93 Amendments of Elena GENTILE related to 2018/0206(COD)
Amendment 22 #
Proposal for a regulation
Citation 5 a (new)
Citation 5 a (new)
having regard to the Interinstitutional Proclamation on the European Pillar of Social Rights (2017/C 428/09),
Amendment 23 #
Proposal for a regulation
Citation 5 b (new)
Citation 5 b (new)
having regard to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities,
Amendment 24 #
Proposal for a regulation
Citation 5 c (new)
Citation 5 c (new)
having regard to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union,
Amendment 26 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital -1 (new)
Recital -1 (new)
(-1) Pursuant to Article 3 TEU, the Union in establishing an Internal Market is working for a highly competitive social market economy, aiming at full employment and social progress; promoting equality between women and men, solidarity between generations and protection of the rights of the child; as well as combating social exclusion and discrimination. In accordance with Article 9 TFEU, the Union, in defining and implementing its policies and activities, is to take into account requirements linked to, inter alia, the promotion of a high level of employment, the guarantee of an adequate social protection, the fight against social exclusion, and the promotion of a high level of education, training and the protection of human health.
Amendment 35 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) At Union level, the European Semester of economic policy coordination is the framework to identify national reform priorities and monitor their implementation. Member States develop their own national multiannual investment strategies in support of those reform priorities. Those strategies should be developed in partnership between national, regional and local authorities and presented alongside the yearly National Reform Programmes as a way to outline and coordinate priority investment projects to be supported by national and/or Union funding. They should also serve to use Union funding in a coherent manner and to maximise the added value of the financial support to be received notably from the programmes supported by the Union under the European Regional Development Fund, the Cohesion Fund, the European Social Fund Plus, the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, the European Investment Stabilisation Function and InvestEU, where relevant.
Amendment 36 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2 a (new)
Recital 2 a (new)
(2a) On 20 June 2017, the Council endorsed the Union response to the ‘UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’ - a sustainable European future. The Council underlined the importance of achieving sustainable development across the three dimensions (economic, social and environmental), in a balanced and integrated way. It is vital that sustainable development is mainstreamed into all Union internal and external policy areas, and that the Union is ambitious in the policies it uses to address global challenges. The Council welcomed the Commission Communication on “Next steps for a sustainable European future” of 22 November 2016 as a first step in mainstreaming the Sustainable Development Goals and applying sustainable development as an essential guiding principle for all Union policies, including through its budgetary programmes. The ESF+ should mainly contribute to implementing the Sustainable Development Goals by halving relative poverty and eradicating extreme forms of poverty (goal 1); good health and well-being (goal 3); quality and inclusive education (goal 4), promoting gender equality (goal 5), promoting sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all (goal 8), and reducing inequality (goal 10).
Amendment 40 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) The Guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States adopted by the Council in accordance with Article 148(2), namely: Boosting the demand for labour; Enhancing labour supply: access to employment, skills and competences; Enhancing the functioning of labour markets and the effectiveness of social dialogue and Promoting equal opportunities for all, fostering social inclusion and combatting poverty, together with the broad economic guidelines adopted in accordance with Article 121(2) form part of the Integrated Guidelines underpinning the Europe 2020 strategy. The Council of […] adopted revised guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States to align the textm with the principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights, with a view to, stimulate creation of jobs and foster social cohesion, thus improving Europe’s competitiveness and making ithe Union a better place to invest, create jobs and foster social cohesion. In order to ensure the full alignment of the ESF+ with the objectives of these g Guidelines, particularly as regards employment, education, training and the fight against social exclusion, poverty and discrimination, the ESF+ should support Member States, taking account of the relevant Integrated Guidelines andfor the employment policies, Member States should programme the ESF+ support, taking account of those Guidelines, relevant for them, as well as of relevant country-specific recommendations adopted in accordance with Article 121(2) TFEU and Article 148(4) TFEU and, where appropriate, at national level,48(4) TFEU and, at national level, the employment and social aspects of the national reform programmes underpinned by national strategies. The ESF+ should also contribute to relevant aspects of the implementation of key Union initiatives and activities, in particular the “Skills Agenda for Europe” and the European Education Area, the Youth Guarantee and other relevant Council Recommendations and other initiatives such as the Youth Guarantee,Investing in children: breaking the cycle of disadvantage, the Upskilling Pathways and, on Integration of the long- term unemployed, a Quality Framework for Traineeships and Apprenticeships and the Action Plan on the integration of third-country nationals.
Amendment 45 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) On 20 June 2017, the Council endorsed the Union response to the ‘UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’ - a sustainable European future. The Council underlined the importance of achieving sustainable development across the three dimensions (economic, social and environmental), in a balanced and integrated way. It is vital that sustainable development is mainstreamed into all Union internal and external policy areas, and that the Union is ambitious in the policies it uses to address global challenges. The Council welcomed the Commission Communication on “Next steps for a sustainable European future” of 22 November 2016 as a first step in mainstreaming the Sustainable Development Goals and applying sustainable development as an essential guiding principle for all Union policies, including through its financing instruments. The ESF+ can contribute to implementing the Sustainable Development Goals by eradicating extreme forms of poverty (goal 1); quality and inclusive education (goal 4) promoting gender equality (goal 5) and reducing inequality (goal 10) among others.
Amendment 48 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) The Union is confronted with structural challenges arising from social inequalities, e.g. unequal access to education, economic globalisation, the management of migration flows and related integration challenges, the increased security threat, clean energy transition, technological change and an increasingly ageing workforce and growing skills and labour shortages in some sectors and regions, experienced especially by SMEs. Taking into account the changing realities of the world of work, the Union should be prepared for the current and future challenges by investing in quality and inclusive education and training, lifelong learning and relevant skills, making labour markets and growth more inclusive and by improving education, employment and social policies, including in view of labour mobility.
Amendment 51 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) The Union is confronted with structural challenges arising from economic globalisation, the management of migration flows and the increased security threat, clean energy and just transition, technological change, demographic decline and an increasingly ageing workforce and growing skills shortages and labour shortages in some sectors and regions, experienced especially by SMEs. Taking into account the changing realities of the world of work, the Union should be prepared for the current and future challenges by investing in relevant skills, making growth more inclusive and by improving education and training, employment and social policies, including in view of labour mobility.
Amendment 53 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5 a (new)
Recital 5 a (new)
(5 a) Furthermore, culture is a key contributor to combating marginalisation and poverty and promoting social cohesion. Cultural engagement empowers groups at risk of social exclusion, such as economically disadvantaged, ageing, disabled people, and minority groups to become an active part of society. Cultural participation is beneficial to society as a whole as it fosters intercultural dialogue and facilitates integration of displaced people.
Amendment 58 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) Regulation (EU) No […] establishes the framework for action by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), the Cohesion Fund, the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF), the Asylum and Migration Fund (AMIF), Internal Security Fund (ISF) and the Border Management and Visa Instrument (BMVI) as a part of the Integrated Border Management Fund (IBMF), and lays down, in particular, the policy objectives and the rules concerning programming, monitoring and evaluation, management and control for Union funds implemented under shared management. It is therefore necessary to specify the general objectives of the ESF+ and its coordination with other funds, and to lay down specific provisions concerning the type of activities that may be financed by the ESF+.
Amendment 60 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) The ESF+ should aim to promote quality employment through active interventions enabling (re)integration into the labour market, notably for youth, the long-term unemployed and the inactive, as well as through promoting self– employment, with the accompanying adaptation of social protection systems, and the social economy. The ESF+ should aim to improve the functioning of labour markets by supporting the modernisation of labour market institutions such as the Public Employment Services in order to improve their capacity to provide intensified targeted and personalised counselling and guidance during the job search and the transition from education to employment and to enhance workers’ mobility. The ESF+ should promote women's participation in the labour market through measures aiming to ensure, amongst others, improved work/life balance and access to childcare. The ESF + should also aim to provide a healthy and well-adapted working environment in order to respond to health risks related to changing forms of work and the needs of the ageing workforce.
Amendment 63 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) In order to streamline and simplify the funding landscape and create additional opportunities for synergies through integrated funding approaches, the actions which were supported by the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (‘FEAD’), the European Union Programme for Employment and Social Innovation and the Programme for the Union’'s action in the field of health should be integrated into one ESF+. The ESF+ should therefore include three strands: the ESF+Social Cohesion and Social rights strand under shared management, the Employment and Social Innovation strand, and the Health strand under direct and indirect management. This should contribute to reducing the administrative burden linked to the management of different funds, in particular for Member States, whilst maintaining simpler rules for simpler operations such as the distribution of food and/or basic material assistance.
Amendment 66 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) In view of this wider scope of the ESF+ it is appropriate to foresee that the aims to enhance the effectiveness of inclusive and fair labour markets and promote access to quality employment, to improve the access to and the quality of education and training as well as to promote social inclusion and health and to reduceradicate poverty are not onlywill continue to be implemented mainly under shared management, but alsoand where appropriate, complemented under direct and indirect management under the Employment and Social Innovation and Health strands for actions required at Union level.
Amendment 69 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) The ESF+ should provide support to improving the quality, effectiveness and labour market relevance of education and training systems in order to facilitate the acquisition of key competences notably as regards cultural awareness and expression and digital skills which all individuals need for personal fulfilment and development, employment, social inclusion and active citizenship. The ESF+ should help progression within education and training and transition to work, support lifelong learning and employability, and contribute to competitiveness and societal and economic innovation by supporting scalable and sustainable initiatives in these fields. This could be achieved for example through work-based learning and apprenticeships, lifelong guidance, skills anticipation in cooperation with industry, up-to-date training materials, forecasting and graduate tracking, training of educators, validation of learning outcomes and recognition of qualifications. The ESF+ should encourage and promote access to the teaching profession by minorities, aiming at a better integration of marginalised communities such as the Roma, minorities and migrants.
Amendment 70 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12
Recital 12
(12) This Regulation lays down a financial envelope for the ESF+. Parts of this financial envelope should be used by specifying the allocations for actions to be implemented in shared management under the Social Cohesion and Social Rights strand and the allocations for actions to be implemented in direct and indirect management under the Employment and Social Innovation and Health strands.
Amendment 72 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14 a (new)
Recital 14 a (new)
(14 a) In light of the digitisation of all parts of society, e.g. banking, welfare services and education, the acquisition of new key competences, notably digital skills, becomes the precondition of effective civic participation. Local actors, community and cultural spaces including museums, libraries, theatres and other cultural heritage institutions, play a key role in providing access to digital devices and the Internet as well as in fostering digital skills among EU citizens at basic and more advanced levels. The ESF+ should therefore support these actors in the training of their staff members so that they can keep pace with the changing demands upon their services as well as in providing training and education of digital skills, such as media literacy, to the people.
Amendment 77 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) Support through the ESF+ should be used to promote equal access for all, in particular for disadvantaged groups, to quality, non-segregated and inclusive education and training, from early childhood education and care through general and vocational education and training and to tertiary level, as well as adult education and learning, and to cultural activities, thereby fostering permeability between education and training sectors, preventing early school leaving, improving health literacy, reinforcing links with non-formal and informal learning, namely in the field of arts, and facilitating learning mobility for all. Special attention should be given to early childhood education as the early years are the most formative in human life and they greatly influence people's education, employment and integration prospects. Synergies with the Erasmus programme, notably to facilitate the participation of disadvantaged learners in learning mobility, with special attention to learners with disabilities, should be supported within this context.
Amendment 86 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) The ESF+ as the main EU instrument for investing in human capital and skills plays a key role in promoting social, economic and territorial cohesion. The ESF + should provide support to improving the quality, effectiveness and labour market relevance of education and training systems in order to facilitate the acquisition of key competences notably as regards digital skills which all individuals need for personal fulfilment and development, employment, social inclusion and active citizenship. The ESF+ should help progression within education and training and transition to work, support lifelong learning and employability, and contribute to competitiveness and societal and economic innovation by supporting scalable and sustainable initiatives in these fields. This could be achieved for example through work-based learning and apprenticeships, lifelong guidance, skills anticipation in cooperation with industry, up-to-date training materials, forecasting and graduate tracking, training of educators, validation of learning outcomes and recognition of qualifications.
Amendment 88 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) The ESF+ should promote flexible upskilling and reskilling opportunities for all, notably digital skills and key enabling technologies, with a view to providing people of all ages across formal, non- formal and informal settings with skills adjusted to digitalisation, technological change, innovation and social and economic change, facilitating transitions from education to employment for young people, career transitions, mobility and supporting in particular low-skilled and/or poorly qualified adults, in line with the Skills Agenda for Europe. In this context, special attention should be paid to local actors, community and cultural spaces including museums, libraries, theatres and other cultural heritage institutions, that play an important role in supporting individuals to acquire skills, especially digital skills and media literacy.
Amendment 90 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 17
Recital 17
(17) Synergies with the Horizon Europe programme should ensure that the ESF+ can mainstream and scale up innovative curricula supported by Horizon Europe in order to equip people with the skills and competences needed for the jobs of the future as well as for the active participation in a digitised society.
Amendment 92 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 17 a (new)
Recital 17 a (new)
(17 a) Synergies with the Creative Europe programme should ensure that the ESF+ can mainstream and scale up innovative projects that aim at equipping people with the skills and competences needed for the jobs of the future as well as for the active participation in society, at connecting all layers of society and at fostering social inclusion.
Amendment 95 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) Support through the ESF+ should be used to promote equal access for all, in particular for disadvantaged groups, to quality, non-segregated and inclusive education and training, from early childhood education and care, paying special attention to children coming from a disadvantaged social background, such as children in institutional care and children experiencing homelessness, through general and vocational education and training and to tertiary level and re- integration into the education system, as well as adult education and learning, thereby preventing the transmission of poverty through generations, fostering permeability between education and training sectors, preventing early school leaving and social exclusion, improving health literacy, reinforcing links with non- formal and informal learning and facilitating learning mobility for all. Synergies with the Erasmus programme, notably to facilitate the participation of disadvantaged learners in learning mobility, should be supported within this context should be established in this context in order to properly and actively reach out and to prepare disadvantaged learners for mobility experiences abroad and increase their participation in cross-border learning mobility.
Amendment 95 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 18
Recital 18
(18) The ESF+ should support Member States’ efforts at all levels, including at regional and local level, to tackle poverty with a view to breaking the cycle of disadvantage across generations and promote social inclusion by ensuring equal opportunities for all, tackling discrimination and addressing health inequalities. This implies mobilising a range of policies targeting the most disadvantaged people regardless of their age, including children, marginalised communities such as the Roma, minorities, migrants and the working poor. The ESF+ should promote the active inclusion and citizenship of people far from the labour market with a view to ensuring their socio- economic integration, namely via educational and cultural projects. The potential of sport as a tool for social inclusion should be fully recognised and further exploited. The ESF+ should be also used to enhance timely and equal access to affordable, sustainable and high quality services such as healthcare and long-term care, in particular family and community- based care services. The ESF+ should contribute to the modernisation of social protection systems with a view in particular to promoting their accessibility, and fair conditions for self-employed workers.
Amendment 100 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 18 a (new)
Recital 18 a (new)
(18 a) With a view to fully tapping into the potential of cross-sectoral cooperation, to improving synergies and coherence with other policy fields and to achieving the general objectives of the ESF+, sport and physical activity as well as culture should be used as tools in ESF+ actions aimed, in particular, at improving social inclusion and active citizenship.
Amendment 101 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 18 b (new)
Recital 18 b (new)
(18 b) To strengthen the European dimension of the programme, the ESF+ should also support transnational actions and activities, with due simplification of rules and procedures, in order to foster peer learning and the exchange of good practices.
Amendment 117 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 23
Recital 23
(23) In the light of persistently high levels of youth unemployment and inactivity in a number of Member States and regions, in particular affecting young people who are neither in employment, nor in education or training, it is necessary that those Member States continue to invest sufficient resources of the ESF+ strand under shared management towards actions to promote youth employment including through the implementation of Youth Guarantee schemes. Building on the actions supported by the Youth Employment Initiative in the 2014-2020 programming period targeting individual persons, Member States should further promote employment and education reintegration pathways and outreach measures for young people by prioritising, where relevant, long-term unemployed, inactive and disadvantaged young people including through youth work. Member States should also invest in measures aimed at facilitating school-to-work transition as well as reforming and adapting public employment services with a view to providing tailor-made and personalised support to young people, and increasing their outreach to the most vulnerable in particular. Member States concerned should therefore allocate at least 105% of their national resources of the ESF+ strand under shared management to support youth employability.
Amendment 122 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 26
Recital 26
(26) Efficient and effective implementation of actions supported by the ESF+ depends on good governance and partnership between all actors at the relevant territorial levels and the socio- economic actors, in particular the social partners and civil society. It is therefore essential that Member States encouragsure the participation of social partners and civil society in the implementation and monitoring of the ESF+ under shared management.
Amendment 134 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 20
Recital 20
(20) In light of the persistent need to enhance efforts to address the management of the migration flows in the Union as a whole and in order to ensure a coherent, strong and consistent support to the solidarity and fair responsibility-sharing efforts, the ESF+ should provide support to promote the socio-economic integration of third country nationals complementary to the actions financed under the Asylum and Migration Fund, the ERDF, and those funds which can have a positive effect on the inclusion of third-country nationals. Member States should allocate an appropriate amount of ESF+ resources to local authorities to meet the needs for third-country nationals’ integration at local level.
Amendment 134 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 33
Recital 33
(33) Lack of access to finance for microenterprises, notably in the cultural and creative sectors, social economy and social enterprises is one of the main obstacles to business creation, especially among people furthest from the labour market. The ESF+ Regulation lays down provisions in order to create a market eco- system to increase the supply of and access to finance for social enterprises as well as to meet demand from those who need it most, and in particular the unemployed, women and vulnerable people who wish to start up or develop a microenterprise. This objective will also be addressed through financial instruments and budgetary guarantee under the social investment and skills policy window of the InvestEU Fund.
Amendment 152 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1
Article 3 – paragraph 1
The ESF+ aims to support Member States to achieve fair and inclusive societies, high employment levels, fair social protection and a skilled and resilient workforce ready for the future world of work, in line with the principles set out in the European Pillar of Social Rights proclaimed by the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on 17 November 2017.
Amendment 157 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 22 a (new)
Recital 22 a (new)
(22a) All Member States have ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), which constitutes the standard in the promotion and protection of the rights of the child. The promotion of children’s rights is an explicit objective of EU policies (Article 3 of the Lisbon Treaty), and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights requires the best interests of the child to be a primary consideration in all EU action. The EU and Member States should make appropriate use of the ESF+ to break the cycle of disadvantage for children living in poverty and social exclusion, as defined in the 2013 European Commission Recommendation Investing in children. The ESF+ should support actions promoting effective interventions that contribute to the realisation of children’s rights.
Amendment 164 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 23
Recital 23
(23) In the light of persistently high levels of youth unemployment and inactivity in a number of Member States and regions, in particular affecting young people who are neither in employment, nor in education or training (NEETs), which levels are even higher in case of young people coming from a disadvantaged social background, it is necessary that those Member States continue to invest sufficientadequate resources of the ESF+ strand under shared managementSocial Cohesion and Social Rights Strand towards actions to promote youth employment, including particular through the implementation of Youth Guarantee schemes. Building on the actions supported by the Youth Employment Initiative in the 2014-2020 programming period targeting individual persons, Member States should further promote high-quality employment and education reintegration pathways and effective outreach measures for young people by prioritising, where relevant, long-term unemployed, inactive and disadvantaged young people including through youth work. Member States should also invest in measures aimed at facilitating school-to-work transition as well as reforming and adapting employment services with a view to providing tailor-made support to young people, and at delivering their service without discrimination of any kind. Member States concerned should therefore allocate at least 105% of their national resources of the ESF+ strand under shared management to support youth employabilitySocial Cohesion and Social Rights strand, or 15% of their national resources of the Social Cohesion and Social Rights strand when their NEET rate is too high, to support policies in the field of youth employability, continued education, quality jobs, apprenticeships and traineeships.
Amendment 167 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point iv
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point iv
(iv) improving the quality, effectiveness, inclusiveness, and labour market relevance of education and training systems, to support acquisition of key competences including digital skills and cultural awareness and expression, while recognising the relevance of non-formal and informal learning and the value of cooperation with social partners and civil society;
Amendment 176 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point v
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point v
(v) promoting equal access to and completion of, quality and inclusive education and training, aiming at breaking the vicious cycle of poverty and deprivation across generations, in particular for disadvantaged groups, from early childhood education and care through general and vocational education and training, and to tertiary level, as well as adult education and learning, including facilitating learning mobility for all;
Amendment 181 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point vi
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point vi
(vi) promoting lifelong learning, notably flexible and learner-centred upskilling and reskilling opportunities for all taking into account digital skills, better anticipating change and new skills requirements based on personal, societal and labour market needs, facilitating career transitions and, promoting professional mobility, fostering participation in society and tackling societal challenges;
Amendment 188 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point viii
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point viii
(viii) promoting socio-economic integration of third country nationals and of marginalised communities such as the Roma and other minorities;
Amendment 192 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 27
Recital 27
(27) With a view to rendering policies more responsive to social change and to encourage and support innovative solutions, support for social innovation is crucial. In particular, developing and experimenting innovative solutions as well as testing and evaluating innovative solutions before scaling them up is instrumental in improving the efficiency of the policies and thus justifies specific support from the ESF+.
Amendment 193 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point x
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point x
(x) promoting social integration of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion, including the most deprived and children, by supporting the use of innovative measures, including social inclusion through sport, physical activity and culture;
Amendment 195 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 27 a (new)
Recital 27 a (new)
(27a) With a view to fully tapping into the potential of cross-sectorial cooperation and to improving synergies and coherence with other policy fields to achieve the general objectives of the ESF+, sport and physical activity should be used as a tool in ESF+ actions aimed, in particular, at fighting youth unemployment, improving social inclusion of marginalised communities, health promotion, and disease prevention.
Amendment 198 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 28
Recital 28
(28) TIn line with the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, the Member States and the Commission should ensure that ESF+ contributes to the promotion of equality between women and men in accordance with Article 8 TFEU to foster equality of treatment and opportunities between women and men in all areas, including regarding participation in the labour market, terms and conditions of employment and career progression. They should also ensure that the ESF+ promotes equal opportunities for all, without discriminati gender aspect should be taken into account in all dimensions and in all stages of the planning and implementation of programmes. The Member States and the Commission should also ensure that the ESF+ promotes equal opportunities for all, without discrimination based on sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age, sexual orientation, sex characteristics or gender identity, based on in accordance with Article 10 TFEU and promotes the inclusion in society of persons with disabilities on equal basis with others and contributes to the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, with regard inter alia to education, work, employment and accessibility. These principles should be taken into account in all dimensions and in all stages of the preparation, monitoring, implementation and evaluation of programmes, in a timely and consistent manner while ensuring that specific actions are taken to promote gender equality and equal opportunities. The ESF+ should also promote the transition from residential/institutional care to family and community-based care, in particular for those who face multiple and intersectional discrimination. The ESF+ should not support any action that contributes to segregation or to social exclusion. Regulation (EU) No [future CPR] provides that rules on eligibility of expenditure are to be established at national level, with certain exceptions for which it is necessary to lay down specific provisions with regard to the ESF+ strand under shared management. Social Cohesion and Social Rights strand.
Amendment 206 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 31
Recital 31
(31) Social experimentation is a small- scale project testing which allows gathering evidence on the feasibility of social innovations. It should be possible for feasible ideas to be pursued on a wider scale -where appropriate - or in other contexts with financial support from the ESF+, as well as from other sources.
Amendment 211 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 32 a (new)
Recital 32 a (new)
(32a) The ESF + covers cross-border partnerships between regional public employment services and social partners and their activities to promote voluntary and fair mobility, as well as transparency and integration of cross-border labour markets through information, advice and placement. In many border regions they play an important role in the development of a genuine European labour market.
Amendment 214 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 33
Recital 33
(33) Lack of access to finance for microenterprises, social economy and social enterprises is one of the main obstacles to business creation, especially among people furthest from the labour market. The ESF+ Regulation lays down provisions in order to create a market eco- system to increase the supply of and access to finance for social economy and social enterprises as well as to meet demand from those who need it most, and in particular the unemployed, women and vulnerable people who wish to start up or develop a microenterprise. This objective will also be addressed through financial instruments and budgetary guarantee under the social investment and skills policy window of the InvestEU Fund.
Amendment 217 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 34
Recital 34
(34) Social investment market players, including philanthropic actors, can play a key role in achievingsupporting the achievement of several ESF+ objectives, as they offer financing as well as innovative and complementary approaches to combatting social exclusion and poverty, reducing unemployment and contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Therefore, philanthropic actors such as foundations and donors should be involved, as appropriate, in ESF+ actions in particular in those aimed at developing the social investment market ecosystem.
Amendment 218 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 1
Article 8 – paragraph 1
1. Each Member State shall ensure adequate participation of social partners and civil society organisations in the delivery and monitoring of employment, education and social inclusion policies and initiatives supported by the ESF+ strand under shared management.
Amendment 220 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 34 a (new)
Recital 34 a (new)
(34a) Transnational cooperation has significant added value and should therefore be supported by all Member States with the exception of duly justified cases taking into account the principle of proportionality. It is also necessary to reinforce the Commission’s role in facilitating exchanges of experience and coordinating implementation of relevant initiatives.
Amendment 220 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 8 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Member States shall envisage actions intended to help small beneficiaries to fully comply with the regulatory requirements in the ESF+, including monitoring and reporting, aiming at diversifying the type of recipients of the Fund and increasing the participation of non-traditional beneficiaries in co-funded projects especially at local and regional levels.
Amendment 226 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 1
Article 13 – paragraph 1
1. Member States shall support actions of social as well as socio-cultural innovation and social experimentations, or strengthen bottom-up approaches based on partnerships involving public authorities, the private sector, and civil society such as the Local Action Groups designing and implementing community-led local development strategies.
Amendment 230 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 1
Article 15 – paragraph 1
1. Programmes benefitting from the general support of the ESF+ strand under shared management shall use common output and result indicators, as set out in Annex 1 to this Regulation to monitor progress in implementation, with flexibility to adapt those indicators to national, regional and local needs where appropriate. The programmes may also use programme- specific indicators.
Amendment 232 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 21 – paragraph 1
Article 21 – paragraph 1
1. Priorities addressing material deprivation shall use common output and result indicators, as set out in Annex II to this Regulation to monitor progress in implementation. These programmes may also use programme-specific indicators. Projects may as well establish additional quantitative and qualitative indicators that measure soft outcomes and the progress made by participants towards the common results and indicators.
Amendment 234 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 1
(1) 'accompanying measures' means activities provided in addition to the distribution of food and/or basic material assistance with the aim of addressing social exclusion and eradicating poverty such as referring to and providing social services, providing information on the host country or advice on managing a household budget, and providing psychological support;
Amendment 236 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 3
(3) 'basic material assistance' means goods which fulfil the basic needs of a person for a life with dignity, such as clothing, hygiene goods and school material, adequate nutrition, decent housing and healthcare;
Amendment 238 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 6
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 6
(6) ‘common longer term result indicators’ means common result indicators which capture effects sixtwelve months after a participant has left the operation;
Amendment 239 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 7 a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 7 a (new)
(7a) "Cross-border partnerships" in the employment and social innovation strand, means permanent structures of cooperation between public employment services and social partners in border areas of at least two countries;
Amendment 246 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 13
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 13
(13) 'most deprived persons' means natural persons, whether individuals, families, households or groups composed of such persons, including children, whose need for assistance has been established according to the objective criteria set by the national competent authorities in consultation with relevant stakeholders, while avoiding conflicts of interest and which are approved by those national competent authorities and which may include elements that allow the targeting of the most deprived persons in certain geographical areas;
Amendment 255 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 15 – point a
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 15 – point a
(a) in accordance with its Articles of Association, Statutes or with any other legal document that may result in liability under the rules of the Member State where it is located, has as its primary social objective the achievement of measurable, positive social impacts rather than generating profit for other purposes, and which provides services or goods that generate a social returnprovision of services or goods for general interest rather than generating profit for other purpose, and/or employs methods of production of goods or services that embodies social objectives;
Amendment 270 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 2
Article 2 – paragraph 2
2. The definitions in Article [2] of [the future CPR] shall also apply for the ESF+Social Cohesion and Social Rights strand under shared management.
Amendment 275 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1
Article 3 – paragraph 1
The ESF+ aims to support Member States, at national, regional and local level, to achieve high employment levels, fair social protection and a skilled and resilient workforce ready for the future world of work and social inclusion, in line with the principles set out in the European Pillar of Social Rights proclaimed by the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on 17 November 2017, thereby contributing to the goals of the Union as regards to strengthening economic, social and territorial cohesion in accordance with Article 174 TFEU.
Amendment 285 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2
Article 3 – paragraph 2
The ESF+ shall support, complement and add value to the policies of the Member States to ensure equal opportunities, equal access to the labour market, fair working conditions, social protection and inclusion, and a high level of human health protectjob creation and quality employment, social protection and inclusion for all, investment in children and young people, access to quality education and training, equality between men and women, non-discrimination and a high level of human health protection. All activities and operations supported by the ESF+ shall respect the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.
Amendment 293 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 2 a (new)
The ESF+ shall support health promotion and disease prevention, contribute to effectiveness, accessibility and resilience of health systems, make healthcare safer, reduce health inequalities, protect citizens from cross-border health threats, and support EU health legislation.
Amendment 298 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point a
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point a
a) under shared management, where strategic programming and implementation tasks are delegated to the EU member States and regions, for the part of the assistance which corresponds to the specific objectives indicated in Article 4(1) (the ‘ESF+ strand under shared management’), and
Amendment 313 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point i
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point i
(i) improving access to employment of all jobseekers, in particular youth and long- term unemployed, people with chronic and long-term conditions, and of inactive people, promoting self-employment and the social economy;
Amendment 324 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point iii
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point iii
(iii) promoting women’s labour market participation, a better work/life balance including equal access to childinclusive and quality early childhood and care, a healthy and well–adapted working environment addressing health risks, rights to reasonable adjustments and accommodations, professional reorientation, occupational health and safety at work strategies, adaptation of workers, enterprises and entrepreneurs to change, and active and healthy ageing;
Amendment 344 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point v
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point v
(v) promoting equal access to and completion of, quality and inclusive education and training, in particular for disadvantaged groups and populations vulnerable to exclusion, from early childhood education and care through general and vocational education and training, and to tertiary level, as well as adult education and learning, including facilitating learning mobility for all;
Amendment 365 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point ix
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point ix
(ix) enhancing the equal and timely access to quality, sustainable and affordable health and care services; modernising social protection systems, including promoting access to social protectionensuring universal health coverage and protection from financial hardship, including promoting access to social protection for the most deprived people and people with chronic and long-term conditions; improving accessibility, effectiveness and resilience of healthcare systems and long-term care services including the de-institutionalisation of care for persons with disabilities;
Amendment 396 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 5 a (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Budgetary resources under shared management 1. The part of the financial envelope under shared management shall be EUR 117 786 000 000 in constant prices. 2. From the financial envelope referred in paragraph 1 EUR 471 144 000 in constant prices shall be allocated as additional funding to the outermost regions identified in Article 349 TFEU and the NUTS level 2 regions fulfilling the criteria laid down in Article 2 of Protocol No 6 to the 1994 Act of Accession.
Amendment 398 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 5 b (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 5 b (new)
5b. Budgetary resources under direct and indirect management 1. The part of the financial envelope under direct and indirect management shall be EUR 1 075 000 000 in constant prices. 2. The indicative distribution of the amount referred in paragraph 1 shall be: (a) EUR 697 000 000 for the implementation of the Employment and Social Innovation strand; (b) EUR 378 000 000 for the implementation of the Health strand.
Amendment 407 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1
Article 6 – paragraph 1
1. All programmes implemented under the ESF+ strand under shared management, as well as the operations supported by the Employment and Social Innovation and Health strands shall ensure equality between men and women throughout their preparation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. They shall also promote equal opportunities for all, without discrimination based on sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation throughout their preparation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. They shall also promote equal opportunities for all, without discrimination based on sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation throughout their preparation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
Amendment 428 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Member States shall concentrate the ESF+ resources under shared management on interventions that address the challenges identified in their national reform programmes, in the European Semester as well as in the relevant country-specific recommendations taking into account regional specificities, adopted in accordance with Article 121(2) TFEU and Article 148(4) TFEU, the Social Scoreboard, and take into account principles and rights set out in the European Pillar of Social Rights. , thereby contributing to the goals of the Union as regards to strengthening economic, social and territorial cohesion in accordance to the Article 174 TFEU.
Amendment 443 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
Member States and, where appropriate the Commission, shall foster synergies and ensure coordination, complementarity and coherence between the ESF+ and other Union funds, programmes and instruments such as Erasmus, the Asylum and Migration Fund and the Reform Support Programme, including the Reform Delivery Tool and the Technical Support Instrument, the post-2020 EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies, the European Regional Development Fund, both in the planning phase and during implementation. Member States and, where appropriate the Commission, shall optimise mechanisms for coordination to avoid duplication of effort and ensure close cooperation between those managing authorities responsible for implementation to deliver integrated approaches, coherent and streamlined support actions.
Amendment 452 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2
Article 7 – paragraph 2
2. Member States shall allocate an appropriate amount of their ESF+ resources under shared management to address challenges identified in relevant country-specific recommendations, taking into account regional specificities, adopted in accordance with Article 121(2) TFEU and Article 148(4) TFEU and in the European Semester falling within the scope of the ESF+ as set out in Article 4, taking into account principles and rights as set out in the European Pillar of Social Rights as well as the objectives of the economic, social and territorial cohesion set out in Article 174 TFEU.
Amendment 458 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 3
Article 7 – paragraph 3
3. Member States shall allocate at least 2530% of their ESF+ resources under shared management to the specific objectives for the social inclusion policy area set out in points (vii) to (xi- x) of Article 4(1- 7(2), including the promotion of the socio- economic integratclusion of third country nationals.
Amendment 466 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1
Article 7 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1
In addition to the minimum allocation of at least 30% of the ESF+ resources under shared management to the specific objectives vii) – x) of Article -7(2), Member States shall allocate at least 24% of their ESF+ resources under shared management to the specific objective of addressing social inclusion of the most deprived and/or material deprivation as set out in points (x) and (xi) of Article 4(1-7(2).
Amendment 499 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 1
Article 8 – paragraph 1
1. Each Member State shall ensure adequate participation of social partners and civil society organisations in the delivery ofmanagement, programming, delivery, monitoring and evaluation of policies and activities supported by the ESF strand under shared management, including employment, education and social inclusion policies supported by the ESF+ strand under shared management, following a new delegated act improving the ECCP.
Amendment 515 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 2
Article 8 – paragraph 2
2. Member States shall allocate an appropriate amount of ESF+ resources under shared management in each programme for the capacity building of social partners, the social economy and civil society organisations.
Amendment 524 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 a (new)
Article 10 a (new)
Article 10 a Support to the European Child Guarantee Support in accordance with Article 7(5) subparagraph 3a (New) shall be programmed under a dedicated priority or programme reflecting the 2013 European Commission Recommendation on Investing in Children; it shall support tackling child poverty and social exclusion within the specific objective set out in point (x) of Article -7(2).
Amendment 530 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – title
Article 11 – title
Support to relevantthe social dimension of the country-specific recommendations
Amendment 537 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 1
Article 11 – paragraph 1
The actions addressing the challenges identified in relevant country-specific recommendations and in the European Semester as referred to in Article 7(2) shall be programmed under one or more dedicated priorities or programme. Sufficient flexibility shall be ensured at managing authority level to identify priorities and areas for ESF+ investments in line with the specific local or regional challenges.
Amendment 540 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 a (new)
Article 11 a (new)
Article 11 a Innovative actions 1. Member States shall support actions of social innovation and social experimentations, or strengthen bottom- up approaches based on partnerships involving public authorities, the private sector, and civil society such as the Local Action Groups designing and implementing community-led local development strategies. 2. Member States may support the upscaling of innovative approaches tested on a small-scale (social experimentations) developed under the Employment and Social Innovation strand and other Union programmes. 3. Innovative actions and approaches may be programmed under any of the specific objectives set out in points (i) to (x) of Article -7(2). 4. Each Member State shall dedicate at least one priority to the implementation of paragraphs 1 or 2 or to both. The maximum co-financing rate for these priorities may be increased to 95% for the allocation of maximum 5% of the national ESF+ allocation under shared management to such priorities.
Amendment 613 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 21 – paragraph 3
Article 21 – paragraph 3
3. By 30 June 2025 and 30 June 2028, Managing Authorities shall report to the Commission the results of a structured anonymous survey of the end recipients carried out during the previous year and focusing on their living conditions and the nature of their material deprivation. This survey shall be based on the model which shall be established by the Commission by means of an implementing act.
Amendment 615 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article -23 (new)
Article -23 (new)
Article -23 Specific objectives In accordance with the general objectives set in Article 3 the Employment and Social Innovation Strand will support the following specific objectives: (a) Specific objective 1: Support the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the Union's instruments, policies (promoting a high level of quality and sustainable employment, guaranteeing adequate and decent social protection, combating social exclusion and poverty and improving working conditions) and relevant law and promote evidence-based policy-making, social innovation and social progress, in partnership with the social partners, civil society organisations and public and private bodies (b) Specific objective 2: Promote workers’ voluntary geographical mobility on a fair basis and boost employment opportunities by developing high-quality and inclusive Union labour markets that are open and accessible to all, while respecting workers' rights throughout the Union, including freedom of movement. (c) Specific objective 3: Promote employment and social inclusion by increasing the availability and accessibility of microfinance for vulnerable people who wish to start up a micro-enterprise as well as for existing micro-enterprises, and by increasing access to finance for social enterprises.
Amendment 624 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 – paragraph 1 – point d
Article 23 – paragraph 1 – point d
(d) to provide specific support services to employers and job-seekers with a view to the development of integrated European labour markets, ranging from pre- recruitment preparation to post-placement assistance to fill vacancies in certain sectors, professions, countries, border regions or for particular groups (e.g. people in vulnerable peoplesituations);
Amendment 634 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 – paragraph 1 – point e
Article 23 – paragraph 1 – point e
(e) to support the development of the market eco-system related to the provision of microfinance for micro-enterprises and social cooperatives in in start-up and development phases, in particular those that employ people in vulnerable peoplesituations and those that are run by entrepreneurs coming from a disadvantaged social background;
Amendment 651 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 a (new)
Article 23 a (new)
Article 23a Thematic concentration and funding The part of the ESF+ financial envelope for the Employment and Social Innovation Strand referred in Article 5b(2)(a) shall be allocated over the whole period to the specific objectives set out in Article -23 according to the following indicative percentages: (a) 55% to the Specific Objective 1; (b) 18% to the Specific Objective 2; (c) 18% to the Specific Objective 3;
Amendment 660 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph 2 – point c – point iii
Article 24 – paragraph 2 – point c – point iii
(iii) of participating countries administrations, social security institutions and employment services responsible for promoting labour mobility, of microfinance institutions and of institutions providing finance to social economy and social enterprises or other social investment actors, as well as networking;
Amendment 663 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph 2 – point c – point iv
Article 24 – paragraph 2 – point c – point iv
(iv) of social partners and stakeholders in view of transnational and cross-border cooperation;
Amendment 673 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 25 a (new)
Article 25 a (new)
Article 25a Governance 1. The Commission shall consult stakeholders within the Union, in particular social partners and civil society organisations, on the employment and social innovation work programmes, their priorities and strategic orientation and their implementation. 2. The Commission shall establish the necessary links with the Employment Committee, the Social Protection Committee, the Advisory Committee on Health and Safety at Work, the Group of Directors-General for Industrial Relations and the Advisory Committee on Freedom of Movement of Workers in order to ensure that they are regularly and appropriately informed of progress in implementing these programmes. The Commission shall also inform other committees dealing with policies, instruments and actions of relevance to the Employment and Social innovation Strand.
Amendment 676 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 26 – paragraph 2 – point b – point iii
Article 26 – paragraph 2 – point b – point iii
(iii) Support Member States with knowledge transfer useful for the national reform processes for more effective, accessible, non-discriminatory, inclusive and resilient health systems and better health promotion and disease prevention addressing, in particular, the challenges identified in the European Semester
Amendment 705 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 40 – paragraph 2
Article 40 – paragraph 2
2. Each Member State shall appoint one government representative, one representative of the workers' organisations, one representative of the employers' organisations, one representative of civil society and one alternate for each member for a maximum period of seven years. In the absence of a member, the alternate shall be automatically entitled to take part in the proceedings.
Amendment 710 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 40 – paragraph 3
Article 40 – paragraph 3
3. The ESF+ Committee shall include one representative from each of the organisations representing workers' organisations and, employers' organisations and civil society at Union level.
Amendment 758 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – point 4 – indent 2
Annex I – point 4 – indent 2
– participants with an improved labour market situation sixtwelve months after leaving*,