Comparative analysis of three models of institutionalization of public policy evaluation in Spain

This need is reflected and enhanced in the current context of our society by two facts of similar importance, on the one hand, the approval of Law 27/2022 (Law for the institutionalization of the evaluation of public policies, LIEPP), marking a before and after in how we conceive the evaluation and monitoring of our public policies. And, additionally, the multitude of initiatives related to PPE that are being developed within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda. In this sense, the contribution of evaluations in relation to the promotion of transparency, accountability and citizen participation in the context of sustainability policies and strategies stands out, which places the CPE as an essential element at both the national and autonomous level, forcing us to rethink the actions of governments and their way of assessing public affairs.

Spanish political-administrative decentralization and its multilevel structure have had an impact on the development of the institutionalization of CPE. While, at the state level, bodies and institutions in charge of CPE have been established, for example, the State Agency for the Evaluation of Public Policies and the Quality of Services (AEVAL), replaced by the Institute for the Evaluation of Public Policies (IEPP) and, under the LIEPP, the new Spanish Agency for Public Policies (AEPP), which will be the entity in charge of the evaluation of public policies and the quality of services.

In this sense, the comparative analysis of the public policy evaluation models of Andalusia, Catalonia and Navarre that we recently published in the journal Gestión Y Análisis De Políticas Públicas offers a novel perspective on the current state of the institutionalization of evaluation in a comparative manner in these autonomous communities. For this purpose, we have created a synthetic indicator that allows us to establish the state of institutionalization of CPE in each of the autonomous communities analyzed.

Through our research, we were able to observe not only the differences between the evaluative practices and approaches adopted by each community, but also how each faces its own challenges and opportunities in the process of strengthening public policy evaluation. 

The evaluation systems of Andalusia, Navarra and Catalonia show generalized immaturity due to the lack of systematization and a widespread culture of evaluation, although each community has different characteristics.

Andalusia concentrates on evaluations at the autonomous level without specific bodies for this purpose, standing out for its comprehensive strategy in public policy evaluation, which integrates awareness-raising, training, dissemination, diffusion and strategic planning actions, among others, working on a bottom-up model.

Navarra, a pioneer in Spain in legislating in terms of institutionalization of CPE, has a powerful tool, Law 21/2005, although the dismantling of the evaluation promotion bodies and their replacement by others of a sectoral nature was a turning point that seriously damaged the development of the institutionalization of evaluation in this community.

Catalonia, on the other hand, adopted a more systematic and professionalized approach, with evaluations at the regional level, but with much weight of evaluations driven from the local level, assisted by autonomous agencies such as Ivàlua, with a high degree of independence in the evaluation process. At the same time, coordination with the Generalitat has strengthened the position of evaluation and has led to innovative policies (PROAVA program, COAVA and CIAVA). Between 2006 and 2020, Catalonia led in the number of evaluations carried out, reflecting a greater development in this area than Andalusia and Navarra.

Our research comes to solve, at least partially, a crucial need in the ecosystem of the institutionalization of CPE since today there is still no academic research that systematically compares the different processes of institutionalization of CPE in the Autonomous Communities. This comparison is vital to know the brakes and catalysts of CPE in different contexts and to develop effective and efficient public policies, as stated in most autonomous community statutes.

At this point, there is no need to explain why the expansion of the comparative index to other autonomous communities and its adaptation to multilevel administration is not only a logical step, but also necessary to promote a solid and adaptive evaluative culture throughout Spain.

The full article can be found at this link.

_{1. Trias Badruna, J., & Zúñiga Guevara, R. M. (2024). Análisis comparado de tres modelos de institucionalización de la evaluación de políticas públicas en España. Los casos de Andalucía, Cataluña y Navarra. Gestión Y Análisis De Políticas Públicas, (prepublicación). https://doi.org/10.24965/gapp.11249}