Tools and Methods Series

The  “Tools and Methods series” was launched by EuropeAid in 2007; it presents a number of methodological and research documents produced by DG INTPA Unit D4 - Performance, Results and Evaluation; Internal Communication, Knowledge Management and Collaborative Methods. The collection includes three sub-collections: Guidelines, Reference Documents and Concept papers.

A summary of the main methodologies adopted by INTPA, including the Tools and Methods collection, can be find in the Intervention Cycle Methodology Guide

Guidelines

• Guidelines n°1 - The Programming, Design and Management of General Budget Support (2012). Updated in Guideline n°7 Guidelines on Budget Support (2017)
• Guidelines n°2 - EC Support to sector programmes: covering the three financing modalities: Sector budget support, Pool funding and EC procurement and EC project procedures (2007)
• Guidelines n°3 - Making technical cooperation more effective (2009)
• Guidelines n°4 – Guidelines on the Integration of Environment and Climate Change in Development Cooperation (2011). Updated in Guidelines n°6 - Guidelines on the Integration of Environment and Climate Change into EU international cooperation and development (2016)
• Guidelines n°5 - Guidelines on EU Blending Operations (2016)
• Guidelines n°6 - Guidelines on the Integration of Environment and Climate Change into EU international cooperation and development (2016). See also Guidelines n°4 – Guidelines on the Integration of Environment and Climate Change in Development Cooperation (2011)
• Guidelines n°7 - Guidelines on Budget Support (2017)
  - see also Guidelines (n°1) published in 2012
• Guidelines n°8 - Joint Programming Guidance - Supporting EU delegations to work better together with Member States, like-minded partners and country stakeholders (2019)
• Guidelines n°9 - Business Environment Reform (2020)
• Guidelines n°10 - Working Better Together (last update: 2024)

Reference documents

• Reference document n°1 - Institutional Assessment and Capacity Development – Why, what and how? (2005)
• Reference Document n°2 - Supporting decentralisation and local governance in third countries (2007). Updated in  Reference document n°23 - Supporting decentralization, local governance and local development through a territorial approach (2016)
• Reference document n°3 - Strengthening project internal monitoring: How to enhance the role of EC task managers (2009) 
• Reference document n°4 - Analysing and Addressing Governance in Sector Operations (2009)
• Reference document n°5 - Sector Approaches in Agriculture and Rural Development (2009)
• Reference document n°6 - Toolkit for Capacity Development (2010)
• Reference document n°7 - Water Sector Development and Governance: Complementarities and synergies between Sector-wide Approach and Integrated Water Resource Management (2009)
• Reference document n°8 - Engaging and Supporting Parliaments Worldwide - Strategies and methodologies for EC action in support to parliaments (2010)
• Reference document n°9 - Support for judicial reform in ACP Countries (2010)
• Reference document n°10 - Trade and Private Sector Policy and Development – Support programmes financed by EU external assistance (2010)
• Reference document n°11 - Emerging good practice on Codes of Conduct, Partnership Principles and Memorandums of Understanding in the Water Sector (2010)
• Reference document n°12 – Engaging Non-State Actors in New Aid Modalities - For better development outcomes and governance (2011)
• Reference document n°13 – Addressing under-nutrition in external assistance – An integrated approach through sectors and aid modalities (2011)
• Reference document n°14 - Social transfers in the fight against hunger: A resource for development practitioners (2012)
• Reference document n°15 - Support for Justice and the Rule of Law – Review of past experience and guidance for future EU development cooperation programmes (2012)
• Reference document n°16 - Sector Wide Approach (SWAP) Study in the Water Sector (2012)
• Reference document n°17 - Operating in situations of conflict and fragility: EU staff handbook (2015). Updated in Reference Document n°31 - Guidance notes on conflict sensitivity in development cooperation (2021) 
• Reference document n°18 - Promoting civil society participation in policy and budget processes (2014)
• Reference document n°19 - Blending in the Energy Sector (2015)
• Reference document n°20 - Blending in the Transport Sector (2015)
• Reference document n°21 - Blending in the Water and Sanitation Sector (2015)
• Reference document n°22 - Blending and Support to Private Sector Development (2015)
• Reference document n°23 - Supporting decentralization, local governance and local development through a territorial approach (2016). See also Reference document n°2 (2007)
• Reference document n°24 - Vocational education and training for inclusive growth in development cooperation (2017)
• Reference document n°25 - The Inclusive Green Economy in EU development cooperation (2018)
• Reference document n°26 - Social Protection across the Humanitarian-Development Nexus (2019)
• Reference document n°27 - Strengthening education systems to provide learning for all (2020)
• Reference Document n°28 - Toolkit on Business and Human Rights (2021)
• Reference Document n°29 - Addressing income inequalities through development cooperation (2021)
  • Volume 1: Concepts and Definitions
  • Volume 2: Policy briefs to tackle inequalities
  • Volume 3: Guidelines for mainstreaming the reduction of inequality in interventions
• Reference Document n°30 - Promoting employment and decent work in development cooperation (2021)
• Reference Document n°31 - Guidance notes on conflict sensitivity in development cooperation (2021). See also Reference document n°17 - Operating in situations of conflict and fragility: EU staff handbook (2015)

Concept papers

• Concept paper n°1 - Public Sector Reform: An Introduction (2009)
• Concept paper n°2 - Supporting Anti-Corruption Reform in Partner Countries – Concepts, Tools and Areas for Action (2011)
• Concept paper n°3 – Mappings and Civil Society Assessments - A study of past, present and future trends (2012)
• Concept paper n°4 – Supporting Social Protection Systems (2015)
• Concept paper n°5 – Indicators to measure Social Protection Performance (2017)
• Concept paper n°6 - Promoting Employment and Decent Work in Development Cooperation (2018)

Other relevant EU Tools and Methods for Development cooperation

• Staff Working Document: A Tool-box - Right based approach encompassing all human rights in EU development cooperation (2014)
• EU Toolkit for the implementation of complementarity and division of labour in development policy (2009)
• EC/EEAS Guidance note - Addressing conflict prevention, peace-building and security issues under external cooperation instruments (2013)
• EC/EEAS Guidance note: The use of Conflict Analysis in support of EU external action (2013)
• Evaluation methodological approach:
  • Methodological guidance for evaluation (Group)
  • Project and programme evaluations
  • Geographic, thematic and other complex evaluations
• Methodological approach for Budget support (BS) evaluation (With OECD) (2010)
• Guidelines for EC Support to Microfinance EN (2008)
• Guide book (with UNWTO) - Sustainable Tourism for Development (2013)
• Governance in the Transport Sector: Methodology and Tools for Integrating Governance into Support for the Transport Sector in Sub-Saharan Africa (2014)