La pratique de l’évaluation socioéconomique des investissements publics

The document is an introduction to the practice of socio-economic evaluation of public investments. The main points can be summarized as follows:

1. Introduction: This colloquium focuses on evaluating the socio-economic aspects of public investments in France, discussing how far such evaluations should extend for different types of projects.

2. Historical Background: In December 2012, the French Parliament mandated that all state-funded or public institution-financed investment projects undergo socio-economic evaluation. This was aimed at ensuring efficient use of limited public resources.

3. Current Status: Three years later, socio-economic evaluation practices are well-established in sectors like transportation. However, challenges remain in sectors where it's difficult to quantify the benefits, such as healthcare and education.

4. Inspection General des Finances Report: This report highlights sectors lacking practical methods for socio-economic evaluation and calls for the development of a comprehensive guide. It also mentions the establishment of an expert committee by France Strategy and the General Commission for Investments.

5. Progress: France Strategy has published guides on evaluating the socio-economic impact of very high-speed broadband deployment, and a working group is defining evaluation methodology for higher education investment projects. The Ministry of Culture is initiating a reflection on its projects' socio-economic evaluation, planning to publish a methodological guide.

6. Future Directions: A working group will soon be set up to consider the socio-economic evaluation of social investments. The morning sessions will feature concrete presentations on new methodologies.

This colloquium aims to explore, discuss, and enhance the socio-economic evaluation of public investments across various sectors in France.