The scientific evaluation of the impact of public policies paves the way for a public debate grounded in solidly substantiated facts and, ultimately, the implementation of more effective policies. The development of the évaluation approach in France during the 2012–2017 five-year term has been mixed: very positive on the one hand, with the opening up of public data (open data, access to administrative data for research purposes, etc.), but markedly less favourable in terms of the actual carrying out of evaluation work. Despite announcements made at the highest level, it must be acknowledged that the practice of public policy evaluation remains limited in France. It is most often reduced to an exercise in monitoring the resources deployed, within the framework of audit missions. To remedy this situation, it seems more necessary than ever to promote the carrying out of scientific evaluation work, for example through dedicated funding from the French National Research Agency (ANR).
Public policy evaluation: a mixed picture of the five-year term
This paper provides an overview of the 2012–2017 five-year period with regard to the development of the évaluation approach in France.
Reference IPP Policy Brief No. 25
Presentation
Key Results
- Access to administrative data for research and évaluation purposes has improved significantly in France thanks to a number of legislative changes.
- The practice of evaluation of public policies remains very limited in France, despite high-profile announcements and extensive publicity.
- In France, évaluation is still too often synonymous with monitoring exercises that assess the implementation of policies, rather than their effectiveness.
- Providing the National Research Agency with the resources for funding scientific research into the evaluation of public policies would enable the development of long-term evaluations, drawing on perspectives from different disciplines, and conducted with complete independence.
Lucile Romanello
