Does IPA assistance address priority issues?

The assessment of relevance has not been included in this evaluation report because it was covered in the interim evaluation exercise of 2011. However, in order to have impact, interventions must address the targeted policy priorities and thus the table below provides a comparison between the 2006 and 2007 EP priorities (when the assistance was designed) and the overall objectives of the projects.

Table 4.1 Overview of the European Partnership priorities and the objectives of the projects

2006 / 2007 EP priorities: Overall objective of the project Quality Infrastructure

Implement current legislation in the areas of standards, certification, metrology, accreditation and conformity assessment; establish the institutions provided for by this legislation and equip/staff them so that they can implement their tasks. Continue efforts to align rules and regulations in these areas

2007 Accreditation: further develop quality infrastructure and create an enabling environment to strengthen international competitiveness

2007 Metrology: further develop the quality infrastructure and create an enabling environment for BiH industries and manufacturers to improve their trade

2006 / 2007 EP priorities: Overall objective of the project

with the acquis, in particular to create conditions favourable to trade.

Establish an internal consultation and notification mechanism of new technical regulations prior to their adoption on measures having an impact on trade.

Ensure continued progress in adopting European standards.

Establish the Market Surveillance Agency and ensure its capacity to fulfill its tasks. Continue taking steps towards the establishment of a market surveillance structure responding to the requirements of the acquis on free movement of goods.

with the EU and international markets

2007 Safety Infrastructure: further develop the quality infrastructure and create an enabling environment for BiH industries and manufacturers to improve their trade with the EU and international markets .

2008 Metrology: promote integration into the global economy in general and the EU economy in particular and to further develop quality infrastructure in BiH, in line with the provisions of the SAA, and to create an enabling environment for BiH industries and manufacturers to improve their trade and industrial relations with the EU and international markets.

Continue the alignment of legislation in the areas of standards, certification, metrology, accreditation and conformity assessment with the acquis, and the transposition of new and global approach and old approach directives.

2009 Internal Market: enhance the integration of the markets of BiH with those of the EU through further development of Quality Infrastructure and to create an enabling environment for the BiH industries and manufacturers to improve their trade with the EU and international markets.

Statistics

Develop reliable economic statistics and build up institutional capacity to produce and publish basic statistical data harmonised with European standards, in particular in the areas of national accounts, labour statistics and business statistics.

2008 State and Entity statistical institutions: strengthen the BiH statistical system, improve the production of harmonised statistical data for the state level, and strengthen inter-institutional cooperation. Implement the agreement between the Entities in

the statistical system on improvement of the work of the Central Statistical Agency in Bosnia and Herzegovina and improve the range and quality of statistics, in particular at State level.

Improve the collection and processing of agriculture statistics in line with EU standards and

methodology.

Improve the quality and coverage of statistics on consolidated government accounts.

Establish the legislative framework necessary for carrying out the population census. Agree on a target date for the census and start preparations for implementing it.

2009 Census II: prepare for the Population and Housing Census in 2011 by providing IT and other necessary equipment.

2007 Census I: prepare for the Population and Housing

Census in 2011.

Labour

Implement policies aiming at reducing unemployment, in particular long-term unemployment.

Improve the coordination of employment agencies across the country and make efforts to reduce labour market fragmentation.

2007 Active labour markets: Economic regeneration of

BiH

2009 Labour market competitiveness: Strengthening

the human resource capacities and making labour market work effectively, thus contributing to the overall development of society and to the promotion of economic and social cohesion

Social Policies

Further develop social inclusion and social protection policies.

Develop mechanisms for a social dialogue.

2007 Social sector review: more efficient and improved quality delivery of social security services to in BiH.

2006 / 2007 EP priorities: Overall objective of the project

Make further efforts improve the situation of persons with disabilities.

2007 SIPS I: development of a fiscally sustainable and effective social safety net and to the establishment of a harmonized, well-targeted, efficient and sustainable social protection system.

2007 Social Dialogue: the economic regeneration of

B&H.

2008 SIPS II: to combat social exclusion in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Education

Step up efforts to improve the education system, including primary education, and to create a modern vocational education and training system. Address the problem of fragmentation of the educational system and the overlap of functions between different levels of organisation. Strengthen policy development and strategic planning to improve quality of education.

Implement the State level Law on higher education, paving the way for implementation of the main components of the Bologna process and the Lisbon Recognition Convention.

Take measures to prevent segregation of children along ethnic lines at school.

Sign and ratify the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.

Start designing an integrated research policy.

2007 Reform of higher education / 2007

Strengthening higher education: advance the reform

of the higher education system which does not currently respond to the needs of the labour market, to combat unemployment and to support the development of economy and society.

2007 Equipment to VET schools: Advancing the

Reform of the Education System to support the development of economy and society.

2008 Education reform: to build and efficient and effective quality education system in Bosnia and Herzegovina in line with European trends and standards.

As can be seen from the table above, there is a clear correlation between the policy objectives and the programme objectives despite the latter being in most cases vague and difficult to measure – due to both vague indicators and the lack of a baseline.

In the following sections, impact realised in the different subsectors will be presented, in which the sectoral analysis (see Chapter 2 and Annex 4) has been combined with the analysis of IPA performance addressed in the previous chapters. Emphasis is on the three elements of capacity building: human resources, systems and tools, and structures.