ebook img

Terms of Reference PDF

1.7 MB·Dutch
Save to my drive
Quick download
Download
Most books are stored in the elastic cloud where traffic is expensive. For this reason, we have a limit on daily download.

Preview Terms of Reference

ANNEX 1 Terms of Reference Termsof Reference Evaluation of Matra (in pre-accession countries: Western BalkansandTurkey), 2012-2014 1. General These Termsof Reference (ToR)havebeendraftedby theEurope Department (DEU)and approvedby itsdirector. ThePolicyandOperations EvaluationDepartment (IOB) was involved inthedraftingprocess, andthe IOBguidelinesforevaluation1 havebeenfollowed as closelyas possible. These ToR will be definitively adoptedonthebasisof the implementingorganisation’s commentsafter thatorganisationhas been selected. 2. Background andgoal 2.1 Backgroundanddevelopmentof Matra Thegeneral objectiveof theMatra (Social Transformation)programme when it was launched in November1993 wasessentially to supportdemocratisation inCentraland Eastern Europeancountries,following theupheavals thathad taken placethereattheend of the 1980s. Since1993 Matrahasevolvedfromaprogrammesupportingthe transition intheformer EasternBloccountries to abilateral complement to theEuropean Union’spre-accession policyand Neighbourhood Policy. In2004-2007,oncethe Czech Republic,Estonia, Hungary, Latvia,Lithuania, Poland,SlovakiaandSlovenia hadaccededtothe EUin2004,Matra was phased outfortheseeight countries. It wasalsophasedoutfor Bulgaria andRomaniain 2007-2011after they joinedthe EU in2007.Overtheyears Matra came tofocus on current and potential candidate countries, theEU’sand NATO’s neweasternneighbours,and more recently severalof the EU’ssouthernneighbours. In thelight of thescarcityof resources,the conclusion was drawn in2009that theMatra programme neededa sharpergeographical andthematicfocus. From thattime therevised programme waslimitedtoitsoriginal purpose:supportfor themultiple transitions in countries with EUaccession prospectsor countries witha Communistpast.Asa resultthe EU’s southern neighbours were removedfrom theMatra country list. 1EvaluationPolicyandGuidelinesforEvaluation(October2009),draftedbyIOB. 1 Because cutbacksand considerations of efficiency dictatedeven clearer choices inexternal policy, itwasdecidedthatasfrom2012 Matra wouldonlybeusedforSoutheastEuropean pre-accession countries.2 Atthe sametime theprogramme’s thematic scope was limited to strengtheningthe rule of law. Thedecision was takentophase Matra outforthe Eastern Partnership countriesand insteadmeet theneed to strengthenthe rule of law in these countriesthrough supportfrom theHuman RightsFund. Thegeneral objectiveof theMatra programme iscurrentlytocontributetothedevelopment of a pluraldemocracy,grounded inthe ruleof law,with roomfor dialoguebetween governmentand civil society, withacentralemphasis onbuilding capacityand strengthening theinstitutionsof civil society andgovernmentandonstrengtheningbilateral relations.3 The programmefocusesonhelping countriesto meet the Copenhagen criteria andtoadoptthe acquis communautaire.4 The Netherlandsaims to linkMatra projectstotheEuropean Commission’s Instrumentfor Pre-Accession Assistance(IPA).5 In additiontotheMatra programme,the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (BZ) also contributes to societal transition throughthe HumanRights Fund (Turkey is theonly Matra country whereprojectsarefinancedfromthisfund)and theStability Fund (whichfinancesprojects in Bosniaand Herzegovina,Kosovo and Montenegro).This raises thequestionof theextenttowhich Matra complementsEUprogrammesand national programmes. By contrast with pastpractice,BZ issolelyresponsiblefor Matra management6 andMatra costsarepaid entirelyfrom theBZbudget. Despite theprogramme’snarrower geographicalfocussince2012, Matrafundsare nonetheless spenteach year in EasternPartnership countries,atthe explicit requestof the House of Representatives.7 Thesefundsare spentin part on civil societyprojects, viaDutch 2Albania,BosniaandHerzegovina,Kosovo,Macedonia,Montenegro,SerbiaandTurkey.Thismeant thattheEasternPartnershipcountries(Armenia,Azerbaijan,Belarus,Georgia,MoldovaandUkraine) wereremovedfromtheMatracountrieslist.Seethelettertoparliamentof14November2011on SocialTransformation/reviewingMatra(ref.DEU-275/2011).NBAsCroatiabecameaEUmember stateon1July2013,Matraisbeingphasedoutthereaswell. 3GrantsPolicyFrameworkMatraCoPROL(OrderoftheMinisterofForeignAffairsof12July2013, no.DEU-0575/2013,layingdownadministrativerulesandaceilingforgrantsawardedunderthe MinistryofForeignAffairsGrantRegulations2006(MatraCoPROL2014-2015)). 4Lettertoparliamentof14November2011onSocialTransformation/reviewingMatra. 5ForIPAsupportconditions,see http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/thefunds/ipa/works_en.cfm and http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/instruments/overview/index_en.htm. 6WiththeexceptionoftheMatraPolitical PartiesProgramme(MPPP). 7MadeinthreeamendmentsadoptedbytheHouse.In2015apartofMatra’sbudgetwilloncemore bereservedforprojectsinEasternPartnershipcountries. 2 embassiesand theVisegrad Fund,8 and inpart viaextra contributions tofoundations linked topoliticalpartiesforprojects inEasternPartnership countries. In response to theArab Spring, aseparateMatraprogramme (Matra South) was setupfor theEU’s southernneighboursandhasbeen inoperation since2012.9 By contrast with the Southeast Europeancountriescovered by the regular Matra programme, the countriesof the Arab regionhavenoaccessionprospects. The two programmes nonetheless work largely accordingtothe same system. In the restof theseToR,however,‘Matra’ refersonlytothe programmefor pre-accessioncountries. 2.2 Componentsofthe Matraprogramme The current Matraprogrammehasthefollowing components. 1. Matra CooperationwithPre-accession Countriesonthe Rule of Law (CoPROL): targeted supportfor central governments This componentfinances partnerships between Dutchgovernment bodiesand their counterpartsin Matra countries. Thepartnershipsmust beaimedatadopting theEUacquis in theareaof the ruleof law andmustcomplement theactivitiesof theEuropean Commission. They must also raise theNetherlands’ profileas regardsthe recipient governments.10 Theyhave thefollowingobjectives:11 A. Strengthening capacity: Thecapacity of oneor more governmentalor semi- governmental institutions in one of thetargetcountries toadoptand implement theEUacquis must be strengthened by drawingon the capacityof oneor more relevantgovernmental or semi-governmental institutions inthe Netherlands. B. Strengthening bilateral relationsbetweenthe Netherlands and the Matra countries:Cooperationbetween Dutchgovernment institutionsand their counterpartsin thetarget countries mustnotonlystrengthenbilateraltiesbutalso foster greater understandingof Dutchpolicy in thetarget countries. For theperiodfrom1 January 2013 to 31 December 2015, theMinister of ForeignAffairs made €12 million availablefor this componentofMatra. After two roundsof thetender procedure, sixprojectshavebeenapproved. Theprojects will continueuntil 2015, in some 8ThesefundsarespentthroughtheVisegrad4EasternPartnershipProgram(V4EaP);see http:/visegradfund.org/v4eap/. 9Seelettertoparliamentof24June2011onthecurrentsituationinNorthAfricaandtheMiddleEast (ref.32623),p.8. 10GrantsPolicyFrameworkMatraCoPROL,p.6.Inpracticethismeanspartnershipsaimedatthe Matracountry’smeetingtheCopenhagencriteriaandadoptingEUvaluesandstandards. 11Idem,p.8. 3 caseswithanextensionthrough2016.After the completionof the secondround, €1.75 million remainedtobe awardedforbudget year2014.There seemtobeseveral reasonsfor this.Onthe onehand,toofew of theprojects submittedprovedtomeetall the requirements set intheassessmentframework.On theotherhand,there wasa lackof enthusiasm among severalof theparties concerned to reach agreementwithpartners in theMatra countrieson specific jointprojects.Thisevaluation will providea goodopportunitytoexaminehow this componentof Matra is working. 2. Trainingcivil servantsandyoung diplomatsfromMatra countries Two componentsof Matraprovideforbrief courses totraincivil servantsinpre-accession countries in subjects that are importantfor theirEU accession. The MatraPre-Accession Training programme ontheRuleof Law (PATROL)provides trainingfor seniorofficialsfromthe executivebranch andjudiciary usingDutchbest practices. These courses have beenoutsourcedthroughatender proceduretothe T.M.C. Asser Institute inconjunction withEcorys andTheHagueAcademyfor LocalGovernance. This component coverstheperiod 2012-2015andhasabudgetof €3,997,764.PATROL’s objectivesare: A. Strengthening the institutionalcapacityof governmentbodiesin target countriesin thefieldof the ruleof law, thusenhancingtheir capacitytoimplementnecessary reforms andat the sametimehelpingto embed insocietythe coreEuropean values thatunderlie such reforms. B. Strengthening relations between officials in thedifferent target countries. C. Strengthening thetiesof officials inthe target countries with theNetherlandsand increasingtheir understandingof Dutch policy.12 YoungdiplomatsfromMatra countries also take brief courses in theNetherlands. For the period 2012-2014,thesecourseshavebeenoutsourcedtothe Netherlands Instituteof International Relations ‘Clingendael’, witha budget of €544,692. Their objectivesare: A. Strengthening theparticipants’abilityto contributetotheir countries’moving closer to theEU. B. Strengthening the Netherlands’bilateral relationswith thetargetcountries,by fosteringcloser ties withthe Netherlandsonthe part of participantsandincreasing their knowledgeandunderstanding of Dutchpolicy. 12SeeActivityAppraisal DocumentontheMatraPre-AccessionTrainingprogrammeontheRuleof Law(MatraPATROL),activityno.24679(inDutch),p.1. 4 C. Forminga network between participantsfromthedifferenttarget countries,thus potentially helpingtoeventually strengthen relations between them.13 3. Supportingandstrengthening civil societyinitiatives (‘Matra delegatedprojects’) This componentof the Matra programmefocuseson strengthening the ruleof law asa crucial elementof theCopenhagencriteria,withaspecial emphasis on thejustice system. Implementation isdelegated to theDutchembassies inthe target countries,which use the funds to supportsmall-scaleactivitiesby localorDutchorganisations.The projectsmayalso consistof cooperationbetweengovernmentauthorities, including knowledgeexchange between line ministries. They shouldbe exclusivelyfocusedononeor moreof thefollowing themes: legislationandjustice,public administration/public order/police, orhuman rights/minorities.The projects may lastfornomore than two years. In2012 €8.3million was reservedfor Matra delegated projects, of which €8.2 million wasactually spent;in2013these figureswere €6.05 millionand €6.01 million respectively. For 2014 €5.6 millionhas been budgeted. Theobjectives of this specific Matraprogramme componentarethegeneral Matraobjectives mentionedabove: building capacity,strengtheningthe institutionsof civil societyand governmentand strengtheningbilateral relations.14 4. Supportfor politicalpartydevelopment The MatraPolitical PartiesProgramme (MPPP) isaimedatstrengtheningdemocracy in Matra countriesthroughtwinningbetween Dutchpolitical partiesandtheir sisterpartiesor organisations. Thefundsareprovided through grants tofoundations linked to Dutchpolitical partiesrepresented in Parliament.15 Theobjectiveof this grantprogramme isstrengtheningthe leadershipand networks of the Dutchrecipientparties’ sister partiesororganisations in thetargetcountries. TheMPPP was evaluatedin2006byWarnerStrategy &Fundraising.16 13SeeActivityAppraisal DocumentonTrainingyoungdiplomatsfromSoutheastEuropeancountries withEUaccessionprospects,activityno.24153(inDutch),pp.1-2. 14TherulesforembassiesusingMatradelegatedfundscanbefound(inDutch)at http://portal.rp.rijksweb.nl/irj/portal/?NavigationTarget=HLPFS://cisrijksportaal/cisfacilitair/cishandboek bedrijfsvoeringbz/cishbbznederlands/cisbeleidsplanninguitvoering/cisoverigefinancieringsprogrammas/ cismatrakap. 15ThePolitical Parties(Financing)Actcallsthesefoundations‘institutionsforactivitiesabroad’ (section4).OfthepartiescurrentlyrepresentedintheHouseof Representatives,thePeople’sParty forFreedomandDemocracy(VVD),LabourParty(PvdA),ChristianDemocraticAlliance(CDA), Democrats’66(D66),GreenLeftAlliance,ChristianUnion(CU),CalvinistParty(SGP)andAnimal RightsParty(PvdD)haveinstitutionsforactivitiesabroad. 16‘EvaluatieMatraPolitiekePartijenProgramma2000-2005:Vanpartijnaarpartij:Nederlandse ondersteuningvanpolitiekepartijeninEuropeselandenintransitie’[EvaluationofMatraPolitical 5 Asfrom2013, responsibilityfor implementing thiscomponenthas beentransferred to the Ministry of the Interior andKingdom Relations (BZK), thusplacingthe grant programme under thePolitical Parties(Financing) Act. Thetransfer was meant to streamline theprocess of awardinggrantstothe differentpoliticalparties’foundations,andavoid theapplication of differentstatutoryframeworksandthusof differentmanagement rules todifferentgrants. By contrast with BZ’sMatra grantframework,the Political Parties (Financing)Actdoesnot imposeany conditions on thecountries wherethefundsare spent,soastoavoidanycontrol over thepartyfoundationsbythe Minister of the Interior. Ina lettertothe partiesconcerned, theMinisters of the Interior andof ForeignAffairsdidhoweverexpress theirexpectation that in practicethe grants will be spent inthe Matra countries.17 At thesametime,theexistence of sister partiesin thecountries concernedand their abilitytocooperate on leadership development andnetwork-buildingalsoplaya role. MPPP implementationthus takes place in a specific political context. In 2012BZawarded €1.2million inMPPPgrants.In theperiod2013-2014theeightparties with an institutionfor activitiesabroadwereeligiblefor annualgrants totalling €1million.18 Amendmentstothe budgetappropriated additional sums of €1 millionin2012, €750,000 in 2013and €500,000 in 2014.19 2.3 Backgroundandjustification This evaluation was announced in theexplanatorymemorandum onBZ’s budgetfor 2014.20 The Ministeralso mentionedtheplannedevaluation in hisresponsetoquestions in parliament21 and to theamendment submittedby MPs Han tenBroekeand MichielServaes proposinganadditional€2millionfor Matra in2014.22 The current Matraprogrammehasbeenunder way since2012 and is beingfundedforfour years. In2015 the minister will decideonthe contentof theprogrammefrom 2016. The PartiesProgramme2000-2005,Dutchsupportforpolitical partiesinEuropeancountriesintransition] (2006). 17Seee.g.theletterof6April 2012onMPPPfromtheVVD(ref.DAM-024/2012),availablefromDEU. 18Undersection8(3)ofthePoliticalParties(Financing)Act. 19Inaddition,thereisanannual contributionof €500,000forpoliticalpartiesintheMatraSouth countries.BecausethePoliticalParties(Financing)Actsetsnoconditionsfortheplacewherefunds maybespent,thisadditional sumisinpracticedifficulttodistinguishfromtheMatrafunds. 20‘TheMatraprogrammewillbeevaluatedin2014.’(BZbudget,Annexe3:grantoverview,Matra CoPROL) 21‘In2014theMatraprogrammewill beevaluated.’(Responsetoquestions14and15onthe2014 budget) 22‘Nowwithregardtotheamendments:theamendmenttoitem 19submittedbyMPsTenBroekeand ServaesconcernsMatra.Iagreewiththethinkingbehindtheamendment.Theadditional €2million theypropose wouldcreatescopetocarryonusefulprojectsinpre-accessionandEasternPartnership countries.Iwill workwithmystaffattheMinistryofForeignAffairstoensurethatpartoftheadditional resourcescanbespentontheprogrammeforpoliticalparties.NextyearMatrawill beevaluated,so it’sagoodideatoexaminethefutureuseof Matrafundsatthattime.Ithereforeseethisamendment asanexpressionof supportforcurrentpolicy.’ 6 timetableof thisevaluationis thereforeaimedatmakingthefinal report availablenolater than March2015,sothatthe resultsof the evaluation canbe taken intoaccount inthe minister’s decisions. In thefirstquarterof 2015thefinal report will alsobe issuedof theIOB’s evaluationof Dutch policyonthe democratic transition in theArab region.That reportwill lay thebasisfor decision-makingonthefutureof MatraSouth.23 These synchronised timetableswill facilitate better coordinationof decision-making on thetwodifferentprogrammes. 2.4 Goal Theevaluationhasa dualgoal.Ontheone hand,it will allow the ministertoaccount to Parliamentfor theMatra programmeasit hasbeen implemented. On theotherhand, it should make it possible to draw lessons thatcanbe taken intoaccount inpossiblefuture decisionsonMatra. 3. Evaluation questions Theevaluationwillfocusonthefollowing questions: 1. Relevance a. Wasthe Matraprogramme’sfocus on the developmentof democracyandthe rule of lawjustified in viewof the challengesthatthe countries in question arefacing as theymovecloser to theEU? b. Is theprogramme consistent with the Netherlands’policypriorities in thefield of strengtheningthe rule of law? c. Do the Matraprojectsfocus on major challenges these countriesface withregard to theruleof law? d. What was Matra’sadded valuein relationtootherDutchprogrammesand programmesof other donors,notably EUprogrammes like theIPA, whichare being implemented inthe countriesinquestion? 2. Effectiveness: Has the Matraprogrammecontributed to: 23ThepartoftheIOBevaluationoftheDutchroleintheEUNeighbourhoodPolicythatdealswith MatraprogrammesinEasternPartnershipcountrieswill alsobemadeavailableatthatsametime. Thiswill playaroleinthedecisiononstructurallyextendingtheMatraprogrammetotheEastern Partnershipcountriesfrom2016. 7 a. candidatecountries’ meeting the Copenhagen criteria andadopting theEU’s values andstandardsin the areaof the rule of law; b. strengtheningthe Netherlands’bilateral relationswith thetargetcountries; c. (with regardtoPATROLand thecoursesfordiplomats) thetarget countries’ working more closely withoneanother? 3. Management: Were the Matraprogrammecomponentsorganised ina way thatfosteredaneffective process of selectingand implementing projects(includingfinancialand substantive monitoring)? These central evaluation questions will beanswered making useof thefollowing questions for eachprogrammecomponent. Matra CoPROL Relevance - Havethe projectsfocusedonthe main issuesin thearea of the ruleof law that are important in theaccession processesof the countrieswhere they havebeen implemented? - Were theprojects consistent with the Netherlands’policypriorities in thefield of strengtheningthe rule of law? - Did differentdonors coordinate/harmonise theirefforts? To whatextentdid CoPROL projectscomplementthe projectsof other donors?In particular, did the projects playa roleaspilotprojectsforEU projects ona larger scale? Effectiveness - Havethe projectsincreased the capacity of thetargetcountries’ partner institutionsto meet theCopenhagencriteriaand to adoptthe EU’svaluesand standards intheareaof the ruleof law? - Are theprojectsexpectedtostrengthenthe relationships between thetarget countriesand theNetherlands? - Are theprojectsexpectedtostrengthenthe relationships between thegovernment institutionsinvolved? 8 Management - Were the Dutch governmentbodies concernedwell enoughequippedfor /geared to cooperation withtheir partners inthe target countries?If they werenot, why not? - Did the selectionandassessmentprocedures lead to asufficientnumber of applicationsandapprovedprojectsof thedesiredquality? Matra PATROLand Matra coursesfor diplomats Relevance - Did thePATROL courses address theaspects ofstrengtheningthe rule of lawthat are most relevanttothe target countries’accession? - Did the coursesfor diplomats address theaspectsof the accessionprocess that are most relevanttothe target group? - Were thetrainingprogrammes consistent with theNetherlands’policypriorities in thefieldof strengtheningthe rule of law? Effectiveness - Havethe coursesorganisedsofar increased theparticipants’ knowledge and understanding of core Europeanvaluesand standards? - Havegraduatesof thePATROLand Clingendaelcourses helped implement relevant reforms in their countriesof origin? - Do thegraduateshavemoreknowledgeandunderstandingafterthe coursesof theNetherlands’‘strict butfair’ policyonEU enlargement? - Havethe graduatesbuiltnetworks withone another, andaretheyusing those networks?Arethe networks broader than the graduatesalone? Towhatextent are thenetworksusedtohelp countriesadopt core European valuesand standards? - Are thegraduates still intouch withthe Netherlands/the Dutchembassy? To what extent isthe Dutchgovernment, in The Hagueand inthe target countries,using thenetworksandencouragingtheir use byothers? Management - Are these twoprogramme componentsbeing properly managed? 9

See more

The list of books you might like

Most books are stored in the elastic cloud where traffic is expensive. For this reason, we have a limit on daily download.