National Contact Point Peer Reviews

Up to 2015, the process through which peer reviews have been conducted had been left to the governments and their National Contact Point (NCP) under review. A more structured approach and an agreed minimum level of scrutiny would ensure coherence in the way peer reviews are conducted, create a standard by which the quality of peer reviews can be ensured, and help promote functional equivalence of NCPs. The revised Core Template proposes a methodology for reviews to assess the conformity of an NCP with the core criteria of visibility, accessibility, transparency and accountability, and with other core elements of the Procedural Guidance. The revised Core Template also proposes a procedure for conducting peer reviews and questionnaires to collect information for the review.