SUMMARY
Abstract. Ex-ante assessment is a mandatory step before the process of implementation of policies because it brings, through the analyses undertaken improvements for initial design, contributing, on a case by case basis, to increasing of efficiency, effectiveness, relevance, sustainability, equity and of its internal and external coherence. In recent years, at international level, but especially in the EU countries (EU), the ex-ante socio-economic programs and public interventions have become an extremely necessary instrument in decision-making, which is linked own economic and social development of the EU Member States.The article presents a methodological framework for ex-ante assessment of active measures for the employment growth in the context of rural areas, on the bases of efficiency, effectiveness and coherence criteria. Ex-ante social impact assessment of an active policy can have beneficial effects on employment under quantitative and qualitative aspects. The novelty of the article consist in the specific, experimental approach of the development and of ex-ante evaluation of active labor market policies, in the context of rural areas.