Supporting study for the evaluation of Decision No 406/2009/EC (Effort Sharing Decision) : final report

This report presents the final results from an interim evaluation of Decision No 406/2009/EC (the Effort Sharing Decision, ESD). The evaluation has considered the effectiveness, efficiency, coherence, relevance and EU added value of the ESD to date. It also considered the impacts of the ESD on EU internal competition. The ESD came into force in June 2009, and the scope of the evaluation concerns the impacts of the Decision to date i.e. November 2015. While the ESD has been in place for some time, some of the main requirements have only happened for the first time in 2015, and others will not happen until 2016. The evaluation is therefore focussed on those areas where there is greatest potential to learn lessons to date. In relation to the geographic scope, the evaluation has covered all countries where the impacts of the ESD are expected to be observed i.e. all 28 Member States of the European Union (EU). Impacts on third countries are expected to be very limited.