The Walloon Government is introducing a common framework to evaluate the impact of its public policies. The aim: to move away from the logic of “we decide and then move on” and establish a genuine results-based culture. The major reforms of this legislature can now be evaluated in order to measure their concrete effects, adjust what needs adjusting, and strengthen transparency towards citizens.
Does a reform actually achieve its objectives? Does it produce the expected effects? Should it be continued, adapted or corrected? These are essential questions that public authorities must be able to answer.
Until now, evaluation of public policies already existed in Wallonia, but in a scattered way, without a common methodological framework. The Walloon Government now intends to systematise this approach for the most strategic projects from the 2024-2029 Regional Policy Statement, so as to make evaluation a genuine tool for public decision-making.
In practice, not all measures will be automatically evaluated. The Government will target the policies presenting the most strategic or structural challenges. Before launching an evaluation, a preliminary analysis will check that it is relevant, feasible and useful, in order to focus resources on approaches that will bring real added value.
Depending on the projects, evaluations may be carried out by IWEPS, by the competent administration or, where relevant, by an external body. Their aim is simple: to measure the real effects of public policies in order to inform future decisions. On this basis, the Government will give its opinion on the recommendations made and decide on the follow-up. The reports will also be published, in accordance with applicable rules on administrative transparency and confidentiality.
“Governing is not just about deciding. It is also about accepting to measure the results of one's decisions. When a policy works, you must be able to demonstrate it. When it doesn't, you must have the honesty to correct it. This is also how we respect public money and citizens' trust,” stresses Adrien Dolimont, Minister-President of Wallonia.
This new methodology puts into practice a commitment from the Regional Policy Statement: developing a genuine culture of public policy evaluation. The aim is to establish a lasting culture of evaluation within public action, so as to better steer the policies pursued, continuously improve them, and guarantee citizens that decisions are assessed on the basis of their results.