With the aim of improving EU structural assistance use and properly preparing for the 2014 – 2020 programming period, volume and effectiveness of assistance of the 2007 – 2013 Operational programmes for Lithuania's cities and small towns, as well as its impact on the social and economic development of the latter, was evaluated.
The focus of the evaluation is 35 measures of the 2007 – 2013 Operational Programmes, which have an impact on the development of cities and small towns. These measures were provided by three operational programmes (Human Resource Development Operational Programme, Economic Growth Operational Programme and the Operational Programme for Promotion of Cohesion). The impact of the investments in accordance with these measures was analysed on the basis of 51 residential areas: major cities, regional growth centres, cities of problematic territories as well as other cities and small towns.
While evaluating EU structural assistance investments relevance and sufficiency, the quality of life model was used. It subsumed the cumulative social, economic and environmental indices characterizing the residential environment. Based on this model, an individual qualify of life index (QLI), according to the data of 2008, was formed for each of 51 analysed residential areas. Relevance and sufficiency of investments was, in turn, evaluated by comparing QLI of specific residential areas and volumes, as well as proportions, of investments to various development areas.
Different quantitative and qualitative methods were used for the evaluation. The macroeconomic modelling based on baseline scenario (counterfactual situation) was applied assessing the impacts of the investment. A widely appreciated model HERMIN, which is applied in the studies for the European Parliament and European Commission, was used. Alongside macroeconomic modelling, 4 case studies, analysing standard investments to local and urban development, were carried out. They integrate the cost-benefit analysis and might be considered as an example of good practice.
Recommendations regarding the future allocation of EU structural assistance investments and implementation of urban development programmes are introduced.
The evaluation was commissioned by The Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Lithuania. The evaluation summary in English is available online.