Transnational and innovative actions under the European Social Fund State of play Strengths and weaknesses Opportunities for enhancing the transnational and innovative dimension of ESF OPs

Transnational and innovative actions under the European Social Fund The ESF Regulation has included principles and processes of quality management to promote continuous improvements Learning from experimentation and evidence of good practice  promote innovation Learning from others  promote transnational exchange and cooperation

Transnational actions under the European Social Fund 2007-2013 Objective: Improve OP quality, efficiency and effectiveness of ESF OPs, and policies supported by the ESF, through learning from others Regulatory provisions Build on the approach and achievements of EQUAL Benefit from an increased intervention rate for a transnational priority axis Develop synergies with other transnational actions, in particular in the field of leaning mobility

Transnationality under the ESF A wide scope – wider than EQUAL no geographical restriction no thematic limitation no final beneficiary is excluded all types of exchange can be promoted In the previous period the Commission has been the main motor and resource for stimulating and supporting transnational cooperation under the ESF and making it work through the EQUAL Community Initiative and innovative actions (Art. 6). This new role is backed by the ESF Regulation (Reg. (EC) No 1081/2006[1]) which stipulates that transnational co-operation is an integrated feature of the European Social Fund (ESF) 2007-2013: "The ESF shall also support transnational and interregional actions in particular through the sharing of information, experiences, results and good practices, and through developing complementary approaches and coordinated or joint action." This provision invites Member States and regions to support transnational cooperation, through their national and regional ESF Operational Programmes (OP), in all policy areas identified for ESF interventions, such as adaptability, labour market policies, social inclusion, human capital and strengthening public administration; for all types (strategic stakeholders such as social partners, NGOs, training and regional development organisations, public administrations, ESF management bodies, beneficiaries, participants in projects) and levels of actors, and for all types of exchange and cooperation (joint projects; events; focus groups and networks; mobility and exchange of people). [1] Regulation (EC) No 1081/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 July 2006 on the European Social Fund and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1784/1999, Official Journal of the EU, L 210, 31.7.2006, p. 12

Transnationality: Actors, Agendas, Actions Lifelong learning Entrepreneurship Migration Discrimination ESF Management Collaboration Networking Governmental departments Exchange Mobility Key stakeholders; social partners Trainers, local actors Ultimate benefiaries

Transnational cooperation under the ESF 2007 -2013 Transnational Mobility Supporting transnational mobility is a new opportunity for the ESF, complementing the Lifelong Learning Programme. Promotional schemes can benefit from a number of tools to facilitate learning mobility (e.g. Europass CV, ) as well as job mobility (above all EURES). Extending the opportunities for learning mobility is an important step towards the development of an open and inclusive European labour market.

Transnational cooperation under the ESF 2007 -2013 ESF OPs: 117 with priority axis: 47 with horizontal actions 70 Total budget of dedicated priorities: 1,2 billion € Estimated total budget for transnational and interregional cooperation: close to 3 billion €

Innovative actions under the European Social Fund Objective: Improve OP quality, efficiency and effectiveness of ESF OPs, and policies supported by the ESF, through learning from experimentation and evidence of good practice Regulatory provisions Build on the approach and achievements of EQUAL Promote innovative actions throughout the innovation cycle, from experimentation to mainstreaming Choose themes in partnership

Social Innovation Building on the EQUAL experience EQUAL demonstrated the added value of an experimental approach. It is a cost effective and sustainable way of introducing social change, because it has Mobilised and empowered stakeholders and governments for learning from each other, thus developing a culture for social innovation; Developed and tested a range of tools and methods, and built up capacities to facilitate innovation processes, thus contributing to the establishment of an infrastructure for social innovation proven the advantages of innovative solutions by producing and accumulating a large body of evidence of the benefits of validated good practices

Why more focus on innovation support under the ESF? To respond to key challenges in promoting the creation of more and better jobs (population ageing, globalisation, climate change, migration, new work patterns and lifestyles, etc.); To tackle the long-term social impact of the crisis (business restructuring and upgrading skills to match labour market needs); To improve governance of the ESF by involving citizens, bridging institutional barriers, and develop evidence based policies. Innovations are needed where established ways of delivering labour-market and social-inclusion policies are no longer suitable in meeting their objectives, no longer feasible and affordable for the public sector, or no longer acceptable to the citizen.

ESF support throughout the cycle Social innovation ESF support throughout the cycle stage of the innovation cycle promotional instrument Generating new ideas and mobilising citizens Small grants to local employment initiatives or NGOs Developing, testing and validating new approaches and practices Project support to stakeholders and public administrations Building bridges and exploiting synergies between unrelated systems, institutions or actions Support new forms of partnerships between key stakeholders and governments Testing hypotheses through experimentation Support of social experiments Raising awareness; building capacities and mobilise for change in the public administration Support of mutual learning platforms and networks; in particular peer to peer learning Supporting change in structures, organisations and institutional frameworks support to replicate adapt and scale up tested innovations with a clear advantage over current practice

Social Innovation A partnership approach The ESF Regulation asks to define the themes for the funding of innovation in the context of partnership. This provision gives the Monitoring Committee a vital role to play Sharing of themes between member states can stimulate transnational cooperation Transnational experiments can generate sound evidence for reforms and change. Developing innovations in partnership helps to build sustainable pathways and transitions, e.g. from unemployment to work; from prison to employment; from inactivity or parental leave to work, from unemployment to self-employment, from migration to work.

A new momentum of the ESF to innovative action The new Commission will emphasise the role of social innovation and of mutual learning for stimulating and underpinning reforms. The President has requested a report with proposals for future policies to better exploit the potential of social innovations , based on the "acquis" of the Community in this field. The ESF is expected to make a significant contribution to the President's initiative, by presenting its actions and impact; reviewing current approaches, actions, and achievements; outlining principles for anchoring learning and innovation in the ESF in the medium and long term.

Transnational and innovative actions Review of state of play (1) Programming options not fully exploited Transnationality priority: 40% of all OPs 10% bonus: 8 out of 47 (Σ>€160m) Some existing measures qualify for a transnational priority Scope of activities not fully used Transnationality: mobility, staff exchange, networking Innovation: citizen and stakeholder involvement, experimentation, benchmarking, scaling up Synergies between transnational actions and innovative schemes underdeveloped Spending below expectations In the previous period the Commission has been the main motor and resource for stimulating and supporting transnational cooperation under the ESF and making it work through the EQUAL Community Initiative and innovative actions (Art. 6). This new role is backed by the ESF Regulation (Reg. (EC) No 1081/2006[1]) which stipulates that transnational co-operation is an integrated feature of the European Social Fund (ESF) 2007-2013: "The ESF shall also support transnational and interregional actions in particular through the sharing of information, experiences, results and good practices, and through developing complementary approaches and coordinated or joint action." This provision invites Member States and regions to support transnational cooperation, through their national and regional ESF Operational Programmes (OP), in all policy areas identified for ESF interventions, such as adaptability, labour market policies, social inclusion, human capital and strengthening public administration; for all types (strategic stakeholders such as social partners, NGOs, training and regional development organisations, public administrations, ESF management bodies, beneficiaries, participants in projects) and levels of actors, and for all types of exchange and cooperation (joint projects; events; focus groups and networks; mobility and exchange of people). [1] Regulation (EC) No 1081/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 July 2006 on the European Social Fund and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1784/1999, Official Journal of the EU, L 210, 31.7.2006, p. 12

Transnational and innovative actions Review of state of play (2) Low level of awareness regarding the value added of innovative approaches OPs not sufficiently tuned to one another regarding implementation provisions Transnational networks and actions not sufficiently linked with national/regional actions Support capacities and services underdeveloped Services to raise awareness, orient and guide project applicants and promoters, facilitate networks, validate and synthesise results, and provide support in mainstreaming In the previous period the Commission has been the main motor and resource for stimulating and supporting transnational cooperation under the ESF and making it work through the EQUAL Community Initiative and innovative actions (Art. 6). This new role is backed by the ESF Regulation (Reg. (EC) No 1081/2006[1]) which stipulates that transnational co-operation is an integrated feature of the European Social Fund (ESF) 2007-2013: "The ESF shall also support transnational and interregional actions in particular through the sharing of information, experiences, results and good practices, and through developing complementary approaches and coordinated or joint action." This provision invites Member States and regions to support transnational cooperation, through their national and regional ESF Operational Programmes (OP), in all policy areas identified for ESF interventions, such as adaptability, labour market policies, social inclusion, human capital and strengthening public administration; for all types (strategic stakeholders such as social partners, NGOs, training and regional development organisations, public administrations, ESF management bodies, beneficiaries, participants in projects) and levels of actors, and for all types of exchange and cooperation (joint projects; events; focus groups and networks; mobility and exchange of people). [1] Regulation (EC) No 1081/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 July 2006 on the European Social Fund and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1784/1999, Official Journal of the EU, L 210, 31.7.2006, p. 12

Changes in responsibility A harmonised and synchronised framework for action National and regional frameworks, ad hoc convergence in a variable geometry 2000-2006 2007-2013 Commission via EQUAL guidelines defines schedule, themes, eligibility rules and implementation provisions Member States and regions define themes, eligibility rules and implementation provisions

Conclusions Take serious steps to make transnationality work, by Implementing or reinforcing working models for promotional schemes and actions (agreed with EU auditors) thereby fully exploiting the opportunities of the regulation; Specifying a basic set of common eligibility rules; Establishing or reinforcing professional support services and learning environments Develop synergies between/ link transnational and innovative actions In the previous period the Commission has been the main motor and resource for stimulating and supporting transnational cooperation under the ESF and making it work through the EQUAL Community Initiative and innovative actions (Art. 6). This new role is backed by the ESF Regulation (Reg. (EC) No 1081/2006[1]) which stipulates that transnational co-operation is an integrated feature of the European Social Fund (ESF) 2007-2013: "The ESF shall also support transnational and interregional actions in particular through the sharing of information, experiences, results and good practices, and through developing complementary approaches and coordinated or joint action." This provision invites Member States and regions to support transnational cooperation, through their national and regional ESF Operational Programmes (OP), in all policy areas identified for ESF interventions, such as adaptability, labour market policies, social inclusion, human capital and strengthening public administration; for all types (strategic stakeholders such as social partners, NGOs, training and regional development organisations, public administrations, ESF management bodies, beneficiaries, participants in projects) and levels of actors, and for all types of exchange and cooperation (joint projects; events; focus groups and networks; mobility and exchange of people). [1] Regulation (EC) No 1081/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 July 2006 on the European Social Fund and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1784/1999, Official Journal of the EU, L 210, 31.7.2006, p. 12

The „Learning for Change“ Initiative Provides support for boosting the innovative and transnational dimension of ESF OPs Individual support to member states and regions on request, such as expert and peer assignments for Reviews of schemes and support actions Assistance in designing promotional schemes Common support, such as development of, and guidance on, model support schemes and infrastructures Tools for ESF managers (for monitoring, experimentation, validation etc.) Tools and good practices for promoters

Workshops for ESF Managing Authorities to enhance transnational and innovative action Objectives: To identify/develop working models for promoting transnational and innovative action; To advise the Commission in its support actions under the "Learning for Change" Initiative; To further develop the role of the ESF as a motor for change through social innovation and mutual learning; To assist in presenting ESF actions and achievements for the BEPA report for the President

Workshops to enhance transnational and innovative action under the ESF Exchange knowledge and experience on trends, barriers and drivers in transnational learning the promotion of innovation; Share options, practices, experience and orientations in designing and implementing effective schemes and actions; Identify suitable working models of direct promotional support (tools, methods), and of key factors for developing capacities and infrastructures; Make recommendations for effective monitoring of transnational and innovative activities and achievements