TITLE IIIPRODUCER ORGANISATIONS

CHAPTER VGeneral Provisions

Section 4Monitoring and evaluation of operational programmes and of national strategies

Article 128Monitoring and evaluation procedures in relation to the national strategy

1.Monitoring and evaluation of the national strategy shall be carried out by using relevant indicators among the common set of performance indicators referred to in Article 126 and, where appropriate, additional indicators specified in the national strategy.

2.Member States shall establish a system to collect, record and maintain information in computerised form adequate for the purpose of compiling the indicators referred to in Article 126. To this end, they shall build on the information transmitted by the producer organisation in relation to the monitoring and the evaluation of their operational programmes.

3.Monitoring shall be on going and aimed at assessing the progress made towards achieving the objectives and the targets set for the operational programmes. It shall be carried out by means of financial, output and result indicators. To this end, use shall be made of the information provided in the annual progress reports transmitted by the producer organisation concerning the monitoring of their operational programmes. The results of the monitoring exercises shall be used:

(a)to verify the quality of the implementation of the operational programmes;

(b)to identify any need for adjustments or review of the national strategy aimed at achieving the goals set for the strategy or at improving the management of the strategy implementation, including the financial management of the operational programmes; and

(c)to contribute to meeting reporting requirements concerning the implementation of the national strategy.

4.Evaluation shall be aimed at assessing the progress made towards the overall objectives of the strategy. It shall be carried out by means of indicators relating to the baseline situation, results and, where appropriate, impact. To this end, use shall be made of the results of the monitoring and mid-term evaluation of the operational programmes as indicated in the annual progress reports and final reports transmitted by the producer organisations. The results of the evaluation exercises shall be used:

(a)to improve the quality of the strategy;

(b)to identify any need for substantive change of the strategy; and

(c)to contribute to meeting reporting requirements concerning the implementation of national strategy.

The evaluation shall include a evaluation exercise carried out in 2012, but in time to allow its results to be included in a separate evaluation report to be annexed, in the same year, to the annual national report referred to in Article 99(3). The report shall examine the degree of utilisation of financial resources, the efficiency and effectiveness of the operational programmes implemented, and assess the effects and impact of those programmes, in relation to the objectives, targets and goals set by the strategy and, where appropriate, other objectives set in Article 9(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1182/2007. It shall be aimed at drawing lessons useful in improving the quality of future national strategies, and in particular at identify possible shortcomings in the definition of objectives, targets or measures eligible for support, or needs for defining new instruments.