1. The role of impact assessment in promoting Policy Coherence for Development Meeting of the national focal points for Policy Coherence for Development 1 October 2010, OECD Paris

2. Introduction ECDPM aims to improve relations between the EU and countries in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific Selected work on PCD since 2003: Scoping Study and Joint Evaluation of EU efforts to promote PCD (Led by France) - 2006/2007 Evaluation of the Dutch PCD Unit - 2008/2009 Impact study of EU policies in six developing countries and, review of EU progress, contributions to EU Report on PCD - 2009 Discussion paper: analysis of Working Paper and assessment of PCD – 2010 (copies in the room) PCD is about development effectiveness, not aid

3. © OECD 2008 ■ OECD Policy Coherence Cycle We know what to do; are we doing it?

4. General agreement on what is needed to ensure PCD 1)Broad political commitment to, and action on PCD, across countries and parties 2)National and international administrative and policy coordination mechanisms for screening relevant policy decisions, creating synergies and resolving incoherencies 3)Adequate systems for monitoring, analysis and reporting

5. Achieving PCD is a complex, political process Source: ECDPM

6. Achieving PCD is a political process; always diverse strategic interests involved; it needs permanent broad political momentum to be able to advance Complexity of multi-stakeholder processes leading to PCD, or lack of it; continuous feedback is essential Legal ambiguity: i.e. EU has legal obligation to make an effort (Lisbon Art 208), yet no obligation to be successful For the EU: The absence of clear PCD objectives, indicators and baselines; adds to ambiguity So far, little interest in systematic evidence-based monitoring, research and impact assessment for PCD What makes achieving PCD impact so difficult?

7. Lack of EU operational PCD focus was recognized by the EU Council in November 2009: “Further work is needed to set up a more focused, operational and result-oriented approach to PCD” It also recognised the need to create political momentum, and was served by the new European Parliament, who took up PCD very seriously, i.e. agreeing on a standing rapporteur The Work Program prepared by EC between end- December 09 and April 2010 however received a lukewarm reception from the Council of Ministers in June. EU: Consensus on the way forward?

8. Screening texts for potential synergies/ incoherencies between new policies (e.g. comparing with Treaty provisions) Questionnaires/interviews to monitor progress regarding PCD implementation Incident-based studies (finding our what went wrong; localized evidence of the impact of one policy) Composite indices based on available quantitative data Very few empirical studies/evaluations of impact of more than one international policy (incipient efforts EC) - complex and resource-intensive Current practices for assessing PCD

9. Vital elements for assessing impact are still missing Any impact assessment or report is as good as the information/field data it is based upon No clear commitment as yet to gather field- based evidence on PCD impact in a systematic way; i.e. no PCD focal points in EU Delegations Regional and in-country PCD/development impact assessment can only be organised jointly with partners; incipient efforts yet no agreed upon joint frameworks/spaces available No effective recourse mechanisms for those adversely affected (Art 12 CPA)

10. Some ideas for improving PCD impact assessment Strengthening ‘across-policy’ linkages between (1) ex-ante development impact assessments, (2) ex-post joint evaluations and (3) joint programming and monitoring systems Increase available resources for (i) methodology development, (ii) field data gathering (iii) multi-actor information production and exchange, (iv) specialized components in (joint) development impact assessments Systematically inform on PCD results, the global public and governance fora, in order to enable political debate and momentum for development effectiveness Enhance multi-stakeholder monitoring of PCD impact, including recourse mechanisms for those who feel affected by international policies

11. Thank you! For more information about ECDPM’s work on ACP-EU relations please visit: www.ecdpm.org Paul Engel – pe@ecdpm.orgpe@ecdpm.org The OECD should lead on developing and promoting an evidence-based PCD, i.e. development impact, assessment framework