Performance-based financing in Cohesion policy: worthy ambitions, but obstacles remained in the 2014-2020 period

Summary:

We assessed the use of instruments for a performance-based financing of Cohesion policy during the 2014-2020 period. We looked at the requirement to meet specific ex-ante conditionalities; the mandatory performance reserve; and performance-based funding models. Our audit confirmed that all three instruments led to new approaches to implementation. However, they did not make a noticeable difference in how EU funding was allocated and disbursed. We recommend that the Commission should make the best use of the enabling conditions in the 2021-2027 period; prepare the ground for an effective mid-term review in 2025 early on; clarify the rules underlying the ‘financing not linked to costs’ model; and clarify the approach for providing assurance on EU funding through the ‘financing not linked to costs’ model.

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