The European Parliament and the Council of the EU met for the first time on Tuesday 10 December to discuss the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) Regulation in the presence of the new Commissioner for Employment and Social Rights, Nicolas Schmit.
This was a first contact between the two co-legislators. During this first round table, Parliament rapporteur David Casa (EPP, Malta) insisted that the European Parliament should be able to negotiate all aspects of the ESF+ under co-decision, in accordance with its position adopted at first reading (see EUROPE 12229/9), as well as on budgetary issues. However, the EU Council has no position on the issue, as it has only adopted a partial general approach (see EUROPE 12231/17, 12230/24) pending progress on the negotiations related to the Multiannual Financial Framework.
However, the co-legislators are expected to meet at technical level on 20 and 27 January 2020 to discuss the specific objectives (Article 4 of the Regulation). They also agreed on the need to align the ESF+ with the Common Provisions Regulation, on which there was agreement the same day (see EUROPE 12388/17).
The next meeting at political level has not yet been scheduled. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)