Evaluation of the EU approach “Collect More Spend Better” (2015-2021)

The purpose of the study is to provide the EU and the wider public with an overall independent assessment of the contribution of the EU’s Collect More Spend Better framework to the improvement of beneficiary countries’ Public Financial Management (PFM) systems and, consequently, of their development strategies.

The evaluation concludes that the EU demonstrated a pragmatic and comprehensive CMSB approach at the country level. It was well adapted to different contexts and needs but it was hindered by the slow pace of PFM reform and implementation.

At the country level, the EU’s approach was pragmatic and adapted to different contexts and needs. It was facilitated by a mix of aid modalities and instruments, but underestimated the strong political economy dimension of PFM reforms. The EU’s CMSB support was often scattered, with few synergies within the country portfolios and with other EU interventions. Moreover, the EU relied on a useful mix of EU aid modalities and instruments at the country level, but with a wide spectrum of interventions leading to some dispersion with limited synergies. The active implementing role kept by the EU allowed more joint and coordinated responses at the international level, albeit with limited influence on strategic orientations.

Read the evaluation report (Volume I - Main report)