In 2025, t33 has been selected to conduct a framework evaluation of the Interreg Italy-Croatia 2021-2027 programme. The programme area is situated around the Adriatic Sea and involves eight counties in Croatia and twenty-five provinces in Italy. This geographic characteristic is directly reflected in the programme’s marine and maritime strategic focus. The 2021-2027 programme has a total budget of EUR 222.7 million, of which EUR 178.1 million is from ERDF.

The key objective of the present evaluation service is to assess the programme relevance, effectiveness and coherence. In addition, the programme aims to investigate the impact, the sustainability, and transferability of results.

To do it, the framework of the Interreg Italy-Croatia evaluation involves both the study of primary and secondary data, applying six different tools, i.e. (1) desk analysis, (2) data analysis, (3) interviews, (4) web surveys, (5) case studies, and (6) focus groups. These methodological tools allow the analyses related to procedural progress (i.e. number of applications submitted and selected, per SO) and financial progress (e.g. planned, committed and spent amounts, including breakdowns per Priority and SO, benchmark with other Interreg programmes).

More specifically, the framework evaluation (2025-2029) consists of two operational evaluations, one additional evaluation, and, finally, an impact evaluation. The service starts with the delivery of the Integrated Evaluation Design (IED), the cornerstone of the evaluation process, outlining its scope, methodology, and alignment with programme needs. Then, for each evaluation type (operational, impact, and additional), a tailored Inception Report translates the IED into a specific methodological plan. Each evaluation, in turn, produces a Draft Evaluation Report presenting preliminary findings and a Final Evaluation Report, offering validated, evidence-based conclusions.

The evaluation service is coordinated by the t33 internal expert Pietro Celotti, benefiting from the driving role of Dea Hrelja, who coordinated the previous impact ex post-evaluation service of the Interreg Italy-Croatia 2014-2020 programme.