3. Prior appraisal of the Plan

In this chapter, the prior appraisal of the Rural Development Plan will be presented together with the action taken by the MoA to adjust the plan in accordance with the recommendations presented by the evaluator.

3.1 Finalising evaluation report

Please see Annex X. for concluding assessment note prepared during the process of finalising the RDP as a response to the comments and questions put forward by the Commission to previous draft versions of the plan.

3.2 The Ministry of Agriculture comments on the report: Action taken into account

The Ministry of Agriculture has appreciated a contribution of the ex-ante evaluation to the improvement of the Rural Development Plan of Lithuania. The Ministry of Agriculture has taken into account the evaluation’s recommendations and did its best to improve general structure, arguments, presentation of the Plan, attach additional information necessary.

To address the evaluator’s remarks on disparities, gaps and potentials of current situation in rural Lithuania, the Ministry of Agriculture followed recommendations to highlight and rank problems identified in the description part of the current situation. For the reason, strengths and weaknesses analysis was also restructured.

Moreover, evaluation reports of Phare projects were examined, as well as analysis of previous Rural Support Fund actions was performed with the aim to evaluate outputs and possible impacts. However, due to the existing programme budgeting and monitoring procedures, the analysis performed lacks thorough conclusions.

Following the recommendations on the proposed strategy, the quantified objectives in each priority area were set and included in the Plan. Similarly, quantified targets for the measures selected were elaborated.

To address the remarks on consistency with the appropriate Community policies, results of consultations with social, economic and environmental partners were attached to the Plan, as well as comments on links with the Common Agriculture Policy and the Accession Partnership.

Finally, recommendations of the ex-ante evaluation were valuable in elaborating the implementing arrangements. General procedures on selection for eligible projects was elaborated and attached to the Plan, as well as monitoring arrangements.