A C T A U N I V E R S I T A T I S L O D Z I E N S I S FOLIA OECONOMICA 182, 2004 Stanisław B artczak' E U R O P E A N U N IO N S T R U C T U R A L F U N D S . S T A T IS T IC A L M E A S U R E S F O R E V A L U A T IO N A N D M O N IT O R IN G
1. G en eral ch a ra cteristics o f the E u rop ean U n ion stru ctu ral fu n d s
One o f the key policies is a com m on regional policy, oriented at narrow ing the gap betw een levels o f econom ic developm ent o f various regions. T his gap may constitute an obstacle in the process o f integration and harm onious developm ent o f the w hole European Union. T his policy is, on one hand, an expression o f the existing noble principles o f solidarity and partnership in the EU and on the other hand the result (as it seem s) o f the adopted strategy of developm ent, preventing from excessive concentration o f econom ic activity. Such a concentration has an unfavourable influence, not only on relatively pauperized and often depopulated peripheral regions, but in the long term it also results in negative effects the central, highly industrialized regions, due to grow ing problem s with transport infrastructure, pollution, etc. G eneral objective of this policy is the im provem ent of situation in poorer regions o r in regions where the developm ent needs are most explicit. By m eans o f influencing the allocation o f resources appropriate for investm ents, the policy prom otes econom ic grow th in backw ard regions and at the same tim e, it does not contribute to grow th o f consum ption. It should be also pointed out that financial transfers from the EU budget should not lead to the decrease o f structural expenditures incurred by M em ber States. Upon granting structural help, the principle o f additionality is in force which m eans that the structural help supplem ents only dom estic resources appropriate for structural support by beneficiary regions or states.
Principles o f the U E regional policy which are currently in force are presented in the docum ent called “A genda 2000. Enlarged and Stronger
E uropean U nion” from 1999. The regional policy aim es m ainly at regions which are lagging behind in their developm ent, supporting areas which have been industrialized and now are facing structural difficulties, counteracting long-range unem ploym ent, integration o f the youth in professional life, developm ent o f entrepreneurship in rural areas, as well as support o f developm ent o f low populated regions.
M ain objectives o f structural policy have been presented in the Fig. 1. Basic tasks realized within the frame o f the first regional priority include supporting social and econom ic developm ent, as well as positive structural changes in regions w hich are lagging behind in their developm ent, and where the G DP level, with regard to purchasing pow er o f currencies, is below 75% o f the EU average.
Fig. 1. Main Objectives o f the Structural Policy
The second regional priority covers activities regarding regions w ith severe structural problem s concerning industry and services, declining agriculture and fishery, as well as severe urbanization problem s. The horizontal principle (objective 3) does not regard regions but whole countries, w hich m eans that it may be applied to the w hole territory o f the European U nion. D etailed horizontal objectives aim ed at overcom ing long-range unem ploym ent, facilitating chances in professional career for the graduates, m atching professional qualifications o f unem ployed with changing needs and equalization o f w om en’s chances on the labour market. W ithin the fram e of the horizontal principles we can distinguish
four initiatives concerning interregional, cross-border and transnational co-operation (Interreg), support for towns and urban areas (U rban), support for rural areas (L eader), as well as concerning non-discrim ination and ensuring equal opportunities (Equal).
The structural policy is financed by the EU budget through the structural funds':
1) European Regional D evelopm ent Founds (ERD F) 2) European Social Found (ESF)
3) European A gricultural G uarantee and G uidance Fund (EA G G F)
T he above m entioned funds supplem ent resources o f respective regions, appropriate for realization o f projects covered by: a) objective 1 - all funds; b) objective 2 - ER D F and ESF and c) objective 3 - ESF. Functioning of structural funds, is regulated in general by m eans o f the above m entioned European C o u n cil’s D ecree no. 1260/992, and it should contribute to the concentration o f resources in the am ount with regard to finances and area required for realization o f adopted, often several years long, com plex structural program s, proper m onitoring and control o f their realization and structural effects obtained at different aggregation levels. T he im pact on structural funds is com plem ented by the special C ohesion Fund which facilitates integration processes by supporting large structural interregional investm ents.
A pplying structural funds is a process which begins with the planning stage, go through the realization and m onitoring period and end up with sum m arizing current and long-term results o f realized projects. M em ber States are responsible for proper course o f this process at all stages. W e should point out that Poland as well as the rem aining new m em ber countries accessing the E uropean Union have to face a specific and a quite difficult situation. It results from the fact that the program for the structural funds has been prepared for years 2 0 0 0 -2 0 0 6 and regions which are currently benefiting from the structural support have prepared appropriate program s using the special directives prepared in 1999 by the European Union C om m ission. In M arch this year the C om m ission prepared sim ilar directives for the countries accessing the E U 3, pointing out, am ong others:
- lack o f experience o f countries accessing the EU, despite benefiting from the preaccession funds;
- short, only triennial period o f planning;
'T h e European C ou n cil’s Decree (1999R 1260) o f the 2 1 “ July 1999 concerning general provisions o f the structural funds, section 7 o f the preamble.
2 A ctivities o f respective structural funds are regulated in detail by means o f separate decrees: the European Regional Developm ent Funds - 1783/99, and the European Social Fund - 1784/99.
3 K om m ission der Europäischen Gemeinschaften: G esetzliche Indikative Leitlinien für die Beitrittsländer. Brüssel, den 12.3.2003.
- lack o f appropriate structures and specialists with adequate know ledge allow ing preparation o f regional plans and investm ent projects, as well as their m onitoring and evaluation.
Due to this, the C om m ission suggests that while preparing plans and projects one should not try to solve all form er problem s, but focus on as sm all as possible num ber o f the m ost urgent problem s, in case o f w hich invested financial resources may bring the most significant results. T he C om m ission also indicates the possibility and purposefulness o f early subm itted program docum ents prior to the accession and adjusting them with the Com m ission in order to extend the period o f realization o f planned projects.
Planning activities within funds is a com plex process realised at different levels. A t first, the N ational Development Plans are prepared for the whole country and the R egional Developm ent Plans4 for the regions selected for the structural support. All plans should include description o f the current situation o f the region, and in case o f regions affected by recession also description of past periods and the scale o f recession, as well as description o f goals which are supposed to be obtained within various areas and in different time. These descriptions should be prepared, if it is possible, by m eans o f m easurable indicators. N ational and regional developm ent plans prepared by M em ber States constitute the foundation for preparation o f the C om m unity S upport Fram ew ork, which is in return the basis for assigning structural support resources.
R ealization o f structural projects initiated in the C om m unity Support Fram ew ork is done on the basis o f operational program s, which include, am ong others description o f main tasks together with determ ination o f their coherence with regional or national developm ent plan, specification o f individual projects, and quantitatively described and set o f goals as precise as it is possible, as well as estim ation o f anticipated effects. Each state is obliged to indicate units o f national adm inistration - M anaging Institutions - responsible for efficient and proper m anagem ent and im plem entation o f operational program s, description of applied system s o f their evaluation and m onitoring, principles o f m anaging money assets (am ong others principles of applying proper procedures o f concluding public contracts) and system s of control.
Institutions (but this may also be private and public enterprises) ordering realization o f a project are defined as “final b eneficiaries5”. They accept applications for realization o f respective projects from potential final recipients,
4 A member state can also submit one, global development plan for several or even all its regions. This solution has been adopted by Poland. The global developm ent plan can not lack any information regarding individual regions. See, art. 13 o f the European C ouncil’s Decree 1260/1999.
5 Currently, final beneficiaries have been chosen only in the Social Developm ent Program “Increase o f enterprises com petitiveness”. These are: Polish Entrepreneurship Developm ent Agency, Industry Development Agency, Science and Normalization Ministry, National Environment Protection and Water Economy Fund and The Ministry o f Economy, Employment and Social Policy.
who are entities applying for financial support from the structural funds. M oreover, the final beneficiaries are responsible for, am ong others, m onitoring o f im plem entation o f respective projects and preparation o f quarterly and annual reports com prising the evaluation o f the project’s impact.
Entities subm itting applications regarding granting financial support from the structural funds to the final beneficiaries are “final recipients” . A final recipient, in case his project is accepted, will be responsible for realization o f this project in accordance with the subm itted application. Final beneficiaries may be final recipients o f services and investm ents at the same time.
For each operational program , the M anaging C om m ittee and M onitoring C om m ittee are appointed. T he M anaging C om m ittee revises subm itted projects and recom m ends them to the M anaging A uthority for the final approval. The M anaging C om m ittee is appointed by the M anaging A uthority. T he M onitoring C om m ittee is appointed by the Prime M inister and exercises supervision over the realization o f the O perational Program. T he assum ption is that this com m ittee should be independent from the M anaging A uthority6. R esponsibilities o f the M onitoring C om m ittee cover, am ong others, approving criteria o f p ro jects’ selection and system s o f quantitative and financial indicators, applied for m onitoring and evaluation o f effects o f projects prepared by the M anaging A uthorities. Integrated O perational Program o f Regional D evelopm ent prepared for Poland for years 2 0 0 4 -2 0 0 6 provides appointm ent of M onitoring S ubcom m ittees in all 16 adm inistrative regions7.
2. E v a lu a tio n o f sta tistical inform ation so u rces for th e p u rp o se o f stru ctu ra l p olicy
All types o f structural support, at all levels, beginning with individual projects, through operational program s and finishing with the national developm ent plan, should be described by m eans o f statistical inform ation. W hich should be:
a) reliable, i.e. describe investigated phenom ena according to the real situation;
6 M anaging Authority for the Social D evelopm ent Program “Increase o f enterprises com petitiveness” is The Ministry o f Econom y, Employment and Social P olicy, and the president o f the “independent” Com m ittee M onitoring this program is a representative o f this Ministry. See: Ibidem, p. 30.
7 See: Integrated Operational Program o f Regional D evelopm ent. The M inistry o f Econom y, Employment and Social Policy. Warsaw, February 2 003, p. 67.
b) collected by m eans o f m ethods and procedures consistent with professional principles (scientific and ethical);
c) as much up-to-date as it is possible, i.e. it should regard not distant m om ents and periods o f time;
d) disaggregated as deeply as it is possible;
e) easy to interpret, which is conditioned by the know ledge o f its sources and origins, as well as m ethods and procedures o f obtaining it;
f) harm onized, i.e. calculated for all com parable populations (in time and space) based on identical definitions, classifications, by m eans o f the same m ethods and procedures.
Statistical inform ation for the purpose o f objectives o f the structural policy can be obtained using different sources. From the point o f view o f final b eneficiaries, these sources can be divided into external and internal (see F igure 2). T he m ost im portant and the richest source o f inform ation is the public statistics. P ublic statistics gather inform ation co n cerning alm ost all spheres o f life o f o u r society, then the inform ation w hich should en sure clear view o f econom ic and social reality, is p rocessed and w idespread. U ndoubtedly, the disadvantage o f the P olish public statistics is partial or com plete lack o f up-to-date descriptions o f m ethodology o f m any o f conducted investigations, e.g. w ith regard to the estim ation o f the level and dynam ics o f the G ross N ational Product, dynam ics o f sold production o f industry, CPI etc., which co n d itio n s fully conscious and proper use o f results o f these investigations.
The public statistics act as an ancillary tool, not only with regard to central and local state adm inistration, but also with regard to all other participants o f social and econom ic life, beginning with self-governm ent authorities at various levels, through em ployers’ organizations, trade unions, social organizations and societies, etc. and ending up with individual citizens. Establishing inform ative needs o f such a broad audience and the choice o f m ost objective and m ost urgent and desirable data is an extrem ely com plex matter. This is done in the process of establishing the program o f statistical investigation that is what should be the subject o f statistic research. Investigation program is consists o f tw o stages.
At the first level, which is conducted for tw o years advance, the Central S tatistical O ffice carries out survey o f inform ative needs o f different recipients and prepares project o f the investigation program . At this stage there are subm itted com m ents and conclusions concerning the scope o f the investigation and profiles for which results o f partial research will be generalized8. Since structural help o f the EU will create dem and for new, currently not collected or insufficiently disaggregated inform ation, it would be advisable to consider it in the program m e o f public statistics’ research.
C urrently, in the resources o f public statistics there is an enorm ous quantity o f data obtained due to the General Census and G eneral A gricultural Census. On the basis o f that data, provided that they will be properly processed, it will be possible to gain w ide and up-to-date know ledge concerning the territorial units, no m atter how low the level o f aggregation is. Data can be used for validating the applications for refinancing projects from structural funds.
An im portant external source o f inform ation at the level o f regions and respective states is the European U nion’s O ffice - Eurostat. T he E urostat is the only statistical office that does not carry out its own investigations’. Its main task is to react tow ards the consistency investigation conducted by the N ational Statistical O ffices. T he process o f harm onisation should lead to optimal com parability o f statistical inform ation from different states, which is conditioned, am ong others, by the application o f identical classifications and system atic, investigation scopes, definitions, research m ethodologies, etc. M oreover, the Eurostat prepares statistical publications containing aggregated data concerning the whole EU, calculated on the basis o f inform ation provided by respective national statistical offices.
8 In case o f regional statistics especially severe and defective aspect o f research carried out by the public statistics is generalization o f results o f all partial research only with regard to respective regions disregarding smaller administrative units. As a result o f this this, the reserve o f statistical information concerning even large agglomerations is limited to those only that have their origin in censuses carried out usually in too long time intervals (e.g., econ om ic entities census - which, among others could regulate the Region register - is being prepared since the beginning o f nineties) and the current registration.
High costs related to carrying out own statistical investigation result in searching for other external sources o f inform ation. T he inform ation can be found, am ong others, in labour offices with regard to the registered unem ploym ent, at the police with regard to accidents and crim inality, in the Inland R evenue with regard to operating econom ic entities and their econom ic potential, at the fire-brigade offices with regard to the endangered buildings and prem ises, etc.
Significant external sources o f inform ation that can be used in the structural policy are data resources localized in different organisational divisions o f final beneficiaries. T he inform ation often allow s to carry out analyses in a very detailed profile that can not be obtained by m eans o f the public statistics; which is am ong others due to the Polish regulations concerning statistical data confidentiality. T he data resources that include som e facts or num bers, and which are not currently used, only create the resource o f potential inform ation that can be applied after being properly processed. T he inform ation consists of data that are com piled, processed or used in other way for inform ative purposes, for m aking decisions, preparing conclusions or forecasting, etc. (Syrda 2003). So, the first step, that does not require - as it seem s - big investm ents should be the review and inventory o f these data.
D ue to the need o f rational m anagem ent, while collecting optim al set o f indicators that are used for description and m onitoring o f the analysed structural projects, one should look for them in the existing data resources or inform ation, as the decision concerning carrying out a special investigation, and particularly the one w hich is ordered outside, is usually connected with high costs. In case of small num ber o f item s the population census is recom m ended. W hereas, investigating large statistical population som e selected items from the collection will be exam ined. A lthough investigations o f statistical inferences are cheaper than entire populations, they are relatively more expensive; if the num ber o f specim en in a population is the smaller. This apparent paradox is a result of the fact that in order to obtain com parable precision o f results - regardless o f the size o f researched population - estim ation has to be based on sam ples o f the sam e size4. T hat is why, research, with the sam e precision, o f a m atter in question am ong citizens o f Łódź and Poland, has to be based on representative sam ples o f the sam e size. R epresentative ness o f a sam ple is best ensured by means o f its random choice, which is conditioned by having or having access to a good sam pling operate. C urrently a very good, verified by the last year census, operate for sam pling flats (households) is, carried out w ithin the system o f public statistics, the so called territorial register. C onditions o f a fairly good citizens’ sam pling operate are also met by the Polish PESEL. W hereas the
9 S ize o f sam ple has significant influence on absolute and relative estim ate error only in these surveys where the sample constitutes more than 5% o f specim en in population under investigation.
second, kept by the public statistics, register o f econom ic entities - REGON, should be estim ated as unsatisfactory due to the fact that it is lacking up-to-date inform ation, particularly with regard to the num ber o f em ployed persons.
A pplying registers kept by the public statistics is related to som e, quite high costs and therefore may influence tendency to use non-random m ethods o f selection o f , item s from the collection, which bears the risk o f obtaining insufficiently representative sample. In case we decide, due to costs, to apply one o f non-random m ethods o f sam pling, it is absolutely necessary - before m aking use o f results o f research based on a sam ple selected in such a way - to verify its representatively ex-post.
3. Indicators applied in the structural policy
D escribed indicators are applied to the purpose o f evaluation and m onitoring o f structural projects but they have various individual objectives at different stages and levels o f realized projects. C lassification o f the indicators is closely related to the overall logic o f structural support"1 (see Fig. 3). The logic can be investigated from the top to the bottom: 1) the support is undertaken in order to achieve som e specific global goal, e.g. to reduce long-term unem ploym ent; 2) the global goal can be achieved by realization o f series o f specific (interm ediate) goals, e.g. reduction o f transit tim e, decrease o f transport costs, increase o f the num ber o f graduates o f courses for the unem ployed; 3) each specific goal is realized through particular projects, e.g. num ber o f constructed kilom etres o f a road, num ber o f participants o f the organized course for the unem ployed.
The course o f the process o f structural support can also be viewed from the bottom to the top: 1) projects are realized by m inistries, regional authorities, local adm inistrations, com panies etc., upon engaging adequate financial, organizational and hum an resources (input); 2) realization o f these projects leads to achieving som e operational goals in the form o f obtained products (output), e.g. num ber o f constructed kilom etres o f a road, num ber o f created participants of the course for the unem ployed. Realized projects have som e advantages from the achieving 3 point o f view) specific goals o f the program (e.g. increase o f goods’ transit, better m atch o f qualifications o f people looking for jo b to market needs, and 4) global goal, that is creation o f new work places (reduction o f unem ploym ent).
10 See: The N ew Programming Period 2 0 0 0 -2 0 0 6 (working paper 3. European Com m ission) p. 5 I and further.
Inputs Impacts Global (longer-term effects) objectives *
í
Results(direct and Specific immediate effects)
- ...
►
objectives Outputs(good s and services produced) Programme operations Operationa objectives Programme objectives
Fig. 3. The intervention logic o f a programme
S o u r c e : The N ew Programming Period 2 0 0 0 -2 0 0 6 (working paper 3. European C om m ission)
As it was m entioned earlier, the structural support is prepared and realized on different levels, beginning with the N ational D evelopm ent Plan, through O perational Plans, finishing with plans for particular projects. T he N ational D evelopm ent Plan determ ines range o f priorities that is global goals, which will be achieved through the realization of O perational Plans. A lso the operational plans com prise range o f global goals which will be realized through a num ber o f projects. A global goal at a low er level corresponds to a specific goal at the higher level and vice versa. Operational goals are presented only at the lowest level o f particular projects. Form the system o f indicators point o f view this m eans that they can be divided into three types:
a) indicators m easuring resources engaged in realization o f a project (input); these are m ainly financial indicators which m easure the volum e o f incurred investm ents;
b) product indicators (output) expressed in natural units, rarely in money; these indicators exist only at the level o f realization o f a project;
c) effect indicators, which inform about direct, im m ediate effect resulting from realization o f a structural program at a given level;
d) im pact indicators, concerning long-term effects which do not regard final beneficiaries.
The last three m entioned types o f indicators are m eant to serve the overall evaluation o f a structural support, which at the sam e tim e can be done from different points o f view. The system o f indicators should be able to answ er the follow ing questions:
1) W hether the goals o f a program are adequate with objectives at the national and the EU level?
2) W hether the achieved product, result and long-term im pact are in proportion to Ihe invested financial resources? W hether the sam e goal could be achieved by m eans o f a sm aller investm ent?
3) T o what degree, the realized program contributed to realization o f specific and global goals?
4) W hether the program had any impact on im provem ent o f situation with regard to assum ed goals?
5) W hat long-term effects should be expected after finishing the period o f realization o f the program ?
Let us point out that the M em ber States are accountable for preparing program s at the level o f projects, as well as qualification o f goals related to these projects. The coherence betw een particular levels o f structural projects will be verified by the E uropean C om m ittee Ex-Ante.
The system o f indicators applied to the purpose o f evaluation and m onitoring o f structural projects is com plem ented by the so called baseline indicators. B aseline indicators are applied to the purpose o f description o f the existing status on the area benefiting from the structural support. They are m easured before the structural program s are launched and at the very beginning o f their im plem entation, the baseline indicators suppose to answ er the question “what is the situation” and constitute the basis for evaluation o f changes in the future. F or exam ple, in case the goal o f a particular project is the increase o f the num ber o f small and m edium size com panies in the region, the baseline indicator will be the num ber o f small and m edium size com panies in this region before launching the structural support. This inform ation will allow to precisely evaluate the im pact o f the program with regard to this aspect. T he N ational D evelopm ent Plan include a set o f seven baseline indicators describing quite precisely the situation in Poland with regard to main and specific goals covered by this plan. V ast m ajority o f baseline indicators o f the N ational D evelopm ent Plan, five projected O perational S ector Plans, as well as Integrated O perational Plan o f Regional D evelopm ent is located in current resources o f the public statistics; only tw o indicators are not covered by the public statistics: 1) num ber of people w ho changed their occupation, 2) num ber o f people benefiting from
courses and professional advising. Both above m entioned indicators shall be covered by the statistical observation by the GUS.
N um ber o f baseline indicators for the Integrated O perational Plan of Regional D evelopm ent is considerably shorter due to sm aller data coverage from the public statistics and includes the follow ing in dicato rs":
1) G D P in relation to national and the EU averages,
2) gap in the G D P value between the most and the least econom ically developed region,
3) em ploym ent indicator in regions (according to L abour Force Survey /LFS/),
4) unem ploym ent rate in % (according to LFS),
5) quality o f education in regions (% o f population with elem entary, secondary and higher education as a proportion o f total population between 25 and 59 years old),
6) increase in gross value added per 1 em ployed person, 7) investm ents per 1000 citizens,
8) percentage o f people using the Internet and the num ber o f accessible to everybody internet connections in public institutions per 1000 citizens,
9) victim s o f fatalities per 10 000 registered cars, 10) percentage o f population using sewage system ,
11) percentage o f industrial and m unicipal w astew ater purification plants. A part from the baseline indicators, all forms o f the structural support, at all levels have to be accom panied by set o f indicators m easuring effects, which allow to m onitor efficiently realized projects, by m eans o f which, one can quantify their general and specific goals, as well as expected effects. The set o f such indicators prepared at the level of the National D evelopm ent Plan and the Integrated O perational Plan o f R egional D evelopm ent has been m entioned earlier in the paper. A fter their appointm ent, the m onitoring institutions should first o f all prepare assum ptions for evaluation and operational m onitoring o f projects at low er levels, suggest adequate sets o f indicators and indicate sources o f their coverage. T his should be facilitated by the list o f operational indicators prepared by the E uropean C om m ission12. The list should constitute a desirable but not rigorously binding pattern to follow.
Preparation and further application o f such a list for evaluation and projects m onitoring is a very im portant and at the same tim e difficult task. M any doubts may arise in term s o f relatively unam biguous definition (w hat has been already pointed out) o f cause and effect connections betw een planed project and achieved effect; im provem ent o f situation in som e area does not have to be a result o f the structural support; it may be a result o f som e other, m ore or less
11 See: Integrated Operational Program o f Regional Developm ent. 12 See: note 10, p. 327.
identified factors, e.g. the increased num ber o f work places in the existing small and m edium size com panies and at the same tim e reduction o f long-term unem ploym ent may be the result o f general im provem ent o f econom ic situation, not by m ade investm ents in the infrastructure. As reliable as it is possible, sim ulations should be perform ed in such a situation.
Structural funds constitute an instrum ent aim ing at stim ulating econom ical grow th and at the process o f convergence o f disadvantaged regions. T he level o f efficiency o f application o f these funds can be different in respective countries, that is why the achieved benefits may differ. The achieved result depends undoubtedly on the quality o f structural funds’ m anagem ent, and that show s how well the adm inistration is prepared (m anaging institutions and m onitoring com m ittees o f different levels) for selecting the best applications and objective evaluation o f results and the impact o f realized projects. T his will not be possible without adequately prepared adm inistration officials, resignation from political influence on appointing bodies m anaging funds, reduction o f corruption and preparation o f transparent criteria for evaluation and m onitoring o f projects, which will be based on properly selected system s o f statistical indicators.
References
Integrated Operational Program o f Regional Developm ent, W arszawa 2003.
S y r d a E. J. (2 0 0 3 ), R ola sta tystyk i w zintegrow an ym system ie inform acji o społeczeń stw ie inform acyjnym , „W iadom ości Statystyczne”, nr 3.
The European C ou n cil’s Decree 1999 R 1260.
The N ew Programming Period 2 0 0 0 -2 0 0 6 (working paper 3, European C om m ision).
S ta n is ła w B a r tc z a k
F U N D U S Z E S T R U K T U R A L N E UNII E U R O P E JS K IE J. M IE R N IK I S T A T Y S T Y C Z N E W E W A L U A C J I I M O N I T O R I N G U
Wraz z w ejściem Polski do Unii Europejskiej szczególn ego znaczenia nabierają Europejskie Fundusze Strukturalne. Procedura przygotowania wniosku o pom oc finansow ą z tych funduszy zawiera szereg kolejnych etapów, w tym ewaluację i monitoring. D la p oszczególnych przedsięw zięć zachodzi kon ieczność budowy i zastosow ania konkretnych miar statystycznych jako ilościow ych aspektów badania.
W artykule zaprezentowano o góln ą charakterystykę Europejskich Funduszy Strukturalnych, źródła informacji statystycznych dla potrzeb polityki strukturalnej oraz rodzaje indykatorów mogących znaleźć zastosow anie w realizacji konkretnych przedsięw zięć strukturalnych Unii Europejskiej.
