Brussels, 05/09/2013 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 5 September, the European Parliament's employment and social affairs committee (EMPL) adopted an interinstitutional agreement on the EU's Programme for Social Change and Innovation (2014-2020), which comprises the European Progress Microfinance Facility, Progress (Programme for Employment and Social Solidarity), and EURES. “This is the first social programme closed under the new multiannual financial framework”, said Pervènche Berès (S&D, France), the chair of the EMPL committee, at the end of the vote (34 in favour, 23 against).
A few points of the programme's structure were amended during the negotiations, outside the budgetary issue (see EUROPE 10876). The microfinance facility will thus be accessible to so-called social enterprises. The EURES programme, a sort of European virtual employment service, sees its objectives revised, with an additional dose of ambition. Indeed, further funding will be provided to support intra-European mobility, particularly between the regions of the same member state. The Progress programme, which will receive the lion's share of the budget (61%), hardly changes in relation to the European Commission's initial proposal. (JK/transl.fl)