Meta-study on lessons from existing evaluations as an input to the Review of EU spending

The purpose of the study was to synthesise useful information from existing evaluations by answering two main questions: (1) How relevant, effective, efficient and sustainable were the Community funded programmes and policies under the 2000-2006 Financial Perspectives? (2) What lessons learned are relevant to the review of EU spending?

The study dealt with 1,000 evaluations reports. A sample of 250 evaluation reports was built according to their value regarding the evaluation, and analysed through classical evaluation criteria and key efficiency factors. Finally, the study concluded with an assessment of EU spending per sector regarding classical evaluation criteria and synthesised the lessons drawn by the analysis of the evaluation reports