3.3.1. Assessment of EUAA operational support in 2022

The Agency undertakes regular evaluations of its operations to enhance the overall relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, coherence and added-value of assistance. This reflective approach contributes to institutional learning, evidence-based change management, accountability and transparency. In 2022, the Agency conducted four internal evaluationsv covering operational support in Lithuania, Latvia and Romania.

Ongoing operational plans agreed with Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czechia, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Malta, Slovenia, Spain and the Netherlands that extend beyond the end of 2022 were not due for evaluation.

Lithuania

Under the operational plan with Lithuania, which ran from July 2021 to June 2022, the Agency provided support in the areas of asylum and reception following a sharp increase in arrivals in 2021. The evaluation concluded that the Agency provided a rapid and flexible response and contributed to an EU-wide solidarity approach. In the area of asylum, the Agency delivered train-the-trainer sessions, COI support and interpretation. It also provided limited support to first instance asylum processing.

The Agency supported the reception system with information provision, vulnerability assessments, training and interpretation. Taking into account the geopolitical context, the operational support was considered relevant and of added-value, in particular in the field of reception. The evaluation made recommendations to optimise the planning of new operational plans and interpretation support.

Latvia

The Agency supported Latvia with two operational plans following an increase in asylum seekers from Belarus in mid-2021. Under the first operational plan (running from September 2021 to March 2022), the Agency focused on the provision of interpretation during the asylum procedure and in reception. The support was considered relevant, coherent and effective in view of its limited scope and was considered ‘fair’ with regard to efficiency and added-value.

Support under the second operational plan, which covered the remaining of 2022, took place during stabilised migration pressure. The measures foresaw additional support for training and contingency planning. The support was considered effective, with 80 participations of more than 50 Latvian officials in training sessions on information provision, reception and vulnerable applicants. The smooth cooperation with the authorities underlined the relevance and the coherence of the action. Despite a number of efficiency gains, the mobilisation of support was also limited in terms of cost-efficiency because of the short timeline and the volume of the operation. In view of the reduced added-value of the Agency’s support, the evaluation supported the closure of the operational plan and recommended the continuation of support under the Agency’s permanent support framework.

Romania

Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, more than 2.5 million people crossed the border into Romania in 2022. The operational plan with Romania ran from March to December 2022. It was the Agency’s first operational plan to focus on support in the implementation of the Temporary Protection Directive.vi