The Role of Evidence-Based Public Policy in the European Integration Process: Georgia’s Experience and Challenges

Abstract

Introduction: European integration requires candidate countries not only to align national legislation with the European Union acquis but also to strengthen public administration systems capable of systematically incorporating data, research findings, evaluation results, and stakeholder knowledge into policymaking. In this context, evidence-based policymaking is an important component of effective, transparent, and accountable governance. This study examines the role of evidence-based policymaking in Georgia’s European integration process and assesses the extent to which existing public policy mechanisms correspond to EU and OECD/SIGMA principles. Methods: The study employed a qualitative research design based on document analysis. The analysis covered official documents of the European Commission, OECD, OECD/SIGMA, and the Government of Georgia, including the European Commission’s Georgia Report 2025, the OECD/SIGMA Principles of Public Administration, Georgia’s Public Administration Reform Strategy 2023–2026, relevant regulatory and methodological documents, and academic literature on evidence-based policymaking. The documents were examined using thematic analysis across six predefined dimensions: policy planning and inter-agency coordination, monitoring and evaluation, use of data and research evidence, institutional and analytical capacity, stakeholder participation, and transparency and accountability. Results: The findings indicate that Georgia has established important legal and institutional foundations for evidence-based policymaking, including unified mechanisms for policy planning, monitoring and evaluation, programme budgeting, and Regulatory Impact Assessment. These mechanisms are broadly consistent with EU and OECD/SIGMA approaches. However, their implementation remains uneven across public institutions. Major challenges include fragmented and insufficiently integrated data, unequal analytical capacity, weaknesses in inter-agency coordination, limited use of evaluation findings in subsequent decision-making, and insufficient incorporation of stakeholder input into final policy decisions. Evidence use appears to be more developed at the policy planning stage than in monitoring and, particularly, policy evaluation. Conclusion: Evidence-based policymaking is an important foundation not only for improving the effectiveness of public administration but also for strengthening Georgia’s institutional resilience, transparency, accountability, and alignment with EU governance standards. The principal challenge is no longer the absence of a formal institutional framework, but ensuring its consistent and effective implementation in practice. Further progress requires stronger results-oriented monitoring and evaluation, integrated data management, enhanced analytical capacity, improved inter-agency cooperation, closer collaboration between public institutions and academia, and more meaningful stakeholder participation.