Guide to Cost-Benefit Analysis of Investment Projects Economic Appraisal Tool for Cohesion Policy 2014-2020

Guide to Cost-Benefit Analysis of Investment Projects Economic appraisal tool for Cohesion Policy 2014-2020

December 2014

Regional and Urban Policy Europe Direct is a service to help you find answers to your questions about the European Union.

Freephone number (*): 00 800 6 7 8 9 10 11

(*) The information given is free, as are most calls (though some operators, phone boxes or hotels may charge you).

EUROPEAN COMMISSION Directorate-General for Regional and Urban policy REGIO DG 02 - Communication Mrs Ana-Paula Laissy Avenue de Beaulieu 1 1160 Brussels BELGIUM

E-mail: [email protected] Internet: http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/index_en.cfm

More information on the European Union is available on the Internet (http://europa.eu). Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2015

ISBN 978-92-79-34796-2 doi:10.2776/97516

Printed in Italy

Printed on elemental chlorine-free bleached paper (ECF) Guide to Cost-Benefit Analysis of Investment Projects Economic appraisal tool for Cohesion Policy 2014-2020

European Commission Directorate-General for Regional and Urban policy 2 GUIDE TO COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS OF INVESTMENT PROJECTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND DISCLAIMER Authors: Davide Sartori (Centre for Industrial Studies [CSIL]), Lead author; Gelsomina Catalano, Mario Genco, Chiara Pancotti, Emanuela Sirtori, Silvia Vignetti (CSIL); Chiara Del Bo (Universitá degli Studi di Milano).

Academic Panel Review: Massimo Florio (Universitá degli Studi di Milano), Panel Coordinator; Per-Olov Johansson (Stockholm School of Economics), Susana Mourato (London School of Economics & Political Science), Arnold Picot (Ludwig- Maximilians-Universität, Munich), Mateu Turró (Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya).

Technical advisory: JASPERS acted as technical advisor to DG REGIO for the preparation of this Guide, with a focus on the practical issues related to the CBA of major infrastructure projects. In particular, besides peer reviewing the early drafts of the Guide, JASPERS contributed by highlighting best practice and common mistakes in carrying out CBA as well as with the design and development of the seven case studies included in the Guide. The JASPERS team was composed of experts in all sectors covered by the Guide. It was led by Christian Schempp and Francesco Angelini and included Patrizia Fagiani, Joanna Knast-Braczkowska, Marko Kristl, Massimo Marra, Tudor Radu, Paul Riley, Robert Swerdlow, Dorothee Teichmann, Ken Valentine and Elisabet Vila Jorda.

The authors gratefully acknowledges very helpful comments by Witold Willak, Head of Sector, G.1 Major Project Team, the European Commission Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy, who has been in charge of the management of the service, by Mateusz Kujawa, European Commission Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy, by the members of the Academic Panel Review, by experts from JASPERS and the European Investment Bank (EIB), as well as participants in the Steering Committee meetings including desk officers from the European Commission Directorates-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology, for Climate Action, for the Environment, for Energy, for Mobility and Transport, for Regional and Urban Policy and for Research and Innovation.

In some cases, constraints of space, of time, or scope of the Guide have limited the possibility by the authors to fully include all the suggested changes to earlier drafts. The usual disclaimer applies and the authors are responsible for any remaining omissions or errors.

The European Commission and the authors accept no responsibility or liability whatsoever with regard to this text. This material is:

• information of general nature which is not intended to address the specific circumstances of any particular individual or entity;

• not necessarily comprehensive, accurate or up to date. It is not meant to offer professional or legal advice.

Reproduction or translation is permitted, provided that the source is duly acknowledged and no modifications to the text are made.

Quotation is authorised as long as the source is acknowledged along with the fact that the results are provisional. GUIDE TO COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS OF INVESTMENT PROJECTS 3

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS BAU Business As Usual CBA Cost-Benefit Analysis CF Conversion Factor DCF Discounted Cash Flow EC European Commission EIA Environmental Impact Assessment EIB European Investment Bank ENPV Economic Net Present Value ERDF European Regional Development Fund ERR Economic Rate of Return ESI European and Structural Investment EU European Union FDR Financial Discount Rate FNPV Financial Net Present Value FRR(C) Financial Rate of Return of the Investment FRR(K) Financial Rate of Return on National Capital GDP Gross Domestic Product GHG Green House Gas IWS Integrated Water Supply LRMC Long Run Marginal Cost MCA Multi-Criteria Analysis NACE Statistical classification of economic activities MS Member State OP Operational Programme O&M Operation & Maintenance PPP Public-Private Partnership QALY Quality-Adjusted Life Year SCF Standard Conversion Factor SDR Social Discount Rate STPR Social Time Preference Rate VAT Value Added Tax VOSL Value of Statistical Life VOT Value of Time WTP Willingness-to-pay WTA Willingness-to-accept WWTP Waste Water Treatment Plant

GUIDE TO COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS OF INVESTMENT PROJECTS 5

Table of Contents

Foreword 11

Introduction 13

1. CBA in the framework of the EU funds 15 1.1 Introduction ��15 1.2 Definition and scope of ‘Major projects’ ��15 1.3 Information required, roles and responsibility for the appraisal ��17 1.4 Consistency with recent policy developments ��21 2. General principles for carrying out cost benefit analysis 25 2.1 Introduction ��