Non-nuclear energy programme (I990-94) JOULE II : synthesis of key findings and recommendations from the assessment of completed projects; Volume II

This report presents the key findings and recommendations from the second and final phase to evaluate completed projects supported by the European Union's Non-Nuclear Energy Programme JOULE II (1990-94). The evaluation was undertaken during 1997 and 1998 by a group of seven independent evaluators. The overall aim of the evaluation was to provide an assessment of the programme's achievements based on the performance of a further 260 projects, mostly completed in 1995 and 1996; 100 projects were assessed as part of the first phase. The exercise was predominantly a scientific and technical evaluation, but also aimed to set the completed projects in a wider economic, social and environmental context. The report finds that overall performance has been encouraging. Given the research-oriented, pre-competitive nature of JOULE, the projects' achievements in terms of dissemination, commercialisation and exploitation are commendable.