The European Parliament's Committee on Employment and Social Affairs adopted on Monday 3 December its negotiating position on the allocation of the €106.8 billion (2018 prices) requested by the European Parliament to the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) for the period 2021-2027.
According to MEPs, the amounts allocated to youth employment assistance should be increased from 10% to 15% in countries where the proportion of young people who not in employment, education or training (NEETs) is highest.
Verónica Lope Fontagné (EPP, Spain), rapporteur on this issue, said in a statement that this increase was achieved after "long discussions".
On social inclusion, MEPs want the share of the ESF+ fund allocated to the fight against poverty and social exclusion to be increased to 27%. Particular attention should be paid to people with disabilities.
National programmes will receive European co-financing of up to 85% of a project. Ms Lope Fontagné welcomed the fact that Member States will be allowed to adapt their programmes to regional specificities. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)