EVALUATION OF THE MAIN ACHIEVEMENTS OF COHESION POLICY PROGRAMMES AND PROJECTS OVER THE LONGER TERM IN 15 SELECTED REGIONS (FROM 1989-1993 PROGRAMMING PERIOD TO THE PRESENT) (2011.CE.16.B.AT.015) Case Study Norte (Portugal) Regina Salvador, Ricardo Simões and David Charles 19 September 2013 European Policies Research Centre University of Strathclyde Graham Hills Building 40 George Street Glasgow G1 1QE United Kingdom Tel: +44-141-548 3339 Fax: +44-141-548 4898 E-mail: [email protected] [email protected] http://www.eprc.strath.ac.uk/eprc/ The University of Strathclyde is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, number SC01526 Evaluation of the main achievements of Cohesion policy programmes and projects over the longer term in 15 selected regions: Norte (Portugal) Case Study PREFACE This report presents the case study for Norte Region of Portugal as part of the study ‘Evaluation of the Main Achievements of Cohesion Policy Programmes over the Longer Term in 15 Selected Regions (from 1989-1993 Programming Period to the Present)’ which is being managed by the European Policies Research Centre and London School of Economics. The authors would like to thank everyone who has participated in the study and provided valuable insights, including all interviewees, survey respondents, workshop participants and others who facilitated the research by providing information, contacts, data and documents. In particular, we would like to thank and acknowledge the suggestions, comments, data and logistical support received from Francisco Carballo Cruz, Eduarda Ferreira, José Lúcio and Paula Remoaldo. LSE i EPRC Evaluation of the main achievements of Cohesion policy programmes and projects over the longer term in 15 selected regions: Norte (Portugal) Case Study LSE ii EPRC Evaluation of the main achievements of Cohesion policy programmes and projects over the longer term in 15 selected regions: Norte (Portugal) Case Study Contents 1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................. 5 2. REGIONAL CONTEXT AND ANALYSIS OF NEEDS ........................................................... 9 3. PROGRAMME EVOLUTION AND RELEVANCE ............................................................. 17 3.1 Explicit and implicit strategies and their evolution .................................................. 17 3.1.1 1989-1993: The Formalisation of a Regional Policy in Portugal .............................. 17 3.1.2 1994-1999: Infrastructure and the Restructuring of Traditional Sectors ................... 20 3.1.3 2000-2006: A Geo-economic Approach ............................................................ 23 3.1.4 2007-2013: En Route Towards a Regional Policy ................................................. 26 3.2 Relevance of programmes to regional needs ......................................................... 27 4. EXPENDITURE ANALYSIS ..................................................................................... 33 4.1 Financial allocations ....................................................................................... 33 4.2 Expenditure compared with allocations ................................................................ 35 5. ACHIEVEMENT ANALYSIS ....................................................................................... 43 5.1 Reported & actual achievements ........................................................................ 43 5.1.1 Programme-level achievements .................................................................... 43 5.1.2 Analysis by theme ..................................................................................... 53 5.1.3 Institutional factors affecting achievements .................................................... 82 5.2 Complementarities and synergies ....................................................................... 84 5.2.1 Complementarity between ERDF-funded programmes ......................................... 84 5.2.2 Complementarity with domestic regional policy ................................................ 85 6. ASSESSMENT OF ACHIEVEMENTS AGAINST OBJECTIVES AND NEEDS (EFFECTIVENESS AND UTILITY) ........................................................................................................ 89 6.1 Overall achievements of ERDF programmes measured against programme objectives (effectiveness) .............................................................................................. 89 6.2 Overall contribution of ERDF programmes to regional development (utility) ................... 94 6.3 Key elements of success and failure .................................................................... 97 6.3.1 Good practices and successes ....................................................................... 97 6.3.2 Bad practices and failings ........................................................................... 99 7. CONCLUSIONS ................................................................................................. 103 7.1 EQ1: To what extent did the programmes address regional needs and problems over time?103 7.2 EQ2: To what extent do ERDF achievements meet regional objectives and needs in each programming period and across all periods? ......................................................... 106 7.3 EQ3: What are the main lessons learnt on the effectiveness and utility of ERDF interventions? ............................................................................................. 109 8. ANNEX I – ANALYSIS OF PROJECT SAMPLES ............................................................ 111 8.1 Leixões Maritime Port .................................................................................... 111 8.2 The Norte Footwear Industry ........................................................................... 117 8.3 Ermida Bridge Project ................................................................................... 123 8.4 The Route of the Romanesque ......................................................................... 125 9. ANNEX II: STRUCTURE OF PROGRAMMES 1989-2013 IN NORTE ................................... 131 10. ANNEX III: REPORTED ACHIEVEMENTS ................................................................... 135 10.1 1989-1993 Regional Operational Programmes (PROAVE, PROAM, PRORAMP, PRORN and PROTAD) .................................................................................................... 135 10.2 1994-1999 Regional Operational Programme (PRONORTE) ........................................ 139 LSE iii EPRC Evaluation of the main achievements of Cohesion policy programmes and projects over the longer term in 15 selected regions: Norte (Portugal) Case Study 10.3 2000-2006 Regional Operational Programme (ON-Operation Norte OP) ........................ 142 10.4 2007-2013 Regional Operational Programme (ON.2-New Norte OP) ............................. 150 11. ANNEX IV: LIST OF INTERVIEWEES ....................................................................... 159 12. ANNEX V: OVERVIEW OF SOURCES USED FOR THE CASE STUDY ................................... 162 13. ANNEX VI: REFERENCES .................................................................................... 164 14. ANNEX VII: SUMMARY OF SURVEY RESULTS ............................................................ 174 LSE iv EPRC Evaluation of the main achievements of Cohesion policy programmes and projects over the longer term in 15 selected regions: Norte (Portugal) Case Study Figures Figure 1: Norte Region Administrative Divisions (NUTS 3) .................................................... 5 Figure 2: Gross Domestic Product per capita .................................................................... 9 Figure 3: Gross Domestic Product per capita and Labour Productivity disparities in NUTS 2 regions (PT average = 100) .................................................................................................. 10 Figure 4: Weight of manufacturing in the total GVA for Norte and Portugal ............................. 11 Figure 5: Unemployment Rate .................................................................................... 13 Figure 6: Change in employment in Norte region and Portugal relative to 1992 levels ................ 14 Figure 7: CSF I 1989-1993 Structure .............................................................................. 18 Figure 8: 1989-1993 Norte ROPs .................................................................................. 19 Figure 9: CSF II 1994-1999 Structure ............................................................................. 21 Figure 10: CSF III 2000-2006 structure ........................................................................... 24 Figure 11: NSRF 2007-2013 Structure ............................................................................ 26 Figure 12: Community Support Frameworks per capita investment by NUTS 2 (Portugal=100) ....... 33 Figure 13: 1989-2013 NOP and ROP ERDF expenditure (thousands of Euros, 2000 prices) ............. 34 Figure 14: Total expenditure on ERDF projects - CSF I, II, III (thousands of Euros in 2000 prices) ... 35 Figure 15: Percentage of ROP and NOP expenditure on ERDF - CSF I, II, III .............................. 36 Figure 16: EFDR expenditure (NOPs + ROPs) by thematic priority (expressed as percentages) ....... 38 Tables Table 1: CSF I Norte ROPs .......................................................................................... 19 Table 2: Comparison of regional