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“IPARD Programme 2007-2013” Ex-post Evaluation of the IPARD Programme 2007-2013 of the Republic of North Macedonia FINAL REPORT This project is funded by Evaluation is performed by the European Commission Project Planning & Management Ltd EX-POST EVALUATION OF IPARD PROGRAMME 2007- 2013 REPUBLIC OF NORTH MACEDONIA Contract No. IPARDMA/03/2018 FINAL REPORT / Version 2/ Date: 22/06/2020 DISCLAIMER This report has been prepared with the financial assistance of the European Commission. The views expressed herein are those of the consultants and therefore in no way reflect the official opinion of the European Commission. Authors of the Report: Project Planning and Management Ltd. - Senior Local Expert Quality assurance: Project Planning and Management Ltd. Contractor name and address: Project Planning and Management Ltd. 98A Kniaz Boris I Str., Sofia, Bulgaria Phone: +359 2 953 3567 / Fax: +359 2 905 8810 e-mail: [email protected] 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS ...................................................................................................................................... 2 LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................................................ 5 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ................................................................................................................................. 8 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................... 10 Recommendations ............................................................................................................................................ 18 2. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................... 21 Purpose of the report ........................................................................................................................................ 21 3. THE EVALUATION CONTEXT ..................................................................................................................... 23 3.1 Economic Context ....................................................................................................................................... 23 3.2 Policy Background....................................................................................................................................... 25 3.3 Legal context ............................................................................................................................................... 27 3.4 Description of the evaluation process: Recapitulation of the terms of reference, purpose and scope of the evaluation .......................................................................................................................................................... 27 3.5 Brief outline of previous evaluations related to the programme ......................................................... 28 3.6 Supplementary instruments of international support ......................................................................... 29 4. METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH ............................................................................................................... 31 4.1 Explanation of the evaluation design and the methods used ............................................................ 31 4.2 Description of key evaluation criteria ................................................................................................. 32 4.3 Source of data used for the evaluation .............................................................................................. 32 4.4 Limitations in the Applied Methodology ....................................................................................................... 34 5. DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAMME, MEASURES AND BUDGET ................................................................. 36 5.1 General background .......................................................................................................................... 36 5.2 Composition of the programme, description of priorities and measures and budget ......................... 37 5.3 Institutional framework ...................................................................................................................... 40 5.4 Review of the Accreditation Process ................................................................................................. 51 5.5 Timeliness of the implementation process ........................................................................................ 55 5.6 Approval-Rejection Process .............................................................................................................. 60 5.6 Analysis of the Intervention Logic of individual measures ........................................................................... 63 5.6.1 Measure 101 - Investments in Farms for Purpose of restructuring and achievement of Community standards ....................................................................................................................................... 63 2 5.6.2 Measure 103 - Investments in processing and marketing of agricultural and fishery products for the purpose of restructuring these activities and achieving them within community standards ......................... 92 5.6.3 Measure 302 - Diversification and development of rural economic activities ........................... 111 5.6.4 Measure 501 - Technical Assistance ....................................................................................... 131 6. ANSWERS TO EVALUATION QUESTIONS .............................................................................................. 139 6.1 Evaluation of Target Indicators - Completion and Responses ......................................................... 139 6.2 Answers to Examination Issues at Programme Level – Summary Findings .................................... 143 6.3 Questions related to institutions involved in the management of IPARD programme ...................... 147 7. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................................................................... 150 7.1 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................................... 150 7.2 Recommendations .......................................................................................................................... 154 7.2.1 Recommendations for the selection process .......................................................................................... 154 7.2.2 Recommendations for a more integrated approach of the stakeholders ................................................ 154 7.2.3 Additional recommendation .................................................................................................................... 155 ANNEXES ....................................................................................................................................................... 156 ANNEX 1 Survey Analyses. Successful Beneficiaries ..................................................................................... 157 Summary of general data ................................................................................................................................ 158 Survey findings for MEASURE 101: ................................................................................................................ 161 Survey findings from Measure 103 .................................................................................................................. 165 Survey findings Measure 302 .......................................................................................................................... 166 ANNEX 2. Survey analyses: Rejected IPARD applicants ................................................................................ 167 ANNEX 3. Stakeholder lists interviewed in the process of the ex-post evaluation.......................................... 172 Beneficiaries of the Programme ...................................................................................................................... 172 Rejected applicants of the Programme Interviewed during the evaluation process. ........................................ 181 Measure 101 ................................................................................................................................................... 181 Measure 103 ................................................................................................................................................... 201 Measure 302 ................................................................................................................................................... 203 Representatives of Institutional Stakeholders Interviewed .............................................................................. 206 ANNEX 4. Consolidated Survey results .......................................................................................................... 207 APPROVED APPLICATIONS ......................................................................................................................... 207 Measure 101 ..................................................................................................................................................
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