Use of evaluations for improving policy and for ex ante assessments to prepare the next CAP

The report presents the outcomes of the thirteenth Good Practice Workshop, led by the European Evaluation Helpdesk for the CAP, which focused on how evaluations can be better used to improve the implementation of the current CAP and to inform ex ante assessments for preparing the next programming period. The workshop took place in Helsinki on 2-3 June 2026 and brought together 76 participants from 26 Member States, including Managing Authorities, evaluators, CAP networks, Paying Agencies and representatives of the European Commission (DG AGRI).

The discussions were enriched by contributions from several speakers, including Eduardo Serrano-Padial from DG AGRI, who provided insights into how evaluation evidence is used within the Commission to support both current policy implementation and future design. Marili Parissaki from the Evaluation Helpdesk presented analytical findings on how Member States follow up on evaluation recommendations. Speakers from across the EU shared national experiences, including Jurgita Pugačiauskaitė-Butrimienė (Lithuania), Katarina Carthew (Sweden), Eero Pehkonen and Tapio Salo (Finland), Attila Nagy (Hungary), and Franz Sinabell (Austria), illustrating concrete approaches to embedding evaluation into policymaking.

During the discussions, participants stressed that the value of evaluations lies not only in generating evidence but in ensuring that findings are effectively used throughout the policy cycle.

On the first day, participants focused on debating how to use evaluation findings to improve the policy of the current programming period. The workshop highlighted that evaluation findings only contribute to policy improvement when they are clear, credible and relevant. Early engagement of evaluators and policymakers, including the discussion of interim findings, was identified as a good practice to enhance the usability of results.

Another central conclusion concerned the importance of formal follow-up mechanisms. Embedding evaluation within governance systems ensures that findings are systematically followed up and actions taken. Examples discussed during the workshop include recommendation-tracking systems, management responses and structured dialogue between evaluators and policymakers. These approaches help transform evaluation into a continuous component of decision-making rather than a one-off reporting exercise.

Despite these positive practices, the workshop identified several persistent challenges. These include difficulties in assessing causality, especially when multiple factors influence outcomes, and challenges in communicating complex findings in an actionable way.

On the second day, participants focused on using evaluations to prepare the future CAP. Evaluation findings can contribute to scenario building or modelling of policy options.

Looking to the next programming period, the workshop emphasised that Member States are encouraged to systematically draw on findings from current and past evaluations to inform needs assessments, intervention logic design and strategic decisions for the post-2027 period. To maximise their value, evaluation findings and lessons learned from both current and previous programming periods should be systematically reviewed and integrated into programme preparation.

Overall, the report concludes that effective use of evaluations requires credible evidence, clear governance and continuous interaction between evaluators and policymakers.

The variety of experiences shared by speakers and participants confirmed that peer exchange remains essential for strengthening evaluation practices and fostering a culture of evidence-based policymaking across the CAP.