The use of new provisions on simplification during the early implementation phase of the European Structural and Investment (ESI) Funds is one of the most promising areas of investigation, if seen in the perspective of improvement of the institutional and administrative capacities. 
The overall scope of  the study concerns the estimation of the administrative costs and burden related to the management and implementation of the ESI Funds – covering all ESI Funds (ERDF, CF, ESF, EAFRD and EMFF). Its main purpose is to:
a) assess how the simplification options offered in the regulatory framework for the 2014-2020 ESIF have been taken up by the Member States and programmes during the early implementation phase;
b) compare and quantify the impact of regulatory changes in the overall delivery mechanism on the administrative burden and costs for beneficiaries and programme authorities, and
c) assess and quantify the potential burden for beneficiaries resulting from additional rules applied at national and regional level.

The report of the study is available here.