Fact Sheet; Programme monitoring - Interact

[Pages:3]The 2014?2020 Interreg Programme Management Handbook is composed of fact sheets. Each theme is covered by one fact sheet so that the reader can easily and quickly choose the relevant fact sheet.

Fact Sheet; Programme monitoring

1. What is it? What is the definition of the term / theme of this fact sheet?

Programme monitoring refers to all of the relevant activities carried out by the different programme bodies in order to ensure that a programme achieves its intended objectives. Hence, programme monitoring is a many-sided term and includes a variety of activities, responsibilities and aspects. This also means that, although there is a Monitoring Committee, programme monitoring is not only carried out by the committee but also by other programme staff. Furthermore, this topic is also related to the issue of programme evaluations.

2. Why we are discussing it?

Already in 2007-2013, but even more now with the 2014-2020 period's result orientation, producing results and achieving programme objectives is of utmost importance. Already during the programming phase, by designing programmes along with an intervention logic with specific objectives, result indicators, indicative actions and output indicators, the importance of programme monitoring beyond financial performance was underlined. At the same time, new `tools' supporting programmes in monitoring have been established, such the performance framework. This means that programmes have a responsibility to demonstrate not only that IF funds have been used, but especially HOW they have been used.

3. Reference to the regulations and what is new in the 2014-2020 programming period compared with the 2007-2013 programming period

The starting point for this would be Art. 49 (I) CPR about the Monitoring Committee's task to "review implementation of the programme and progress made towards achieving its objectives." Art. 49 and 110 CPR then define in more detail what this includes ? in general terms "all issues that affect the performance of the programme" (Art. 49 (II) CPR). However, it is also clear that it is the MA/JS doing the day-to-day monitoring, providing the Monitoring Committee with the necessary information to be able to fulfil its monitoring obligations ? or, as Art. 49 (I) CPR puts it, the MC "shall have regard to the financial data, common and programme-specific indicators, including changes in the value of result indicators and progress towards quantified target values, and the milestones defined in the performance framework ... and, where relevant, the results of qualitative analyses".

With the 2014-2020 period's result orientation in mind, it is important to avoid that programmes mainly concentrate, as they sometimes did in the past, on spending 100% of their funding. It is of equal importance to monitor what this 100% funding was really used for. The technical/financial monitoring of projects can take so many human/time resources that not much time is left to monitor quality and results of projects. But the 2014-2020 period's result orientation and thematic concentration, and the linkage between project and programme intervention logic, now requires programme bodies to put more effort into monitoring the results of their projects, hence the programme, instead of mainly concentrating on figures.

Legislative Framework:

EC Regulation 1303/2013, (CPR): Art. 49 Functions of the monitoring committee

Version 1: 2015-10-13

1 INTERACT is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) | European Territorial Cooperation

4. Challenges and frequently asked questions

One issue here is the division of the JS staff's working time between monitoring technical/financial aspects of project implementation on the one hand, and supporting projects in delivering quality and results on the other. An INTERACT study has shown that the division of focus between technical/financial and quality/result monitoring in 2007-2013 was considered not necessarily appropriate by more than 2/3 of the responding JTS staff members dealing with projects, and that for the 2014-2020 period the aim is to have a more balanced division.

Another issue is challenges identified during monitoring ? by a close monitoring of indicators. If indicators do not develop as planned, one needs to identify the reason for this. The reasons could be, e.g.:

- wrong projects approved, the projects' main outputs and results do not contribute to the programme's result and output indicators

- right projects approved, however not performing as they should, hence not contributing to the programme's result and output indicators to the extent foreseen

- hereby, the programme itself being at risk to reach the targets set for its performance in the performance framework (e.g., spending targets) and achieving the results aimed at

Last but not least, good programme monitoring also provides at an early stage relevant information for the programme's communication staff to, for example, identify specific themes or the development of clusters which can be used for the promotion of programme results and achievements.

5. How they are addressed?

How to address the challenges described above depends on whether or not they are caused by external factors outside of the scope of influence by the programme (e.g., economic crisis, natural disaster), putting at risk achieving the programme's specific objectives (measured by the result indicators), or if they are caused by the programme's internal factors (e.g., co-financed projects and hence the programme not performing as planned). The latter in particular needs very close attention by the MA/JS, and very close cooperation and support of the projects, as they are the key to success. External factors, for which the programme cannot be held responsible, might result in the need for the Monitoring Committee to discuss possible steps.

6. How does it work in practise?

Although programme monitoring is the task of the Monitoring Committee, the real day-to-day monitoring work is done by the MA/JS. However, this fact does not prevent the committee members from actively following the programme's development. On a day-to-day level, monitoring tasks are typically divided between the various functions in the MA/JS. The overall monitoring is carried out by the Head of MA/JS and the `operational' financial and activity monitoring by the JS finance and the JS project staff. In some cases, within the JS there are team leaders for one programme priority, for example, who could be assigned to monitor the progress of "their" priority axis towards achieving its objectives. In these cases, procedures should be agreed if the team leader notices that a programme priority is not developing in the intended direction (e.g., by setting tolerance levels when to inform the Head of Secretariat). The MA/Head of Secretariat is responsible for keeping the Monitoring Committee informed regularly and, if risks to achieving the programme objectives are identified, suggesting to the Monitoring Committee possible steps to be taken in order to minimise or manage these risks.

The main tool for monitoring would be the programme's monitoring system, an IT application which allows programmes to collect and store all necessary project and programme information. More information about this can be found in the INTERACT Facts Sheet No5, Programme Implementation Process ? Monitoring System.

Version 1: 2015-10-13

2 INTERACT is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) | European Territorial Cooperation

7. Good practice examples

N/A

8. Reference to other, more detailed papers

INTERACT Facts Sheet No5, Programme Implementation Process ? Monitoring System1 INTERACT Study on `Inter-programme capacity and competence in ETC/Interreg' (November 2014)2 Guidance Document on Monitoring and Evaluation, European Cohesion Fund, European Regional Development Fund, Concepts and Recommendations (DG REGIO, March 2014)3 Guidance Document on Evaluation Plans, Terms of Reference for Impact Evaluations, Guidance on Quality Management of External Evaluations (DG REGIO, February 2015)4

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downloads/9461/INTERACT_Programme_Management_Handbook_Monitoring_System.pdf 2 3 4

Version 1: 2015-10-13

3 INTERACT is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) | European Territorial Cooperation

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