Current projects, Projects

Evaluation Helpdesk 2023-2027

The Evaluation Helpdesk has the central objective of increasing the quality of evaluations carried out on Cohesion policy across the EU by strengthening evaluation capacity in Managing Authorities as well as in DG REGIO and DG EMPL. This goal is in line with Art. 35(2)(h) of Cohesion policy regulations to consolidate the strategic value of evaluations in the policy cycle. To this end the activities of the Helpdesk are to:

  • collect and review all evaluations of programmes funded by the ERDF, Cohesion Fund, JTF and ESF+, carried out by the EU Member States, whether they relate to the current 2021-2027 programming period, to the previous 2014-2020 one or to periods before that;
  • collect and review evaluations of Cohesion policy published in the academic literature;
  • provide structured information and reports based on the reviews of evaluations to support the Commission’s own reports on evaluation findings and also make available selected information via dedicated tools, which are published on Commission websites.
  • provide on-site support to Member States on specific issues relating to evaluation of measures or programmes financed by the ERDF, Cohesion Fund, JTF and ESF+, through advice, continued support during the evaluation process, guidance and training on specific issues or other activities agreed with the Commission;
  • provide methodological support on evaluation activities carried out by the Commission including reviews of specific texts, advice and training on particular issues;
  • organise each year a training course for participants from MAs and others involved in the evaluation of ERDF and Cohesion Fund programmes on a topic agreed with the Commission.
Current projects, Projects

Ninth Report on Economic, Social and Territorial Cohesion

The aim of the contract is to assist the European Commission with the preparation, production and translation of the Ninth Cohesion Report which reviews regional developments in the EU over the past few years.

The main tasks include advising on the content and the socio-economic analysis, drafting, editing, designing the page lay-out as well as coordinating the translation into all EU-languages and providing support with the preparation of data stories.

Current projects, Projects

Expert Network for Analytical Support in Social Policies (ESPAN and MISSOC)

The European Social Policy Analysis Network (ESPAN) brings together independent experts on social inclusion and social protection. It

  • provides timely and high-quality information to the European Commission on social protection and social inclusion policies (and related socio-economic developments and trends) and
  • supports the European Commission in monitoring progress within the European Semester framework and against the achievement of the 2030 social targets.
  • supports the Commission in identifying and promoting the exchange of good practices and the development of dynamics of mutual learning that can support the achievement of the EU’s social objectives.

The Mutual Information Systems on Social Protection (MISSOC) network of national delegates, whose members are appointed by the authorities of participating countries (EU Member States and EEA/EFTA countries), ensures exchange of information on national social protection systems by preparing comparative legislative tables (addressed mainly to professional users) and social security guides for the general public.

Applica is responsible for coordinating the work of MISSOC and for communication activities (seminars, publications and online resources).

Current projects, Projects

Support to the additional surveys and cleaning of data on the implementation of COVID-19 related State aid measures by Member States

The purpose of this project is to provide support to the European Commission in the implementation of the “Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Survey on the use of the Temporary Framework by Member States”.

The main task consists in validating the data on approved State aid granted to companies in the context of the COVID-19 pandemics (and subsequently in the context of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine) in 2021 and 2022 and produce a consolidated EU-wide database.

Current projects, Projects

ESF+ Data Support Centre

The ESF+ Data Support Centre aims to support Member States and the European Commission at the production of ESF, FEAD and ESF+ (shared management strand) statistics, including methodological and harmonisation aspects.

It provides methodological support to the Commission and Member States; develops and reviews ESF, FEAD, and ESF+ data plausibility and consistency checks; and aggregates and synthesises ESF, FEAD, and ESF+ monitoring data.

The ESF+ Data Support Centre is run by ICF SA in association with Alphametrics Ltd, Ockham IPS and Applica.

Current projects, Projects

Ex post Evaluation of Cohesion Policy Programmes 2014-2020 financed by the ERDF and CF: WP1

The ex post evaluation is aimed at assessing the achievements and effects of all programmes co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Cohesion Fund (CF) in the 2014-2020 period, including territorial cooperation programmes.

Work Package 1 will synthesise the findings of the various WPs and integrate them with those of the analysis carried out under WP1 itself. The aim is to present these findings in a coherent way so that the overall results of the ex post evaluation and the implications for policy which can be drawn from them can be clearly seen.

Current projects, Projects

Evaluation Helpdesk 2019-2023

The aim of the contract is to provide the European Commission (DG Regional Policy and DG Employment) with an “Evaluation Helpdesk” that identifies and reviews the evaluations completed in Member States over the 2014-2020 period, the ex-post evaluations of the 2007-2013 programmes and the ex-ante evaluations relating to the 2021-2027 period; and provides support to Managing Authorities in designing and managing evaluations of Operational Programmes co-financed by the ERDF, Cohesion Fund and ESF (including the YEI – Youth Employment Initiative). In addition, the Helpdesk provides structured information on the outcome of the reviews of evaluations to support the European Commission’s syntheses of evaluation findings.