Forschungsabteilung 1
Trans-Re-Co-Investigation - Evaluation of the Impact of the PHARE-CBC Poland-Germany Programmes / EU
Evaluation of the impact of the PHARE CBC Poland-Germany 1994-1999 programmes
An international research project funded by the European Commission under the framework of EuropeAid / 1112615
Duration: November 2002 to December 2003
The Issue
As of the EU enlargement in the next years, the EU intents to prepare the pre-accession countries by a number of different means and policy measures. The PHARE program (Technical Assistance to Public Administration Reform) is one of the three pre-accession instruments financed by the European Communities to assist the applicant countries of Central Europe in their preparations for joining the European Union.
Within the PHARE program one can distinguish different types of the program according to different regions entitled. One of these types, namely PHARE CBC (Cross-Border-Co-operation) is concerned with the border regions between the accession countries and the EU 15, and based on a regulation of 1998, it now includes also the border regions between candidate countries. PHARE CBC was introduced in recognition of the specific problems faced by border regions. The objective is to promote co-operation between the border regions of Central and Eastern Europe and adjacent regions of the Community and other applicant countries of Central and Eastern Europe.
Similarly to other EU programs, also allocation of PHARE budgets, therefore including PHARE CBC, are ought to be evaluated. This is done within the PHARE assessment program. The overall aim of this assessment program is to enhance the effectiveness and impact of the PHARE program with respect to the overall European Union policy objectives of accession of the candidate countries. The main activity under the programme are evaluation studies, carried out by independent consultants. This project is part of these evaluation studies
The Project
This project aims specifically at the evaluation of PHARE CBC projects along the Polish-German border between 1994 and 1999. The evaluation does not only concern the relevance of different projects but their effectiveness and their efficiency, their utility for the target groups and the projects' sustainability. Apart of a pure ex-post analysis, it is aimed to convert this project's results to the benefit of future PHARE CBC programs and, after the Polish EU accession, of the following INTERREG programs.
For a comprehensive evaluation of PHARE CBC projects it is necessary to include corresponding INTERREG II activities during the respective period in the relevant German regions. Only by this comprehensive approach it is viable to take into account spill-over effects of PHARE CBC projects, which are to be included in the evaluation. The main task of the IRS is the collection of respective data on INTERREG II and other German co-operation partners and funds for PHARE CBC. Furthermore, the project group wants to conduct interviews with relevant local actors and intents to carry out a survey with a sample of the affected population (and for comparison reasons population in non-affected regions) on both sides of the Polish-German border. The IRS is responsible for interview and survey activities on the German side of the border, which may be conducted in one or more of the relevant four Euroregions, namely Pomerania, Viadriana, Spree-Neisse-Bober and Neisse.
Finally, cross-border analyses will be carried out in collaboration of the whole project group, aiming at policy recommendations for future structural policies in border regions.
water
treatment plant in Zielona Góra
Polish
German house in Gorzyca
Collegium
Polonicum
The Partnership
The project brings together partners with practical background and from different areas of research. The TRANS-RE-CO-INVESTIGATION Consortium consists of the following institutions:
- European Institute for Regional and Local Development, Warsaw University (EUROREG) - Poland - Coordinator
- Institute for Regional Development and Structural Planning (IRS) - Germany
- European Policies Research Centre, University of Strathclyde (EPRC) - UK
- Polish-German Business Development Agency in Gorzów Wlkp. (TWG) - Poland
Contact at the IRS:
Dr. Sabine Zillmer
Phone +49-3362/793-186
e-mail: zillmers_at_irs-net.de
