This study aims at assessing the effectiveness of the partnership principle in the context of cohesion policy and the funds covered by the 2021-2027 Common Provisions Regulation (CPR), during the programming and implementation phases.

In particular, the objectives of the study should be the following:

1. analysing how the regulatory provisions on partnership, included particularly in the 2021-2027 CPR and the European Code of Conduct on Partnership, have been effectively applied during the programming and implementation stages, identifying shortcomings and good practices;

2. assessing national and regional practices in the application of the partnership principle, highlighting – whenever it is possible – how the application may have evolved between the 2014-2020 and the 2021-2027 periods during the programming and implementation stages;

3. issuing recommendations to address identified shortcomings and reinforce the effectiveness of the partnership principle.

The application of the partnership principle in the 2021-2027 shared management funds covered by the Common Provisions Regulation.