Joint Programming: the limits to coordination - An exploratory study of the obstacles to the Joint Programming of the European Union

An academic thesis by Lars Olaf Søvndahl Petersen

An academic study of Joint Programming carried out in the fall of 2018 centred on the obstacles to Joint Programming as perceived by practitioners.

As an outcome of the thesis, the following 9 points of policy guidance are offered - two of which are especially relevant for the institutions of the European Union and two of which are especially relevant for Member States.

General points:

1. Ensure all relevant staff (in capitals and at field-level) have a clear and coherent conception of Joint Programming and what it implies.

2. Take the time to do the analysis. Do not get bogged down in details on mapping of interventions or division of labour. Identify opportunities for enhanced cooperation and coordination in the post-programming efforts, such as joint communications.

3. Allow field-level staff a certain autonomy and flexibility in decision-making.

4. Engender a culture of thinking political action and development cooperation as one track as each can benefit the other.

5. Emphasise strong group dynamics and good working relationships among the European partners as an end and a means to other ends.

Specific to the EU

6. To the greatest extent possible, additional human resources needed for Joint Programming should be provided by the European Union institutions.

7. Explore the scope for applying delegated partnerships as a means to achieve a division of labour - beware unhealthy competition between Member States’ agencies.

Specific to the Member States

8. Ensure coherence between commitments in Bruxelles fora, activities in countries and the related distribution of resources.

9. Provide the necessary political and institutional support (and pressure) from capitals to Joint Programming as a desirable end and a means to other ends such as political reforms and increased visibility and influence for the European Union as a whole and the individual Member States.