The main objectives of this sector evaluation are to provide the relevant services of the European Union and the interested stakeholders with:

• An overview of the FPI funded actions to counter disinformation/FIMI
• An overall independent assessment of the past performance of the actions relevant to countering foreign interference and manipulation of information, funded under different strands of budget managed by the Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (NDICI-Crisis Response, NDICI-Foreign Policy Needs, Thematic MIP Peace and Stability, Instrument Contributing for Stability and Peace Article 3, 4 and 5 respectively), paying particular attention to their approach, the coherence of the approach taken in different countries, intermediate or final results measured against expected objectives; and the reasons underpinning such results;
• An in-detail evaluation of 12 actions to be selected in the inception period;
• Key lessons learned and related recommendations in order to improve current and future Actions, particularly concerning the approach taken to countering FIMI and disinformation in third countries;
• Key lessons learned to improve coordination and articulation with other actions and initiatives in the field of countering FIMI/disinformation implemented by other EC services (NEAR, INTPA, COMM, CNCT, JRC, RTD) and EEAS.

The specific rationale for undertaking this evaluation is to assess the outcomes, approach, and coherence of FPI-managed activities in the field countering disinformation/FIMI, as well as the added value of these activities, by the objectives defined in relation to the different instruments that fund them, i.e. to contribute to peace, stability and conflict prevention in situations of urgency, emerging crisis, crisis and post-crisis, defending and promoting EU’s interests and values, and pursuing actions towards peace, stability and conflict prevention. It will also aim to assess the extent to which these actions were coherent with the EU policies and to what extent they added value and synergy to the other initiatives/actions of the EC and EEAS in this domain outside and inside the EU.
This sector evaluation contract covers 46 actions for the overall assessment and 12 actions for in-depth analysis. During the Inception and Desk phase, this sample of 12 actions should be selected based on criteria agreed during the Inception phase. This sample should reflect the variety of countering FIMI/disinformation actions, geographic spread and funding instruments as well as the fact that some are already in their second phase. The sample should allow drawing conclusions, lessons learnt and recommendations for countering FIMI/disinformation actions managed by FPI in support of EU policies. The focus of the evaluation is on assessing the approach taken in relation to FIMI/disinformation under the different Actions, progress to date and, by explaining why progress is happening or is not happening as planned, provide recommendations on how to improve the approach in order to counter FIMI/disinformation more effectively, taking into account problems and opportunities.
In particular, this sector evaluation will serve to understand the performance of the actions, its enabling factors and those hampering a proper delivery of results, with a view to informing the planning of future EU interventions in relation to countering FIMI and disinformation. To this end, this sector evaluation will also look at the package of actions as a whole and make recommendations regarding strengths, weaknesses and gaps, including by looking into options for more coherent results and monitoring and reporting, in the type of interventions as relevant to impactfully counter FIMI and being able to measure and report results across the sector.
Where possible, relevant findings and recommendations will be addressed during the remaining implementation period. The evaluation will also feed into the preparation of future actions under the MFF 2027-2033.