EuropeAid’s evaluation and results-oriented monitoring systems do not provide adequate information on EU development expenditure results
Two of the key elements of the accountability framework operated by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Development and Cooperation (EuropeAid) are its evaluation and results-oriented monitoring (ROM) systems. In its special report published today, the European Court of Auditors (ECA) is critical of the reliability of these systems.
Karel Pinxten, the ECA Member responsible for this report, said: “The demand for accountability for EU expenditure in all fields has never been higher. It is not good enough to report achievements in vague global terms. The Commission needs to have the building blocks necessary for a comprehensive reporting system which provides meaningful information for its own management and for its external stakeholders. One of these components is a strong evaluation system which feeds into an overall reporting process. At the present time, EuropeAid’s system is inadequate.”
The detailed recommendations in the report are intended to pave the way for the necessary improvements. Given the considerable sums involved, with annual development expenditure in the region of 8 billion euro, it is imperative that robust evaluation systems are implemented without delay.
Special Report n° 18/2014: EuropeAid’s evaluation and results-oriented monitoring systems
11/12/2014