Overview
This thematic study focus on the impacts of the 2014–2020 IPARD II programmes across Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Türkiye. As part of the EU’s Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance, IPARD aims to modernise the agri-food sector, strengthen rural development and support alignment with EU standards.
The study contributes to the European Commission’s ex post assessment and will inform improvements to IPARD III (2021–2027) and planning for the post-2027 programming period.
Objective
The project assesses how far IPARD II has met the objectives set in the IPA II Framework Agreement. It examines the programme’s contributions to rural development, competitiveness, food safety, environmental performance and administrative alignment with EU requirements.
Context
This study covers the full IPARD II 2014–2024 period and aims to evaluate programme performance, efficiency and long-term impact.
Focus Areas
The research explores:
· Development of human capital, skills and employment opportunities in rural areas
· Improvements in living conditions and territorial development beyond agriculture
· Progress towards alignment with EU standards and the Common Agricultural Policy
· Adoption of sustainable agricultural practices and green investments
· Impacts of on-farm and agri-food sector modernisation on productivity and market access
· Uptake of innovative technologies
· Effectiveness of implementation systems and governance
· Beneficiaries’ perceptions of the EU
Impact
The findings will provide evidence to strengthen future EU pre-accession rural development programmes, support more effective delivery of IPARD III, and contribute to the wider enlargement process.
The thematic study is led by CCRI (prof. Janet Dwyer) and conducted in collaboration with our consortium partners ADE and ÖIR.
