- Author: CESCI
- Territory: Carpathian space
- Year of publication: 2023
- Language: English
- Number of pages: 372
Second Phase Evaluation of the INTERREG V-A Slovakia–Hungary Cooperation Programme (2014–2020)
Second Phase Evaluation of the INTERREG V-A Slovakia–Hungary Cooperation Programme (2014–2020)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary, acting as the Managing Authority, and the Section for Cross-border Cooperation Programmes of the Ministry of Investments, Regional Development and Informatisation of the Slovak Republic, acting as the National Authority, commissioned CESCI to carry out the second-phase evaluation of the Interreg V-A Slovakia–Hungary Cooperation Programme 2014–2020. CESCI had previously conducted the Programme’s mid-term evaluation, which was submitted in 2018.
The evaluation focused on the following key areas:
• Programme implementation and management;
• Consideration of regional needs and outreach to target groups;
• Communication activities at both programme and project levels;
• The added value of the cross-border dimension;
• Territorial distribution of funded developments;
• Cost-effectiveness;
• The effectiveness of specific instruments and practices (Territorial Action Plans for Employment – TAPEs, the Small Project Fund, and the involvement of SMEs).
The findings were based not only on data obtained from the Programme and the project database but also on interviews and an online survey.
The key findings of the evaluation
1. The Programme’s most significant cross-border impacts can be observed in intercultural relations, tourism, and transport connectivity.
2. The Programme’s innovative character is demonstrated by the direct involvement of SMEs, the implementation of Territorial Action Plans for Employment (TAPEs), the use of the Small Project Fund, and the active participation of European Groupings of Territorial Cooperation (EGTCs) within the Programme.
3. TAPE projects delivered integrated interventions that effectively addressed the needs of the border region.
4. The Small Project Fund enabled a broader range of beneficiaries to participate in the Programme.
5. The territorial distribution of projects showed considerable disparities. Greater attention should be paid to increasing the participation of stakeholders from the Gemer/Gömör region.
6. The lack of pre-financing on the Slovak side posed a risk to the successful implementation of projects.
7. Through the introduction of INTERREG+ and the reduction of mandatory supporting documents, the Joint Secretariat successfully reduced the administrative burden on beneficiaries.
8. The Programme’s communication activities rank among the best at the European level. However, there remains substantial room for improvement in communication at the project level. An exception is the TAPE projects, where dedicated communication projects ensured professional visibility.
9. The newly introduced three-step quality assessment process improved both the relevance of projects and their integration into the regional context.
10. The Programme bodies performed in a satisfactory, supportive, and efficient manner, while communication with them was continuous and smooth.
As part of the evaluation, CESCI formulated a series of recommendations aimed at addressing the identified shortcomings while preserving the Programme’s successful practices. The evaluation also examined the Programme from a “borderscape” perspective, providing further insights into the cross-border social and economic dynamics of the Slovak–Hungarian border region.
The full evaluation report is also available for download from the Programme’s official website via this link.
