ÖIR contributed to the completion of a study scoping the uptake and programming of financial instruments under the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD). The study, commissioned by DG AGRI and the European Investment Bank, was conducted by a consortium led by SWECO. The aim was to investigate how the legal framework, practical experiences and policy decision-making have influenced managing authorities while planning and potentially implementing FIs. Particular attention was drawn on the type of financial instruments as well as on the specific actions undertaken by EAFRD managing authorities, notably the preparation of an ex-ante assessment. The scope of the study covers all 28 EU Member States and provides an exhaustive overview of the status of Financial Instruments programming as well as the process in ex-ante assessments within the EAFRD. The results of the study serve as input for a further development of this implementation mechanism.
