Second Interim Evaluation of EU IPA assistance in Albania

98 Pages·2013·0.68 MB·English

by  Sacha Koppert

The European Union's IPA Program for Western Balkans and
Turkey
IPA - interim
evaluation and
meta-evaluation
of IPA
assistance

Country Report Albania

This project is funded by A project implemented by
The European Union Ecorys

IPA - interim evaluation and meta-
evaluation of IPA assistance
EuropeAid/131184/C/SER/Multi
Country Report Albania
Client: European Commission, DG Enlargement, Unit A3

Mart Nugteren
Sabina Ymeri
Nerejda Hoxha

Rotterdam, Tirana, June 2013
About Ecorys
At Ecorys we aim to deliver real benefit to society through the work we do. We offer research,
consultancy and project management, specialising in economic, social and spatial development.
Focusing on complex market, policy and management issues we provide our clients in the public,
private and not-for-profit sectors worldwide with a unique perspective and high-value solutions.
Ecorys’ remarkable history spans more than 80 years. Our expertise covers economy and
competitiveness; regions, cities and real estate; energy and water; transport and mobility; social
policy, education, health and governance. We value our independence, integrity and partnerships.
Our staff are dedicated experts from academia and consultancy, who share best practices both
within our company and with our partners internationally.

Ecorys Netherlands has an active CSR policy and is ISO14001 certified (the international standard
for environmental management systems). Our sustainability goals translate into our company policy
and practical measures for people, planet and profit, such as using a 100% green electricity tariff,
purchasing carbon offsets for all our flights, incentivising staff to use public transport and printing on
FSC or PEFC certified paper. Our actions have reduced our carbon footprint by an estimated 80%
since 2007.

ECORYS Nederland BV
Watermanweg 44
3067 GG Rotterdam

P.O. Box 4175
3006 AD Rotterdam
The Netherlands

T [phone]
F [phone]
E [email protected]
Registration no. 24316726

W www.ecorys.nl

2 KOP/RG II23914rep Albania def
Table of contents
List of abbreviations 7
Executive Summary 9
1 Scope of work 13
1.1 Introduction 13
1.2 Sectors and Projects included in the sample 13
1.3 Sources of information 14
1.4 Summary of the methodology 14
1.5 Structure of the report 15
2 Sector analysis 17
2.1 Introduction 17
2.2 Progress in the Public Finance and Financial Management sector 17
2.2.1 EU-funds management and financial control 17
2.2.2 Public Expenditure Management and macroeconomic stability 18
2.2.3 Public Procurement 19
2.2.4 Tax & Customs Administration 19
2.2.5 Competition and State Aid 20
2.3 Progress made in the Transport Sector 20
2.3.1 Institutional structure and policies 20
2.3.2 The Road Sector 21
2.3.3 The Maritime Sector 22
2.4 Concluding remarks 22
3 IPA programme performance 23
3.1 Introduction 23
3.2 Effectiveness 23
3.2.1 Effectiveness in Public Finance and Financial Management 23
3.2.2 Effectiveness in the Transport Sector 26
3.2.3 Conclusions on effectiveness 27
3.3 Efficiency 28
3.3.1 Efficiency in Public Finance and Financial Management 28
3.3.2 Efficiency in the Transport Sector 31
3.3.3 Conclusions on efficiency 33
3.4 Sustainability 34
3.4.1 Sustainability in Public Finance and Financial Management 34
3.4.2 Sustainability in the Transport Sector 35
3.4.3 Conclusions on sustainability 36
3.5 Conclusions 36

IPA - interim evaluation and meta-evaluation of IPA assistance 3
4 Analysis of the impact of IPA assistance 37
4.1 Introduction 37
4.2 Does IPA assistance address priority issues? 37
4.3 Impact in Public Finance and Financial Management 39
4.3.1 IPA contribution to changes in EU Funds Management and Financial Control 39
4.3.2 IPA contribution to Public Expenditure Management and Macro-economic Stability40
4.3.3 IPA contribution to the Tax and Customs sub-sector 41
4.3.4 IPA contribution to Public Procurement 41
4.3.5 IPA contribution to Competition and State Aid 42
4.3.6 Adoption of IPA delivered outputs by the Albanian Public Administration 42
4.3.7 ROM scores 43
4.4 Impact in the Transport Sector 43
4.4.1 IPA contribution to Policy Development in the sector 43
4.4.2 IPA contribution to the Road Sector 44
4.4.3 IPA contribution to the Maritime Sector 45
4.4.4 ROM scores 45
4.5 Additional impact 45
4.5.1 Additional impact in Public Finance and Financial Management 45
4.5.2 Additional impact in the Transport Sector 46
4.6 Conclusions on impact 46
5 Key conclusions and recommendations 49
5.1 Thematic and programme level conclusions 49
5.2 Associated recommendations for each conclusion 50
5.2.1 Improving efficiency and effectiveness 50
5.2.2 Possible improvements for impact and sustainability 51
Annexes 53
Annex 1 Sector studies 55
Elaboration of the sectoral objectives and baseline 55
Public Finance and Financial Management (sub) sector: Institutional structures 55
Public finance sector overview 56
Transport Sector: Institutional structure 67
Transport sector overview 67
Annex 2 List of interviews 73
Annex 3 List of documents referenced 75
Annex 4 Objectives of the projects in the sample 79
Annex 5 The evaluation methodology 81
Elaboration of the sectoral assessment methodology 81
The Evaluation Questions 83
Annex 6 Debriefing table 91

4 IPA - interim evaluation and meta-evaluation of IPA assistance
IPA - interim evaluation and meta-evaluation of IPA assistance 5

List of abbreviations

ACA Albanian Competition Authority
ADF Albanian Development Fund
ANTP Albanian National Transport Plan
ARA Albanian Road Authority
BCS Background Conclusion Sheet (ROM product)
CFCU Central Finance and Contracts Unit
CPiE Country Programme Interim Evaluation
DIA Delegation Implementation Agreement
EC European Commission
EU European Union
EUD European Union Delegation
EP European Partnership
EQ Evaluation Questions
FM Financing Memorandum
HR Human Resources
GTD General Tax Directorate
ICM Indirect Centralised Management (Delegated Agreement)
ICT Information and Communications Technology
IFI International Finance Institution
IFC International Finance Corporation
IMF International Monetary Fund
IPA Instrument for Pre Accession
IPS Integrated Planning System
KfW Kreditanstalt fuer Wiederaufbau (German International Development Bank)
MBP Multi Beneficiary Programme
MEUR Million Euro
MEI Ministry of Integration
MIFF Multi Annual Indicative Financial Framework
MIPD Multi Annual Indicative Programme
MPWTT Ministry of Public Works, Transport and Telecommunication
MTBP Medium-Term Budget Programme
NAO National Authorising Officer
NGO Non Government Organisation
NIPAC National IPA Co-ordinator
NPAA National Programme for the Adoption of the Acquis
PCM Project Cycle Management
PPA Public Procurement Agency
PPC Public Procurement Commission
PPF Project Preparation Facility
PRAG Practical Guide to Phare, ISPA and Sapard Contract Award Procedures
RAMS Roads and Bridges Asset Management System
IPA - interim evaluation and meta-evaluation of IPA assistance 7
ROM Results Orientated Monitoring
SAA Stabilisation and Association Agreement
SAC State Aid Commission
SAD State Aid Department
SEETO South-East Europe Transport Observatory
SMART Specific, Measurable, Available, Relevant and Timebound
SPO Sector Programme Officers
SWAp Sector Wide Approach
TA Technical Assistance
ToR Terms of Reference

8 IPA - interim evaluation and meta-evaluation of IPA assistance