How effective is European Commission aid on the ground?

This Project Briefing discusses the findings of ODI research on the impact of EC aid on the ground in three very different countries: Cambodia, Mozambique, and Peru. It finds that the quality of EC aid seems to be improving in important respects. Positive aspects include improved policy documents, changes in aid modalities, delegation of decision-making power to offices in partner countries, and more efforts in the political dimension of cooperation, such as political and policy dialogue. However, the evidence from the country cases also suggests that progress remains slow, pointing to persistent challenges that limit the effectiveness of EC aid.