Measure 1.2: Networks of twinned towns 

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The  programme  supported  the  development  of  networks  between  twinned  towns  to 
ensure  structured  cooperation  in  a  long-term  perspective,  therefore  contributing  to 
maximizing  the  impact  of  the  programme.  Promoters  were  expected  to  present 
projects  integrating  a  series  of  activities  (such  as  citizens’  meetings,  conferences  or 
seminars  within  the  network)  around  the  same  subject.  They  were  also  expected  to 
produce communication tools in the context of these events with the aim of promoting 
structured  and  sustainable  thematic  networking  and  disseminating  the  results  of  the 
actions. 

For  the  years  2007,  2008  and  2009,  the  Council  of  European  Municipalities  and 
Regions (CEMR) was designated for structural support within this measure.  

Measure 2.1: Citizens’ projects 

A  variety  of  projects  of  a  transnational  and  cross-sectorial  dimension,  directly 
involving  citizens  were supported under this measure. The projects gathered  citizens 
from  different  horizons  acting  together  or  debating  on  common  European  issues  at 
local  and  European  level.  The  use  of  innovative  methods  enabling  citizens’ 
participation was encouraged. 

Measure 2.2.: Support measures 

Support measures were aimed at improving the quality of town-twinning and citizens' 
projects through exchanging best  practice, pooling  experiences between stakeholders 
and developing new skills through training. 

Action 2: Active civil society in Europe 

Measure  1:  Structural  support  for  European  public  policy  research  organisations 
(think-tanks) 

This  measure  supported  public  policy  research  organisations  as  interlocutors  able  to 
provide independent strategic, cross-sectorial recommendations to the EU institutions 
and  to  feed  the  debate  on  EU  citizenship  and  European  values  and  cultures.  The 
measure  was  aimed  at  strengthening  the  institutional  capacity  of  those  organisations 
through annual and multi-annual operating grants.  

For  the  years  2007,  2008  and  2009,  the  organisations  'Groupement  d'études  et  de 
recherche  Notre  Europe'  and  'Institut  für  Europäische  Politik'  were  designated  for 
receiving structural support.  

Measure 2: Structural support for civil society organisations at European level 

Civil  society  organisations  were  seen  as  important  stakeholders  to  encourage  civic, 
educational,  cultural  and  political  participation  of  citizens  in  society.  This  measure 
was aimed at strengthening their capacity to operate and cooperate at European level 
through annual or multi-annual operating grants.  

For  the  years  2007,  2008  and  2009,  the  organisations  Platform  of  European  Social 
NGOs,  the  European  Movement  and  the  European  Council  of  Refugees  and  Exiles 
were designated for structural support.  
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Measure 3: Support to projects initiated by civil society organisations 

The aim of this measure was to support concrete projects of civil society organisations 
from  different  participating  countries  involving  organisations  established  at  local, 
regional, national or at European level. The projects funded under this measure were 
expected to raise awareness on issues of European interest. 

Action 3 - Together for Europe 

High-visibility events  

This measure supported events organised by the European Commission, sometimes in 
cooperation  with  Member  States  or  other  relevant  partners,  with  the  aim  to  make 
European  citizens  aware  of  European  history  and  of  the  achievements  and  values  of 
the  European  Union  and  to  contribute  to  the  development  of  a  stronger  European 
identity. 

Studies 

In  order  to  get  a  better  understanding  of  active  citizenship  at  European  level,  the 
European Commission carried out the following studies: 

  Volunteering in the European Union (2010) 
  Study on Maximising the Potential of Mobility in Building European Identity and 

Promoting Civic Participation (2011) 

  Participatory Citizenship in the European Union (2012) 
  Measuring the impact of the Europe for Citizens programme (2013) 

Information and dissemination tools  

Information  on  the  various  activities  of  the  programme  and  on  other  European 
activities  related  to  citizenship  was  provided  through  an  Internet  website  and  other 
communication tools (brochures, leaflets, DVDs). 

For the years 2007, 2008 and 2009, the organisations 'Association Jean Monnet', the 
'Centre  Européen  Robert  Schuman'  and  the  'Maisons  d'Europe'  were  designated  for 
structural support within this sub-action.  

Europe for Citizens Contact Points 

Europe  for  Citizens  Contact  Points  were  gradually  established  since  2008  to  ensure 
dissemination  of  practical  information  on  the  implementation  of  programme,  its 
activities  and  funding  possibilities  and  to  provide  assistance  to  applicants  and 
programme beneficiaries.  

In  2013,  a  total  of  28  Europe  for  Citizens  Contact  Points  were  operational  in 
participating  countries  out  of  which  22  received  operating  grants  from  the  European 
Commission.  

Action 4 – Active European Remembrance 

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Under this action projects of the following type were supported:  

- projects aiming at preserving the main sites and memorials associated with the mass 
deportations,  the  former  concentration  camps  as  well  as  the  archives  documenting 
these events and for keeping alive the memory of the victims, as well as the memory 
of those who rescued people from the Holocaust; 

-  projects  aiming  at  the  commemoration  of  the  victims  of  mass  exterminations  and 
mass  deportations  associated  with  Stalinism  as  well  as  the  preservation  of  the 
memorials and archives documenting these events.  

2.3.  Budget of the programme 

The financial envelope for the implementation of the EFCP over seven years from 1 January 
2007  to  31  December  2013  was  EUR  215  million  (with  the  annual  amount  increasing 
gradually from EUR 24 900 000 in 2007 to EUR 26 330 000 in 2013). 

According  to  the  programme  decision,  the  overall  breakdown  between  the  different  actions 
during the entire programme period was the following:  

 
 
 
 

Action 1: at least 45 % 
Action 2: approximately 31% 
Action 3: approximately 10% 
Action 4: approximately 4 %.  

Approximately 10 % of the overall budget was used for the programme administration. 

2.4.  Eligible countries 

The programme was open to the Member States of the European Union and to other European 
countries,  namely  the  EFTA countries  having  signed  the  EEA Agreement,  the  candidate 
countries and countries from the Western Balkans provided that they signed a Memorandum 
of Understanding laying down details of their respective participation in the programme. 

In  2013,  the  EFCP  was  implemented  all  together  in  33  participating  countries:  28  Member 
States and 5 other participating countries, i.e. Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, 
Serbia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. 

2.5. 

Implementation of the Programme 

The  European  Commission  was  responsible  for  the  efficient  running  of  the  EFCP.  It 
managed  the  budget  and  set  priorities,  targets  and  criteria  for  the  programme  after 
consultation  of  the  Programme  Committee.  Furthermore,  it  guided  and  monitored  the 
general implementation, follow-up and evaluation of the Programme at European level. 

The  European  Commission  relied  on  an  Executive  Agency.  The  Education,  Audiovisual 
and  Culture  Executive  Agency  (EACEA)  established  by  decision  2005/56/EC  of  the 
European Commission of 14 January 2005 was responsible for the implementation of most 
of the actions of the Europe for Citizens programme with the exception of Action 3 "High 

7 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
visibility events" managed directly by the European Commission. The EACEA was also in 
charge of the management of the Europe for Citizens Contact Points. 

The  EU  Member  States  were  involved  in  the  implementation  of  the  Europe  for  Citizens 
programme  through  the  Programme  Committee,  to  which  they  appointed  representatives. 
The  Programme  Committee  was  formally  consulted  on  different  aspects  of  the 
implementation of the programme, in particular the proposed annual work plans, the annual 
reports  of  activities  and  the  selection  results.  Participating  countries  which  were  not  EU 
Member States took part in the Programme Committee as observers without voting right. 

EVALUATIONS AND MONITORING PROVISIONS OF THE EUROPE FOR CITIZENS 

3. 
PROGRAMME  

3.1.  Ex ante evaluation 

In  preparation  of  the  Europe  for  Citizens  programme  2007-2013,  an  ex-ante  evaluation 
including an impact assessment was carried out. It was based on an online-consultation and 
a  Consultative  Forum  which  took  place  in  February  2005.  The  evaluation  report  was 
annexed  as  staff  document  to  the  Commission  proposal  for  the  Europe  for  Citizens 
Programme2. 

3.2. 

Interim evaluation and studies 

As  requested  by  Article  14(3)  of  the  Decision  establishing  the  Europe  for  Citizens 
Programme,  an  interim  evaluation  was  done  to  assess  the  results  obtained  by  the 
programme between 2007 and 20093.    

As  a  result  of  the  recommendations  of  the  interim  evaluation  of  the  Europe  for  Citizens 
programme,  a  permanent  monitoring  system  was  developed  combining  the  ongoing 
monitoring  of  the  projects  based  on  the  information  obtained  from  beneficiaries  with 
approximately  30  monitoring  visits  of  projects  per  year.  A  synthesis  report  based  on  the 
results of the monitoring visits was produced once per year by the Executive Agency. 

In addition, in the context of its reporting obligations towards the programme committee, 
the Commission presented every year an annual report on the activities of the EFCP.  

Furthermore, the following surveys and studies linked to evaluation were realised:  

2 Commission staff working document, annex to the Commission proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of 
the  Council  establishing  for  the  period  2007-2013  the  programme  "Citizens  for  Europe"  to  promote  active  European 
citizenship of 6.04.2005, doc. COM (2005) 116 final. 

3 Report from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and 
the Committee of the Regions on the mid-term evaluation of the Europe for Citizens Programme 2007-2013 of 1.03.2011, 
doc. COM (2011) 83 final. 

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  Survey to contribute to the development of a system of measuring the annual 
impact of activities supported by the Europe for Citizens programme (2008); 

  Europe for Citizens Survey 2009 - Developing impact indicators for the Europe for 
Citizens programme and adapting them to the 2009 Annual Management Plan 
(2009); 

  Study on measuring the impact of the Europe for Citizens Programme 2007-2013 

(2013)4 

3.3.  Ex post evaluation of the Europe for Citizens Programme 2007-2013 

As set out in Article 14 of the Decision establishing the Europe for Citizens Programme 2007-
2013  the  European  Commission  has  to  submit  to  the  European  Parliament, the  Council,  the 
European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions a report on the 
implementation,  results  and  the  overall  assessment  of  the  Europe  for  Citizens  Programme 
2007-2013  by  31  December  2015.  An  external  ex  post  evaluation  has  been  carried  out  to 
prepare this report. This staff working  document  presents the results of the external ex post 
evaluation.  

Scope of the ex post evaluation  

Given the fact that a number of surveys and studies on the measurement of the programme's 
impact and the development of impact indicators had already taken place between 2007 and 
2013  (see  above),  the  scope  of  the  ex  post  evaluation  was  limited.  It  was  needed  to  revise, 
verify and complement the existing reports with the view of elaborating an external evaluation 
report  synthesizing  and  assessing  the  results  and  the  implementation  of  the  Europe  for 
Citizens Programme 2007-2013. 
In addition, a quantitative report on the activities of the Europe for Citizens Programme was 
prepared by the Executive Agency in 2014 providing data collection that was used within the 
ex post evaluation.   

The purpose of the ex post evaluation was defined as follows: 

  To assess the results  and measures of  the Europe for Citizens programme compared 

to its objectives; 

  To assess qualitative and quantitative aspects of the implementation of the 

programme; 

  To provide examples of good practice and successful model projects under each action 

of the programme. 

  To provide recommendations on how to further develop the Europe for Citizens 

Programme as an instrument for the development of a European Citizenship Policy. 

4 Study by Eureval: Measuring the impact of the Europe for Citizens Programme, May 2013  

9 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                            
4. 

EVALUATION  QUESTIONS  

Under the ex post evaluation of the Europe for Citizens Programme, the following evaluation 
questions had to be addressed: 

Relevance 

  To  what  extent  the  programme's  objectives  and  activities  have  been  relevant  to  give 
citizens  the  opportunity  to  interact  and  to  participate  in  constructing  an  ever  closer 
Europe and to develop their sense of European identity?  To which extent the objectives 
and activities of the programme correspond to the needs of the target groups? 

  To  what  extent  has  the  Programme  proved  complementarity  to  other  EU  funding 
programmes, in particular in the area of citizens' rights, education, youth and culture and 
to other EU initiatives such as the European Years?  

  What is the European added value of the programme? 

Effectiveness 

  To  what  extent  the  activities  undertaken  in  the  framework  of  the  actions  and 
measures  of  the  EFCP  have  been  effective  in  achieving  the  programme's  general 
and  specific  objectives?  Where  objectives  are  not  fulfilled  in  a  satisfactory  way, 
which factors have hindered the programme to be effective? 

 

In  how  far  has  the  programme  contributed  to  the  objectives  of  the  European 
citizenship policy, in particular to increase civic participation and to bring citizens 
closer  to  EU  institutions?  In  how  far  has  the  programme  influenced  citizenship 
policy at the national level in the participating countries? 

  How does the programme influence the town twinning movement, European civil 
society  oorganisations,  think-tanks  and  remembrance  organisations  directly 
participating in the programme?  

  Does  participation  in  the  programme  appear  satisfactory  in  terms  of  the  balance 
between new organisations and those which have received support previously? 

Efficiency 

  How  efficient  were  the  activities  undertaken  in  the  framework  of  the  actions  and 

measures of the EFCP to reach the results at European and at national level? 

  Was  the  size  of  budget  for  the  programme  appropriate  and  proportional  to  what  the 

programme was set out to achieve?  

  To what extent did the Europe for Citizens Contact Points contribute to the efficient 

implementation of the programme? 

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  To what extent did the Structured Dialogue contribute to achieving the objectives of 

the programme? 

Sustainability 

  To  what  extent  the  EFCP  has  been  successful  in  delivering  sustainable  outcome  in 

relation to its objectives?  

  To  what  extent  has  the  EFCP  influenced  EU  policy  in  general  and  EU  citizenship 
policy  aiming  at  increasing  civic  participation  and  bringing  citizens  closer  to  EU 
institutions in particular? In how far has the programme influenced citizenship policy 
at the national level in the participating countries? 

  To  what  extent  have  the  results  of  the  programme  been  properly  disseminated  to 

stakeholders and the general public?  

5. 

ORGANISATION, BUDGET AND  METHODOLOGY OF THE EX POST EVALUATION  

The ex-post evaluation of the Europe for Citizens Programme 2007-2013 was carried out in 
2015 by an independent external evaluator (Coffey International and Deloitte), in accordance 
with the provisions of Article  14.3 (c) of the Decision N° 1904/2006/EC and under the close 
supervision of a steering group set up for this evaluation. 

A  budget  of  €  106,200  was  committed  as  the  budget  ceiling  for  the  performance  of  the 
resulting contract over a period of a maximum of 11 months. 

The  independent  external  evaluator  was  requested  to  assess  the  relevance,  effectiveness, 
efficiency  and  sustainability  of  the  programme.The  evaluation  methodology  chosen  by  the 
external  evaluator  relied  on  a  series  of  methodological  tools  including  desk-based  research, 
interviews and a focus group with key stakeholders, a survey of unsuccessful applicants, case 
studies of a selection of projects and a benchmarking exercise to allow comparison with other 
EU spending programmes.  

Desk-based research  

This  element  of  the  evaluation  was  comprised  of  two  parts.  Firstly,  various  documents  and 
monitoring data related to the Europe for Citizens Programme were analysed. Secondly, the 
evaluator conducted a systematic review of literature aimed at scrutinising the programme’s 
intervention  logic,  and  its  underlying  assumptions,  in  relation  to  existing  knowledge  about 
participatory  citizenship.  The  purpose  of  this  aspect  of  the  research  was  to  understand  how 
participatory  citizenship  works  and  to  identify  explanatory  factors  behind  the  perceived 
success of interventions aimed at fostering participation. This was based on sources suggested 
by the evaluation’s expert panel.   

Interviews and focus group with key stakeholders  

Interviews with several types of stakeholders allowed to gather data on various aspects of the 
programme. The table below gives an overview of the interviews conducted and main issues 
discussed.  The  interviews  were  complemented  by  a  focus  group  bringing  together 

11 

 
 
 
 
representatives  of  Europe  for  Citizens  Contact  Points  to  examine  all  aspects  related  to  the 
national level. 

Summary of interviews  

Stakeholder group 

No of 
interviews 

Topics discussed 

Familiarisation interviews with 
DG COMM / HOME and EACEA 

Designated beneficiaries  

8 

8 

Structured Dialogue and 
Programme Committee members  

6 

European Contact Points  

N/A (focus 
group) 

Impact  

Impressions of the EFCP and its objectives 

-  Programme structure and design 
- 
Implementation and administration 
-  Monitoring and evaluation provisions 
- 
-  Beneficiary profile 
- 
-  Funding mechanisms 
- 
Implementation 
-  Accountability and monitoring  
-  Results of programme funding 
-  Expectations of the evaluation 
-  Role within the EFCP 
- 
-  Suitability of the programme budget 
-  Programme implementation  
-  Profiles and roles of the European Contact Points 
-  General views of the programme 
-  Programme implementation 
-  Programme impact 

Impressions of the programme and its objectives 

Source:  Ex  post  evaluation  Europe  for  Citizens  Programme,  Coffey  International  and 
Deloitte, 2015 

Survey of unsuccessful applicants 

A  survey  of  unsuccessful  applicants  was  conducted  to  collect  and  analyse  external 
perspectives on the EFCP and to determine how it was perceived by non-selected applicants. 
The purpose was to understand several issues, such as:  

•  Rationale of given organisations for applying for funding; 

•  Transparency of the selection process;  

•  Existence of alternative sources of funding to the EFCP and  

•  Data  on  what  happened  to  organisations  that  were  unable  to  benefit  from  the 

programme. 

Issues treated in the survey included profile information, views on the EU and  the application 
process. The survey was promoted online.  

Case studies 

The  evaluation  included  16  case  studies  of  projects  funded  through  the  Europe  for  Citizens 
programme.  The  purpose  of  the  exercise  was  to  provide  insight  into  the  success  of  the 
programme as a whole by looking at individual projects in detail. Each case study entailed an 
analysis  of  project  documentation  according  to  a  standard  set  of  criteria  developed  for  a 

12 

 
 
reporting  template  agreed  with  the  steering  committee  that  allowed  to  assess  the  evidence-
base systematically and transparently.  

Benchmarking exercise  

The  ex  post  evaluation  included  a  systematic  comparison  between  EU  actions  and 
programmes that aimed to promote civic engagement. The aim of this benchmarking exercise 
was to identify the extent to which the EFCP was complementary to the other EU actions and 
initiatives in the area of citizenship. The methods used for this analysis were the comparison 
of  objectives  set  out  in  legal  texts  establishing  those  programmes,  calls  for  proposals  and  
programmes  guides.  In  addition,  interviews  were  organised  with  the  relevant  Commission 
services. The following EU programmes and actions were explored:  

•  Youth in Action programme 

•  Jean Monnet programme 

•  Fundamental rights and Citizenship programme 

•  European Year of Citizens 2013 and 

•  European Year of Voluntary Activities promoting active citizenship 2011 

The  report  of  the  ex-post  evaluation  was  accepted  by  the  Commission  in  the  beginning  of 
September  2015.  The  Commission  considers  the  evaluation's  findings  and  conclusions 
presented below credible and coherent.  

The evaluation report will be published on the citizenship portal of the Commission's website 
at the following address: 

http://ec.europa.eu/citizenship/europe-for-citizens-programme/programme-2007-
2013/index_en.htm 

RESULTS  OF  THE  EX  POST  EVALUATION  AND  ANSWERS  TO  THE  EVALUATION 

6. 
QUESTIONS 

6.1.  Quantitative analysis 

Over the 2007-2013 period, almost 20 000 grant applications were submitted under the EFCP.  
The  programme  saw  a  steady  growth  in  the  number  of  applications  of  more  than  45  % 
between 2007 and 2013. Germany was the Member State introducing the greatest number of 
projects (2 791),  followed  by  France  (2  537),  Hungary  (2  434),  Italy  (2  265)  and  Poland  (1 
219).  

Over the years, the projects submitted involved a growing number of participants. Overall, the 
total  number  of  direct  project  participants  increased  from  700  000  in  2007  to  1  175  000  in 
2013. 

13 

 
 
 
 
 
From  2007  to  2013,  the  EFCP  had  approximately  7  million  direct  participants.  The 
programme  reached  almost  25 000  towns  and  cities  in  Europe  and  created  350  networks  of 
towns and cities around common issues. 4 250 civil society organisations received grants of 
the EFCP and more than 500 organisations were involved in remembrance activities vis-à-vis 
citizens. 

A detailed quantitative analysis can be found in the activity report "Results 2007-2013"of the 
Executive Agency EACEA. 

6.2.  Relevance 

Under the ex post evaluation of the EFCP 2007-2013 against the criterion of relevance (see 
evaluation  questions  regarding  relevance  in  chapter  4),  it  was  assessed  to  what  extent  the 
objectives  and  the  activities  of  the  programme  were  relevant  for  the  target  groups  and 
responded to their needs. 

While  answering  to  this  question,  the  evaluators  were  asked  to  assess  in  how  far  the 
programme  had  been  complementary  to  other  existing  EU  programmes  and  initiatives  and 
which had been its specific role and added value in the European context.    

The  ex  post  evaluation  confirmed  the  relevance  of  the  Europe  for  Citizens'  programme’s 
objectives  and  activities.  The  EFCP  Programme  aimed  to  engage  citizens  with  the  EU, 
develop  a  sense  of  European  identify,  foster  a  sense  of  ownership  of  the  EU  and  enhance 
mutual  tolerance  and  understanding.  Prevailing  conditions  (e.g.  declining  favourability 
towards  the  EU  and  increased  Euroscepticism,  diversion  of  resources  towards  initiatives 
focused  on  the  economy)  created  a need  for  a  platform  for  civic  participation  related  to  the 
EU that the EFCP could potentially fulfil. That the level of interest in the programme, as well 
as the quality of applications for participation, progressively increased indicated a good match 
between the programme and target groups.  

In  terms  of  complementarity  with  other  initiatives,  the  EFCP  was  sufficiently  distinct  from 
other programmes in terms of its scope, objectives, activities and target groups to provide a 
complementary offering. Even those initiatives that were the closest to the EFCP, such as the 
Youth in Action programme, focused on different audiences, while the EFCP was unique in 
bringing  together  CSOs  and  local  authorities  to  develop  citizenship  activities,  and  in 
supporting town twinning and remembrance activities. At the same time, the evaluation also 
uncovered the potential for further synergies and scope to reduce overlap. This highlighted the 
importance  of  improved  communication  between  DGs.  Where  there  was  evidence  of  good 
communication  (e.g.  the  European  Years  and  Fundamental  Rights  programme),  then  value 
was  demonstrated  through  institutional  learning  and  the  sharing  of  good  practices.  Where 
discussion was more limited (e.g. between the EFCP and Youth in Action and Jean Monnet 
programmes), such opportunities were missed. 

Example: Complementarity between EFCP and the Youth in Action Programme  

The closest programme to the EFCP is Youth in Action programme, which is funded by DG 
Education and Culture (DG EAC). In many ways, the EFCP can be conceptualised as an adult 
version  of  Youth  in  Action  programme,  allowing  adults  to  participate  and  learn  from 
exchanges across Europe and supporting the structures for European civil society as a whole. 
As  with  the  EFCP,  the  Youth  in  Action  targets  funding  at  civil  society  organisations.  The 

14 

 
 
EFCP activities are aimed at ordinary citizens in their local communities, whereas the distinct 
feature of the Youth in Action programme is that it focuses on young people aged 13-25 and 
allows young people informally as a group to apply for funding. The bench-marking analysis 
undertaken within the external evaluation analysis uncovered further synergies that could be 
exploited between both programmes.  For example, non- and informal learning is likely to be 
taking  place  in  EFCP  activities  and  more  could  be  gained  from  the  Youth  in  Action 
programme’s use of these methods. 

The  examination  of  the  EU  added  value  of  the  programme  showed  that  the  EFCP  enabled 
activities that could not have been funded elsewhere, in addition to promoting the spread of 
best practices. In some cases, the evaluation found evidence of such practices actually being 
implemented, and of being scaled up across wider groups of countries and stakeholders.  

EFCP  had  the  potential  to  add  value  in  numerous  areas,  among  them  the  sharing  and 
implementation  of  best  practices  through  projects.  Some  of  the  projects  that  had  been 
examined in the ex post evaluation also demonstrated that sometimes simple initiatives can be 
easily replicated and scaled up, thereby maximising the effect of EU funds on civil society.  

For  instance,  the  Crocus  Project  funded  within  Action  4  Active  European  Remembrance  of 
the EFCP showed that inexpensive activities, such as the planting of flowers, could generate 
substantial  impacts.  Others  highlighted  that  the  chances  of  a  potential  policy  impact  can  be 
enhanced through straightforward actions such as the dissemination of a statement to the right 
authorities.  

Civil Society project example: The Crocus Project 

The project was intended for pupils aged 11 years and over and provided schools with yellow 
crocus  bulbs  to  plant  in  memory  of  the  1.5  million  Jewish  children  and  thousands  of  other 
children  who  died  during  the  Holocaust.  The  yellow  flowers  represented  the  yellow  Star  of 
David that all Jews were forced to wear under Nazi rule. 

The  project  introduced  youngsters  to  the  study  of  the  Holocaust,  promoted  awareness  and 
stimulated  discussion  about  discrimination.  The  Crocus  Project  is  perpetual  and  operates 
every year since its launch in 2005.  Every year over 51 000 European students are involved. 

6.3.  Effectiveness 

Under  the  ex  post  evaluation  of  the  Europe  for  Citizens  Programme  2007-2013  against  the 
criterion of effectiveness  (see evaluation questions regarding effectiveness in chapter 4), the 
evaluators  had  to  assess  to  what  extent  each  action  and  measure  of  the  programme  was 
appropriate to reach the programme's general and specific objectives.  At the same time, they 
were asked to verify if and how the programme had influenced its target groups. In addition, 
they examined the question if in the area of citizenship policy the programme had triggered 
effects  at  EU  level  and  in  the  participating  countries.  Another  question  linked  to  the 
effectiveness  of  the  EFCP  aimed  at  finding  out  to  which  extent  the  balance  between  new 
organisations  and  organisations  having  previously  been  supported  by  the  programme  had 
contributed to effectively reaching the programme's objectives. 

15 

 
 
 
The  ex  post  evaluation  found  that  the  types  of  projects  funded  through  the  EFCP  could 
potentially  make  an  impact  in  numerous  ways,  depending  on  their  particular  mechanisms, 
target groups and methods. High potential impact tended to draw on factors such as involving 
children  and  hard  to  reach  groups,  establishing  sustainable  networks  and  linking  to  policy-
making.  However,  even  though  most  projects  had  been  implemented  and  delivered 
successfully, the presence of these factors varied significantly among individual projects. 

In  general,  meaningful  results  were  achieved  for  projects  that  were  grounded  in  a  clear 
rationale.  Also  crucial  were  a  well-delineated  scope  and  set  of  objectives,  a  plausible 
intervention  logic  and  the  involvement  of  relevant  partners.  Given  the  short  timeframe  for 
EFCP  projects  in  comparison  to  the  sustained  engagement  needed  for  to  effect  change  in  a 
complex area like civic engagement, wider applicability of project outputs and credible plans 
for follow-up efforts (including funding) were of vital importance.  

Town-twinning project example: The European Charter of Rural Communities 

Since  1989,  EFCP  town-twinning  projects  developed  within  the  European  Charter  of  Rural 
Communities  brought  together  28  rural  communities  from  all  28  EU  Member  States.  This 
extensive  network  has  chosen  to  focus  on  ‘liveability  in  European  communities’  and  to 
examine  its  various  aspects  including  education,  employment,  integration  of  people  with 
disabilities,  participation  in  democracy  at  local  level  and  involving  young  people  in 
community  life.  A  major  network  meeting  is  organised  every  year,  accompanied  by 
specialised thematic meetings for specific target groups. 

The ex post evaluation concluded that for the programme to maximise its impact at a wider 
level, it would need to leverage its relatively small budget, identifying specific areas where it 
could  add  the  most  value  and  complementing  larger  initiatives.  The  programme’s  relatively 
small  budget  was  spread  across  a  vast  spectrum  of  subject  areas  and  funding  mechanisms, 
creating  a  risk  that  the  programme’s  achievements  would  be  diluted.  The  benchmarking 
analysis  conducted  for  the  ex  post  evaluation  showed  that  the  EFCP’s  offer  was  unique  in 
some areas, namely where it provided a first entry point for ordinary citizens to discuss and 
engage  with  the  EU  and  where  it  brought  together  civil  socity  organisations  and  local 
authorities to develop citizenship activities. Town twinning and remembrance activities were 
also found to be areas  of focus specific  to the EFCP. Similarly,  as the only  EU programme 
that  targeted  citizens  directly,  the  EFCP  2007-2013  involved  ordinary  citizens  in  the  EU 
through  a  bottom-up  approach.  Since  around  45%  of  the  programme  budget  were  also 
devoted to  civil  society organisations, which could plausibly benefit from EU  funding from 
other  sources,  the  ex  post  evaluation  suggested  in  view  of  the  preparation  of  future  EU 
programmes or initiatives to concentrate on citizen-centric projects and to ensure that projects 
led by civil society organisations were comprised of strong citizen-centric components. 

6.4.  Efficiency 

Under the evaluation of the EFCP against the criterion of efficiency  (see evaluation questions 
regarding efficiency in chapter 4), the efficiency of each action and measure of the Europe for 
Citizens programme had to be assessed. In addition, the evaluators had to answer the question 
whether the budget of the programme was sufficient to reach a critical mass and to have the 
necessary impact to reach its objectives. They had to evaluate the contribution of the Europe 
for Citizens Contact Points and the Structured Dialogue to the efficiency of the programme.  

16 

 
 
The ex post evaluation came to the conclusion that diversity and complexity of the EFCP did 
not  allow  for  simple  comparisons  between  the  cost-effectiveness  of  the  various  actions  and 
measures. Costs per participant varied considerably between actions and measures, with civil 
society  projects  and  remembrance  projects  reaching  greater  numbers  of  people  for  less 
funding than town twinning meetings or in particular networks of twinned towns.  

The efficiency of individual projects varied. In general, good quality projects provided better 
value for money. The evaluation also noted the potential for a greater proportion of the budget 
to  be  allocated  towards  citizen-led  projects,  in  particular  in  the  area  of  town-twinning  and 
Active  European  Remembrance  and  by  taking  steps  to  ensure  that  funding  aimed  at  civil 
society organisations involves citizens directly.   

Turning  to  the  achievements  at  European  and  national  levels,  the  scale  of  the  issues  falling 
within the programme’s scope was immense, particularly in light of its relatively small budget 
(215  million  EUR  for  seven  years)  and  the  diverse  social  and  cultural  factors  affecting 
citizenship and civic engagement. These factors range from those that are completely outside 
the  EFCP’s  control,  such  as  the  demographic  and  social  conditions    influencing  an 
individual’s patterns of civic and political engagement and participation, to family, education, 
media and the discourse at work and other social fora. In addition, the political and societal 
context  under  which  the  programme  operated  between  2007  and  2013  was  complex.  The 
evaluation  identified  two  main  factors  that  had  a  strong  impact  on  civic  participation  and 
perceptions  of  the  EU  during  the  programme  period  2007-2013,  namely  the  Member  State 
accession process and the increase in Euroscepticism in recent years. 

  First,  the  accession  of  12  Member  States,  mostly  in  Central  and  Eastern  Europe, 
between  2004  and  2007  presented  new  challenges  to  European  integration.  The  EU 
enlargement also implied the inclusion of additional cultures, traditions and heritage. 
This  brought  to  the  fore  the  need  to  ascertain  a  shared  understanding  of  European 
culture and values across the 28 countries of the enlarged EU. 

  Secondly, during the period of the 2007-2013 EFCP, the EU underwent an economic 
crisis that influenced citizens' perception of the European Institutions and at the same 
time  moved  the  European  and  national  policy  agenda  towards  measures  to  foster 
economic  recovery,  growth  and  tackling  unemployment  while  offering  limited 
opportunities for citizens to participate in the construction of Europe. 

In  this  context  the  EFCP  was  one  of  the  few  programmes  that  offered  opportunities  for 
ordinary European citizens of all backgrounds to exchange and to learn about and experience 
the common values, history and culture of the European Union.  

Leading from this, the ex post evaluation suggested to put a greater strategic focus on citizens 
as target audience and on specific types of actions for which the EFCP is the only programme 
offering  funding  opportunities,  in  particular  town-twinning  projects  and  Active  European 
remembrance  projects.  In  addition,  it  recommended  to  increase  guidance  for  applicants  and 
beneficiaries to increase the ability of the EFCP to provide value for money.  

6.5. 

Sustainability  

Under  the  ex  post  evaluation  of  the EFCP  Programme  against  the  criterion  of  sustainability  
(see evaluation questions regarding sustainability in chapter 4), it had to be assessed to what 

17 

 
 
extent  the  various  actions  and  measures  of  the  Europe  for  Citizens  Programme  have  been 
successful in creating lasting effects with regard to its objectives. In addition, the question had 
to  be  explored  to  which  extent  the  Europe  for  Citizens  Programme  had  an  impact  on  EU 
policies and on national policy or had triggered policy initiatives. 

The  ex  post  evaluation  showed  that  the  EFCP  2007-2013  made  a  real,  but  unquantifiable 
contribution  to  its  objectives.  In  the  presence  of  key  success  factors,  particularly  credible 
plans  for  follow-up  action,  individual  projects  led  to  sustainable  outcomes  at  the  local  and 
organisational levels.  

With  regard  to  the  higher-level  objectives,  successful  projects  were  able  to  foster  lasting 
cooperation among civil society organisations and helped preserving the memory of Europe’s 
past.  

Town-Twinning project example: Volunteerig for Europe EUR-VOL 

During  the  European  Year  of  Volunteering  2011,  the  city  of  Trogir  (Croatia)  welcomed 
delegates  from  seven  European  partner  towns  for  a  four-day  event  addressing  the  value  of 
voluntary activities with the aim to raise public awareness, involvement and understanding of 
the  contribution  that  volunteering  organsiations  make  to  society.  This  conference  paved  the 
way  for the creation of new cooperation networks and common volunteering actions in the 
areas  of  environment,  art  and  language  learning.  At  the  end  of  the  conference,  the 
representatives of the towns signed an official cooperation memorandum. 

Active European Remembrance project example: Train of Remembrance 

The  Train  of  Remembrance  was  a  project  commemorating  children  and  young  people  from 
many  European  countries  deported  to  concentration  and  extermination  camps  during  the 
Second World War. The exhibition, held within real train carriages drawn by a steam engine, 
displayed the biographies of young victims from eight European countries. It payed tribute to 
the aid provided by allied anti-Nazi forces saving the life of thousands of children and young 
people. The train visited over 100 railway stations attracting 380 000 visitors. The exhibition 
drew attention to a particular aspect of the Holocaust, i.e. the deportation and extermination of 
children  and  young  people  and  brought  it  to  the  attention  of  large  numbers  of  European 
citizens of today. 

The  EFCP  was  able  to  influence  the  town  twinning  movement,  European  civil  society 
organisations and remembrance organisations in various ways. Regarding town twinning, the 
programme  has  encouraged  potential  beneficiaries  to  think  in  more  thematic,  policy-related 
ways, with a focus on annual programming priorities and important contextual issues that go 
beyond  cultural  exchange.  Networks  of  twinned  towns  have  increased  the  long-term 
cooperation  between  beneficiaries  due  to  the  relatively  large  grants  and  long  duration  of 
projects.  With  regard  to  civil  society,  operating  grants  helped  keep  attention  on  particularly 
relevant  issues,  ensure  independent  voices  for  EU-level  debates  and  cultivate  expertise, 
though  the  long-term  nature  of  the  funding  also  created  considerable  dependence  among 
beneficiaries.  Civil  society  projects  were  completely  different  and  encouraged  organisations 
to  form  partnerships  with  counterparts  in  other  Member  States,  building  their  capacity  and 

18 

 
 
 
 
international  experience  and,  in  some  cases,  forming  sustainable  networks.  Remembrance 
organisations benefited from the impartial nature of a funder such as the Commission, which 
facilitated the free exchange of ideas on sensitive topics and encouraged innovative practices 
to unite Europeans around potentially difficult subjects.  

7. 

CONCLUSIONS 

The  ex  post  evaluation  of  the  Europe  for  Citizens  Progamme  2007-2013  confirmed  the 
importance of the EFCP for the promotion of  civic participation, strengthening  the sense of 
belonging together and mutual understanding. The programme gave approximately 7 million 
European  citizens  and  their  organisations  the  opportunity  to  interact  and  participate  in  the 
process  of  European  construction,  to  express  their  opinions  and  to  feed  into  the  political 
process. It connected people and local communities from different countries.  

The  evaluation  showed  that  the  demand  for  the  programme  was  strong  and  that  the 
programme budget was below levels of demand. The evaluation also highlighted the scope for 
further development. 

Overall, the instrument played a positive role in fostering civic participation and democratic 
engagement  of  citizens  reaching  out  to  a  large  number  of  citizens  who  without  the  EFCP 
would  not  have  been  engaged  with  the  European  project.    The  EFCP  was  relevant  to  the 
identified  needs  and  efficient  and  effective  in  achieving  its  objectives  even  though  the 
efficiency varied depending of the quality of individual projects. The programme clearly had 
an  impact,  its  sustainability  however  was  undermined  in  some  areas  by  the  low  level  of 
funding. 

The  interim  evaluation  of  the  successor  programme  Europe  for  Citizens  2014-2020  due  in 
December 2017 will be used to verify in how far the evaluation recommendations of this ex 
post evaluation report have been followed. 

19 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Annex 1: 

 Procedural information concerning the process to prepare the evaluation 

Legal basis: 

  Article  14(3) (c) of Decision N° 1904/2006/EC of the European Parliament  and the 
Council of 12 December 2006 establishing for the period 2007-2013 the programme 
'Europe  for  Citizens'  to  promote  active  European  citizenship,  OJ  L 378,  27.12.2006, 
p. 32. 

Purpose: 

The purpose of the ex post evaluation was: 

  To assess the results  and measures of  the Europe for Citizens programme 2007-2013 

compared to its objectives; 

  To assess qualitative and quantitative aspects of the implementation of the 

programme; 

  To provide examples of good practice and successful model projects under each action 

of the programme. 

  To provide recommendations on how to further develop the Europe for Citizens 

Programme as an instrument for the development of a European Citizenship Policy. 

Scope of the evaluation: 

The scope of the ex post evaluation was limited given the fact that a number of surveys and 
studies  on  the  measurement  of  the  programme's  impact  and  the  development  of  impact 
indicators had taken place under EFCP 2007-2013. A quantitative report on the activities of 
the Europe for Citizens Programme was prepared by the Executive Agency in 2014. 

Lead DGs: 

  DG  COMM  (2014):  preparation  of  terms  of  references  for  external  ex  post 
evaluation,  request  of  services  within  an  existing  framework  contract  of  DG 
Communication,  signature  of  contract  with  external  company  (Coffey  International 
and Deloitte) 

  DG HOME (2015):  

o  supervision  of  the  external  ex  post  evaluation  carried  out  by  Coffey 

International, inception phase, interim report and final report, 

o  preparation of the report from the Commission to the European Parliament, the 
European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions 
on  the  implementation,  results  and  overall  assessment  of  the  Europe  for 
Citizens Programme 2007-2013, 

o  preparation  of  the  present  staff  working  document:  Report  on  the  ex  post 

evaluation of the Europe for Citizens programme 2007-2013. 

20 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Organisation and timing of the ex post evaluation: 

Important steps of the ex post evaluation EFCP 2007-2013 

Steering Group set up  
Validation of ToR 
Signature of external contract 
Kick off meeting with Coffey International 
Inception report approved 
Interim report approved 
Final Report approved 
Dissemination plan 
Draft Communication finalised 
ISC launched (for draft Communication) 
Deadline for report to Parliament/Council 

Previous evaluations: 

17/07/2014 
September 2014 
17/10/2014 
07/11/2014 
18/01/2015 
17/04/2015 
28/09/2015 
Not applicable 
22/10/2015 
Objective: 16/10/2015 
31/12/2015 

  An  ex  ante  evaluation  including  an  impact  assessment  was  carried  out.  The 
evaluation  report  was  annexed  as  staff  document  to  the  Commission  proposal  for 
the Europe for Citizens Programme5. 

  An  interim  evaluation  was  done  to  assess  the  results  obtained  by  the  programme 

between 2007 and 20096.    

Reports and studies: 

The following surveys and studies linked to evaluation were realised under the Europe for 
Citizens programme 2007-2013:  

  Survey to contribute to the development of a system of measuring the annual impact 

of activities supported by the Europe for Citizens programme (2008); 

  Europe  for  Citizens  Survey  2009  -  Developing  impact  indicators  for  the  Europe  for 
Citizens programme and adapting them to the 2009 Annual Management Plan (2009); 

  Study  on  measuring  the  impact  of  the  Europe  for  Citizens  Programme  2007-2013 

(2013)7; 

5 Commission staff working document, annex to the Commission proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of 
the Council establishing for the period 2007-2013 the programme "Citizens for Europe" to promote active European 
citizenship of 6.04.2005, doc. COM (2005) 116 final. 

6 Report from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and 
the Committee of the Regions on the mid-term evaluation of the Europe for Citizens Programme 2007-2013 of 1.03.2011, 
doc. COM (2011) 83 final. 

21 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                            
  Activity Report Europe for Citizens 2007-2013: "Results 2007-2013" provided by the 

Executive Agency EACEA (2014). 

In  order  to  provide  a  better  understanding  of  active  citizenship  at  European  level,  the 
European Commission carried out the following studies under Europe for Citizens 2007-2013:  

  Volunteering in the European Union, GHK (2010)8; 

  Study  on  Maximising  the  Potential  of  Mobility  in  Building  European  Identity  and 

Promoting Civic Participation, Ecorys (2011)9; 

  Participatory  Citizenship  in  the  European  Union,  Bryony  Hoskins  and  David  Kerr, 

University of Southampton, (2012)10; 

  Measuring  the  Impact  of  the  'Europe  for  Citizens'  programme,  Public  Policy  and 

Management Institute and Euréval (2013). 

7 http://ec.europa.eu/citizenship/news-events/news/11072013_studyefc_en.htm 

8 http://ec.europa.eu/citizenship/pdf/doc1018_en.pdf 

9 http://ec.europa.eu/citizenship/europe-for-citizens-programme/studies/index_en.htm 

10 http://ec.europa.eu/citizenship/europe-for-citizens-programme/studies/index_en.htm 

22