Logic Models: Strengths and Weaknesses in the Context of Programmes Funded by the European Union

The main objective of the study is to provide opportunities for improvement of the logical model used in the European Union (EU) programming. The study provides an overview of the varieties of logical models, which starts with basic logic models, gradually increasing their complexity. The analysis identifies strengths and weaknesses of the models as well as their application by the European Commission (EC). In view of the identified deficiencies, the study proposes a new model that takes into account the bidirectional links between the elements of the logic model and the possible impact of external factors on each element of the model. The proposed model also includes additional elements that take into account the need for application of the outputs/results; the general objectives of a program, and best practices. Even the partial implementation of the proposed model in this study, allows the identification of weaknesses in the EU programming. In this case, they consist of: too general objectives; weak link between indicators and targets; disregard of prior experience (best practices) and lack of consideration of the general objectives.