SAVE THE DATE: 9th Conference on the Evaluation of EU Cohesion Policy, 16-17 September 2021, Porto (PT)

Conferinte+internationale

Dear colleague,

The European Commission is organising the 9th Conference on the Evaluation of EU Cohesion Policy ‘Shaping Transitions with Evidence’ in Porto on 16-17 September 2021.

The Commissioner for Regional Policy Elisa Ferreira will open the conference, which will bring together policymakers from the EU institutions and Member States, academics, evaluation experts, managing authorities of the operational programmes co-financed by EU cohesion policy, civil society and other stakeholders.

With its strong focus on performance, accountability and transparency in its investments, cohesion policy is at the forefront of the EU’s green and digital transitions that will shape the process of recovery and the future of Europe over the next decades. The COVID-19 crisis has shown once more the essential role of cohesion policy in helping Member States and regional authorities to respond quickly and flexibly to the health and economic crisis triggered by the pandemic helping the most affected territories, sectors and population. Evaluations carried out by the European Commission and the Member States play a crucial role to ensure that programmes deliver results, while leaving no one behind.

The conference will provide an opportunity to stress the importance of evidence-based policy in a fast-changing world, in view of the launch of the evaluation of cohesion policy’s 2014-2020 investments over the next year. It is organised in the Alfandega Porto Congress Centre and will be held in a hybrid format, allowing participants who will not be able to travel to join via an online platform.

You can find the draft agenda on the conference website.

In parallel to the conference, we will display an exhibition of posters on evaluations on cohesion policy programmes, carried out in the Member States, which will provide further opportunities for exchanging good practices and share experiences on methods and findings.

We are looking forward to seeing you in Porto and we will inform you when the registration system is open.

Kind regards,

DG REGIO organising team