Quick Facts

• Full name: Structural Reforms Better Integrated Within Fiscal Frameworks (FISR2)
• Period: June 2022 – August 2026
• Funder: European Union
• Implementer: Center of Excellence in Finance (CEF)
• Where: Western Balkans and Türkiye (EU candidates and potential candidates)

In its fourth year of implementation, the EU funded FISR2 project supports Western Balkan beneficiaries and Türkiye in designing, costing, coordinating, monitoring, and assessing the impact of structural reforms, ensuring that reforms are not only well designed but also fiscally credible, coordinated, and implementable. In Year 3, the project successfully adapted to the introduction of the Reform and Growth Facility (RGF) and the Reform Agendas (RAs), expanding its scope while maintaining continuity with the Economic Reform Programme (ERP) process.

Overall impact

FISR2 supported 27 ERPs and Reform Agenda helped embed structural reforms more firmly into budgetary, fiscal, and coordination frameworks. The project has transformed reforms from policy commitments into costed, monitored, and impact oriented processes, directly contributing to more sustainable public finances and more credible EU related reforms.

Output 1: Improved budgetary and strategic planning of structural reforms

What changed

FISR2 strengthened the link between reforms and national budgets, reinforcing costing and funding as a core part of strategic planning rather than a formal reporting requirement.

Key results and deliverables

• More than 40 public institutions across Western Balkan countries strengthened their capacities for costing and budgeting reforms included in Reform Agendas.
• In Türkiye’s ERP 2026-2028, 67% of SRs are costed in line with EC’s ERP guidance note and CEF costing guidance (up from 39%).
• In Türkiye’s ERP 2026-2028, 100% of structural reforms now have funding clearly earmarked in fiscal frameworks, IPA projects, or other sources (up from a 48% baseline).
• Targeted methodological guidance on costing and budgeting reforms under the Reform Agenda was updated and rolled out regionally.
• New methodology on Fiscal Impact assessment has been developed, providing guidance on how to secure integration of SRs from RA into the fiscal framework described in the ERP.

Impact

Ministries and reform teams are better equipped to translate reform ambitions into realistic, budgeted actions, improving fiscal credibility and medium term planning.

Output 2: Improved impact assessment and monitoring of structural reforms

What changed

FISR2 shifted reform discussions from “what to do” to “what impact reforms will have”, supporting both qualitative and quantitative impact assessments and strengthening monitoring practices.

Key results and deliverables

• 83% of reforms in Türkiye’s ERP 2026-2028 now include relevant performance indicators for monitoring (up from 0–20% baseline).
• 49% of reforms across ERPs and RAs include quantified or qualitatively assessed economic impact, 39% of those are quantified (up from 0-20% baseline).
• 4 beneficiaries (macroeconomic departments) improved the methodologies used for economic impact assessment, using their own economic and forecasting models for estimation of impact
• More than 60 institutions strengthened their capacities for monitoring and reporting on Reform Agenda implementation.

Impact

Reform teams increasingly base decisions on evidence, expected outcomes, and measurable results, strengthening accountability and policy credibility.

Output 3: Improved mechanisms for coordinated and participatory ERP/RA processes

What changed

Countries moved from ad hoc coordination during reform preparation to formal, structured coordination systems for implementation.

Key results and deliverables

• 7 ERP/RA coordination plans designed with close involvement of line ministries.
• Introduction of practical coordination tools, including reverse engineering of reform steps, early warning systems, and risk mitigation approaches.
• Stronger collaboration between ministries of finance, EU integration bodies, line ministries, and central coordination units.

Impact

Reform implementation is now more inclusive, predictable, and resilient, reducing delays and improving inter institutional cooperation.

Output 4: Better knowledge management and exchange on structural reforms

What changed

FISR2 helped institutions being capable of retaining and sharing knowledge despite staff turnover and institutional change.

Key results and deliverables

• More than 140 learning and knowledge sharing events delivered.
• 7 knowledge exchange roadmaps developed by beneficiary teams.
• 10 Methodologies and Guidelines produced, alongside knowledge products, newsletters, blogs, and value creation stories.
• The Network of Regional Experts (NRE) expanded to 101 members, strengthening peer learning across the region.

Impact

Public officials are better connected, better informed, and better able to learn from each other, ensuring reform knowledge is sustained beyond individual projects or mandates.

Stay Connected

Network of Regional Experts (NRE): a community of practice that connected officials on structural reforms and their fiscal implications.

FISR Library: the archive of all the materials produced and used in the FISR2 project. All of the materials used in this Legacy page can be found there, and more.