Brussels, 29/03/2001 (Agence Europe) - Anna Diamantopoulou, European Commissioner for Employment and Social Affairs, signed on Wednesday a decision approving the Community Initiative Programme EQUAL in Spain, for the period 2001-2006. In the context of this programme, the European Structural Fund (ESF) will grant EUR 515 million for developing new ways of fighting discrimination and inequality in the field of employment. The total budget for the programme amounts to EUR 789.34 million, EUR 259.46 of which will be allocated by the Spanish public sector and 14.48 by the national private sector.
Despite positive developments, the rate of activity (51.01%) and the rate of employment (43.35%) in Spain remain below the European average, and the rate of unemployment is still high (15.01%). This situation comes, among other things, from regional imbalance, the inflexible nature of the labour market, the lack of mobility, the high number of long-term unemployed and the considerable differences in the status of men and women. To remedy this, the EQUAL programme will focus on the following priorities:
1. Increased employability (34% of the total budget): Facilitate access and return to the labour market by measures adapted to the characteristics and the needs of the persons concerned in a local context, boost integrated employment services which develop personalised pathways to employment with back-up and monitoring, combat racism and xenophobia according to a preventive approach, raise awareness among the key players on the labour market, and develop training.
2. Entrepreneurship (15% of the budget): Open up the business creation process to all and provide for support systems to contribute to the stability and continuity of business initiatives.
3. Adaptability to new forms of work organisation mainly resulting from the use of new information and communication technologies (15% of the budget).
4. Equal opportunities (31% of the budget): Study formulas and tools for eliminating the stereotyped gender divisions in work and allowing reconciliation of family and professional life, the reduction of disparities between men and women and the fight against segregation at work.
Furthermore, 2% of the budget will be used to meet the social and professional needs of asylum seekers, and 3% are reserved for technical assistance for implementation of the programme. EQUAL will be implemented through Agrupaciones de Desarrollo (development partnerships) to be selected following a national call for proposals. In Spain, the first call for proposals is expected early this year.