Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) Mid Term Evaluation of the INTERREG IVA Programme Final Report October 2013 SEUPB Mid Term Evaluation of INTERREG IVA Final Report October 2013 Table of Contents 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 TERMS OF REFERENCE AND STUDY APPROACH ...................................................................... 2 1.3 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ................................................................................. 5 2 INTRODUCTION & BACKGROUND ............................................................................................ 12 2.1 INTRODUCTION/SCOPE OF THIS REPORT ................................................................................ 12 2.2 TERMS OF REFERENCE ............................................................................................................... 12 2.3 PROGRAMME BACKGROUND ...................................................................................................... 13 2.4 CHANGES IN DELIVERY STRUCTURES/PROCESSES FROM THE LAST PROGRAMME ........ 24 2.5 EVALUATION METHODOLOGY AND REPORT STRUCTURE ..................................................... 25 3 STRATEGIC CONTEXT ............................................................................................................... 30 3.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................. 30 3.2 REVIEW OF EXISTING KEY NATIONAL AND REGIONAL STRATEGIES .................................... 30 3.3 SOCIO ECONOMIC REVIEW ......................................................................................................... 31 3.4 EMERGING EU STRATEGY/POLICY ............................................................................................ 43 3.5 SUMMARY ...................................................................................................................................... 45 4 REVIEW OF FINANCIAL PROGRESS ........................................................................................ 47 4.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................. 47 4.2 ANALYSIS OF APPLICATIONS AND APPROVALS ....................................................................... 47 4.3 ACHIEVEMENT OF N+2 ................................................................................................................. 54 4.4 SUMMARY ...................................................................................................................................... 55 5 REVIEW OF PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT ......................................................................... 57 5.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................. 57 5.2 PROCESS OF PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT ......................................................................... 57 5.3 REVIEW OF PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT ............................................................................. 58 5.4 PRIORITY 1 THEME 1 – ENTERPRISE ......................................................................................... 60 5.5 PRIORITY 1 THEME 2 – TOURISM ............................................................................................... 65 5.6 PRIORITY 2 THEME 1 - COLLABORATION .................................................................................. 67 5.7 PRIORITY 2 THEME 2 – INFRASTRUCTURE ............................................................................... 70 5.8 CROSS CUTTING THEMES ........................................................................................................... 74 5.9 SUMMARY ...................................................................................................................................... 76 Table of Contents SEUPB Mid Term Evaluation of INTERREG IVA Final Report October 2013 6 BENCHMARKING ........................................................................................................................ 80 6.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................. 80 6.2 THE IRELAND/WALES INTERREG IVA PROGRAMME ................................................................ 81 6.3 THE LOWLANDS AND UPLANDS SCOTLAND ERDF PROGRAMME .......................................... 84 6.4 THE 2007-13 NORTH EAST ERDF PROGRAMME ....................................................................... 87 6.5 KEY OBSERVATIONS .................................................................................................................... 90 6.6 CONCLUDING REMARKS ............................................................................................................. 93 7 CONSULTATION FINDINGS........................................................................................................ 94 7.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................. 94 7.2 PROGRAMME NEED ..................................................................................................................... 94 7.3 SUPPORT PROVIDED ................................................................................................................... 95 7.4 MONITORING, EVALUATION AND PUBLICITY ............................................................................ 95 7.5 PROGRAMME BENEFIT AND SUSTAINABILITY .......................................................................... 96 7.6 FUTURE PROJECT / PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT ................................................................. 97 8 CASE STUDIES ............................................................................................................................ 98 8.1 OVERVIEW ..................................................................................................................................... 98 8.2 KEY FINDINGS ............................................................................................................................. 102 8.3 CONCLUDING REMARKS ........................................................................................................... 107 9 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS .......................................................................... 109 9.1 EFFECTIVENESS IN ACHIEVING TARGETS /INDICATORS CONCLUSIONS .......................... 109 9.2 EFFICIENCY & EFFECTIVENESS OF PROGRAMME ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS ............ 112 9.3 KEY RISKS ................................................................................................................................... 118 9.4 ASSESSMENT OF PROGRAMME EFFICIENCY, EFFECTIVENESS AND IMPACT .................. 119 9.5 FUTURE DIRECTION OF THE PROGRAMME ............................................................................ 119 Appendices APPENDIX I: STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION LIST & DISCUSSION GUIDE APPENDIX II: DETAILED ANALYSIS OF THEMATIC SPEND APPENDIX III: CASE STUDIES APPENDIX IV: AMENDED ASSESSMENT PROCESS APPENDIX V: ANALYSIS OF MAP’S APPENDIX VI: EMERGING EU STRATEGY APPENDIX VII: CONSULTATION RESPONSES Table of Contents SEUPB Mid Term Evaluation of INTERREG IVA Final Report October 2013 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.1 Introduction In January 2013, RSM McClure Watters were appointed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) to undertake a mid-term evaluation study of the INTERREG IVA Programme (INTERREG IVA or the Programme) for Northern Ireland, the Border Region of Ireland and Western Scotland. A summary of the INTERREG IVA Programme is provided below, highlighting it has been allocated €256 million “To support strategic cross-border co-operation for a more prosperous and sustainable region” and that it is structured across 2 priorities (plus a programme of technical assistance) and 4 themes. Table 1.1: Summary of INTERREG IVA Objective To support strategic cross-border co-operation for a more prosperous and sustainable region Total Funding (€m) €256 of which ERDF €192 Priorities Co-operation for a more prosperous cross-border region Co-operation for a sustainable cross-border region Programme Technical Assistance Themes 1.1: Enterprise 1.2: Tourism 2.1: Collaboration 2.2: Infrastructure 3.1 Technical Assistance The INTERREG IVA Programme is structured in a considerably different way than the previous INTERREG IIIA Programme, which was implemented between 2000 and 2006. Key features of the previous INTERREG IIIA Programme compared to the existing INTERREG IVA Programme are detailed below: 1 SEUPB Mid Term Evaluation of INTERREG IVA Final Report October 2013 Table 1.2: Comparison between INTERREGIIIA and INTERREG IVA INTERREG IIIA INTERREG IVA The Programme was limited to the Border Programme includes West Coast of region of Ireland and Northern Ireland Scotland, Border Region of Ireland and Northern Ireland (excluding Belfast) Allocated funding of €183million Budget is €256million SEUPB Managing Authority SEUPB Managing Authority 22 Implementing Bodies 1 Implementing Body, SEUPB with a staff complement for 2 Programmes of 62 4 Priorities (including Technical Assistance) 3 Priorities (including Technical