Innovative measures are primarily intended to improve the quality of interventions within the framework of the EU Structural Funds. In order to link these innovative measures more closely with the operational programmes, incentives were created within the framework of EU funding to test new methods and practices in regional policy. With this kind of "laboratory character", regions lagging behind in development were given the opportunity to try out more advanced approaches outside the usual ERDF framework.

The evaluation accompanying the programme and project pursued different, yet interlinked and interrelated tasks and objectives:

  • Continuous review of the material progress of the intervention and the achievement of objectives at programme, field of action and project level
  • Impact analysis with regard to the
    • Promotion of endogenous capacities
    • Structural adjustment
    • Innovation promotion
  • Preparation of the results
    • to support the fine-tuning and follow-up of the programme and projects
    • for the broad circle of process participants
  • Submitting suggestions for improvement to accompany the programme
  • Check the transferability of the selected solution proposals for other economic sectors and subject areas
  • Development of proposals for stronger links between innovative measures and the country's operational programme planning
  • Examine the integration of innovative measures into the 'mainstream' of European regional policy