Steady progress, following a sharp increase in commitment figures in 2016, has characterised ESIF implementation over the period.
- Despite substantial progress since the last review period, commitment rates were generally higher in a comparable time span in 2007-13. The EU28 average amounts to 38.7 percent of total allocations, with the IQ-Net average reflecting similar growth dynamics. The IQ-Net average payment rate continues to be higher than that of EU28 (12.7 percent against 11.3 percent), with levels exceeding 10 percent for seven IQ-Net partners. Interim EU payment rates, while overall significantly lower, demonstrate a similar pattern, with the IQ-Net average exceeding that of EU28 (6.2 percent against 5.4 percent).
- At the same time, feedback on project generation within IQ-Net programmes is mostly positive. Strong project pipelines and good responses to issued calls have been reported in many cases, although challenges are noted related to regulatory requirements and the preparation of project documentation for large/major projects.
- Success of implementation appears significantly related to the presence of previous experience; implementation difficulties often emerge in new thematic areas.
While the economic and political context for ESIF has been relatively stable in most cases, domestic changes have ranged from profound institutional reforms to completion of IB designation and changes to the Cohesion policy financial envelopes. Setting or improving conditions for faster implementation has remained an important priority.