EU-wide agreement that each country planning its use of the EU structural funds must cooperate and consult with the representatives of the civil society, business, employers and employees, has been reached long ago. It is acknowledged that organisations, representing interests of the various groups of society and business, are well aware of the most pertinent issues and the real needs of the society members. What is more, based on their experience these organisations can propose new and effective ways to solve the issues and meet the needs of the society members, ensuring that EU structural funds are invested where it is needed the most and where it could make the most significant impact.
In order to find out and evaluate how organisations representing various society groups are involved in the partnership process and how often the voice of the society is heard out during the planning and implementation of the EU structural funds in Lithuania, as well as how this involvement of partner organisations could be improved, research and consulting company BGI Consulting carried out the Evaluation of the Implementation of the Partnership Principle, commissioned by the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Lithuania.
A wide range of research methods were applied in the evaluation – analysis of primary and secondary sources, internet-based questionnaire-type surveys of the partnership stakeholders, semi-structured interviews, analysis of other EU member states’ experience and best practices in Lithuania, focus group discussions. Large number of representatives of partner organisations as well as of the ministries responsible for the implementation of the EU structural funds were involved in the evaluation activities.
The evaluation revealed that organisations representing civil society, business, employers and employees are extensively involved in the management processes of the 2014–2020 OP. Partners are involved in all stages of the 2014–2020 OP implementation – planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. Ministries, engaging in the partnership processes, acknowledge the benefit of the involvement of the representatives of various society groups and consult with them frequently, not limiting their partnership practices to the mandatory requirements established in national and EU-level legislation. Partners participate in the management and implementation of the 2014–2020 OP both by providing remarks in a written form and by participating in meetings with representatives of public sector institutions. Closer cooperation with partners is constantly and actively promoted by the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Lithuania. Increased attention to the partnership and its promotion is also demonstrated by changes in the partnership regulations, new methodological documents released.
However, partnership processes are not of sufficient quality and not consistent enough. Agreements among ministries as to how the cooperation with organisations representing the interests of society, business, employers and employees should be implemented are lacking, different partnership and consultation practices are applied, the evaluation has revealed certain shortcomings of the partnership processes.
The results of the evaluation were presented on 15th June 2017 during the meeting of the 2014–2020 EU structural funds investments OP Monitoring Committee.
The final report of the evaluation, as well as its summary and publication of the main results can be accessed here.