Brussels, 19.07.2004 (Agence Europe) - Last Wednesday, the Commission adopted a series of regulations on Structural Funds for the period 2007-2013, including that which it approved on simplifying and targeting spending for the Union's social and employment policy. The new European Social Fund (ESF) 2007-2013 has the task of providing financial aid for policies aimed at promoting employment and strengthening economic and social cohesion in the context of the European Employment Strategy (EES). With fewer administrative constraints, simpler rules and increased decentralisation toward Member States, the Fund will be easier to manage and will make it possible to face up to the new challenges arising from enlargement, population ageing and globalisation, a spokesperson's press release emphasises. In order to complete the action carried out within the ESF context, the Commission has adopted a new programme entitled “Progress” which will cover five areas: employment, social protection and inclusion, working conditions, the fight against discrimination and diversity, and gender equality. The Commission proposes to allocate to it a budget of a little over EUR 600 million in 7 years. It has also announced that proposals aimed at “supporting social dialogue, the free movement of workers and demographic analysis” will be presented at a later date.
The new regulation proposes that the ESF will continue to invest in human resources. It will thus cover two of the three objectives for cohesion aid in the new financial context, namely the “convergence” objective and the “regional competitiveness and employment” objective. Its intervention will cover four fields of action approved by the European Council: greater worker and company ability to adapt; improved access to employment for those seeking employment and the unemployed, prevention of unemployment, extended active life and increased participation on the labour market for women and migrants; improved social inclusion for disadvantaged persons and the fight against discrimination; as well as the promotion of partnership for reforms in employment and social inclusion matters. According to the Commission's proposal, the ESF would represent 20-25% of total cohesion financing, the press release states. Equal opportunities between men and women (in association with actions specifically intended for women), good governance and strengthened institutions will also be promoted. We would also note that, under the new Objective 1 (convergence, growth and employment), the ESF will focus its action on Member States and regions that are lagging behind in development. Further to enlargement, the number of regions and Member States that are less developed (that is, with a GDP below 75% of the Union average) has increased and the differences in the fields of poverty and employment have doubled. In the context of the new Objective 2 (regional competitiveness and employment), the ESF will finance national projects in the sectors faced with economic and social change or, following globalisation, restructuring in Member States that are not entitled to aid under Objective 1.