FINAL EVALUATION - Evaluation of FDs 25026, 38229 and 38246

Objectives: Systematic and timely evaluation of its programmes and activities is an established priority of the European Commission. The focus of evaluations was on the assessment of achievements, the quality and the results of Actions in the context of an evolving cooperation policy with an increasing emphasis on result-oriented approaches and the contribution towards the implementation of the SDGs. From this perspective, evaluations should look for evidence of why, whether or how these results are linked to the EU intervention and seek to identify the factors driving or hindering progress. Evaluations should provide an understanding of the cause and effect links between: inputs and activities, and outputs, outcomes and impacts. Evaluations should serve accountability, decision making, learning and management purposes. The main objectives of this evaluation was to provide the relevant services of the European Union, the interested stakeholders and the wider public with: An overall independent assessment of the past performance of the interventions, paying particular attention to their intermediate results measured against their expected objectives; and the reasons underpinning such results; Key lessons and recommendations in order to improve current and future Actions. In particular, this evaluation served to maximise the impact of assistance in Armenia by ensuring sustainability and impact through the provision of an evaluation assessment for the benefit of the Contracting Authority. The evaluation contributed to accountability by providing an assessment of the results achieved. Furthermore, it contributed to learning by understanding what have been the factors that made possible or created obstacles to the achievement of results (the focus is therefore on why, not only on what); and by identifying any key lessons that would lead to improved future actions in the country and sector. The evaluation encompassed both forward and backward-looking perspectives. The evaluation also assessed to what extent cross-cutting objectives of the European Commission have been promoted: environment and climate change, rights-based approach, persons with disability, indigenous peoples and gender equality. Scope of the evaluation The evaluation assessed the Intervention using the six standard DAC evaluation criteria, namely: relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability early signs of impact. In addition, the evaluation will assess one EU specific evaluation criterion, which is the EU added value (the extent to which the Intervention brings additional benefits to what would have resulted from Member States' interventions only) of three interventions: Public Finance Policy Reform Programme in Armenia Support to border management and migration Better Qualifications for Better Jobs