Commission Regulation (EC) No 1580/2007 (repealed)Show full title

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

Article 126 Common set of performance indicators

1. Both the national strategies and the operational programmes shall be subject to monitoring and evaluation aimed at assessing the progress made towards achieving the objectives set for operational programmes, as well as efficiency and effectiveness in relation to those objectives.

2. Progress, efficiency and effectiveness shall be assessed by means of a common set of performance indicators relating to the baseline situation as well as to the financial execution, outputs, results and impact of the operational programmes implemented.

3. The common set of performance indicators are listed in Annex XIV to this Regulation.

4. Where deemed appropriate by a Member State, the national strategy shall specify a limited set of additional indicators specific to that strategy, reflecting national and/or regional needs, conditions and objectives specific to the operational programmes implemented by producer organisations. Where available, additional indicators concerning environmental objectives which are not covered by common performance indicators shall be included.

Article 127 Monitoring and evaluation procedures in relation to operational programmes

1. Producer organisations shall ensure the monitoring and evaluation of their operational programmes by making use of relevant indicators among the common set of performance indicators referred to in Article 126 and, where appropriate, of the additional indicators specified in the national strategy.

To this end they shall establish a system to collect, record and maintain information useful for the compilation of those indicators.

2. Monitoring shall be aimed at assessing the progress made towards achieving the specific targets that have been set for the operational programme. It shall be carried out by means of financial, output and result indicators. The results of the exercise are intended to serve:

(a) to verify the quality of programme implementation;

(b) to identify any need for adjustments or review of the operational programme aimed at achieving the goals set for the programme or at improving the management of the programme, including its financial management;

(c) to contribute to meeting reporting requirements concerning the implementation of the operational programme.

Information concerning the results of the monitoring activities shall be included in each annual report, as referred to in Article 98(1), which the producer organisation is required to transmit to the National Authority in charge of the management of the national strategy.

3. Evaluation shall take the form of a separate mid-term evaluation report.

The mid-term evaluation exercise, which may be carried out with the aid of a specialised consultancy office, shall be aimed at examining the degree of utilisation of financial resources, the efficiency and the effectiveness of the operational programme, and assessing the progress made in relation to the overall objectives of the programme. To this end, use shall be made of common indicators relating to the baseline situation, results and, where appropriate, impacts.

Where relevant, the mid-term evaluation exercise shall include a qualitative assessment of the results and the impact of the environmental actions aimed at:

(a) the prevention of soil erosion;

(b) a reduction in the use of and/or better management of plant protection products;

(c) the protection of habitats and biodiversity; or

(d) landscape conservation.

The results of the exercise shall be used:

(a) to improve the quality of the operational programmes managed by the producer organisation;

(b) to identify any need for substantive change of the operational programme;

(c) to contribute to meeting reporting requirements concerning the implementation of the operational programmes; and

(d) to draw lessons useful in improving the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of future operational programmes managed by the producer organisation.

The mid-term evaluation exercise shall be carried out during the implementation of the operational programme, in time for allowing the results of the evaluation to be considered in the preparation of the subsequent operational programme.

The mid-term evaluation report shall be annexed to the corresponding annual report referred to in Article 98(1).

Article 128 Monitoring 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.