European Commission Introduction to the Community Programme for Employment and Social Solidarity PROGRESS

European Commission  Presentation of the policy operating context  Presentation of the role of the European Community  Presentation of the PROGRESS Programme INTRODUCTION TO THE COMMUNITY PROGRAMME FOR EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL SOLIDARITY PROGRESS

European Commission THE POLICY CONTEXT  The revised Lisbon Strategy – Growth, Competitiveness and Job Creation  Boost knowledge and innovation  Make Europe a more attractive place to invest and work  Create more and better jobs

European Commission  The Social Agenda – the roadmap for actions in the employment and social area as part of the Lisbon Strategy  Pursue an integrated European approach guaranteeing positive interplay between economic, social and employment policies  Promote quality – of employment, social policy and industrial relations –, which, in return, should make it possible to improve human and social capital  Modernise systems of social protection by adapting them to the current requirements of our societies, on the basis of solidarity and by strengthening their role as a productive factor THE POLICY CONTEXT

European Commission MAIN GOALS OF THE SOCIAL AGENDA ( )  Moving towards full employment  Making work a real option for all  Increasing the quality and productivity of work, and  Anticipating and managing change  Creating a more cohesive society: Equal opportunities for all  Modernising social protection  Combatting poverty and promoting social inclusion  Promoting diversity and non-discrimination

European Commission IMPLEMENTING THE SOCIAL AGENDA THE ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY - FACTS  Limited EU competence in the employment and social fields  Main responsibility lies with the Member States

European Commission  EU Budget: Less than 1.21% of EU-25 GDP  2007 EU Budget for Employment and Social Affairs: 11,421 billion € (European population millions)  National Social Welfare Expenditure in 2005: Germany 600 billion € (German population - 82 million) Italy 280 billion € (Italian population – 57,4 million) Hungary 14,82 billion € (Hungarian population – 10 million) IMPLEMENTING THE SOCIAL AGENDA THE ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY - FACTS

European Commission IMPLEMENTING THE SOCIAL AGENDA THE ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY - CONSEQUENCES  Mainly seen as a catalyst for change  Support to the Member States in meeting their commitments or converging towards EU objectives by:  Proposing EU strategies  Implementing and following-up EU objectives and their translation into national policies  Transposing and following-up application of EU legislation  Promoting co-operation and coordination between Member States and with civil society organisations

European Commission PROGRESS PROGRAMME  Simplification and streamlining of Community expenditure  Integrated Programme  Divided into five policy sections  Overall budget: 743 million€  Budget 2007: 82,9 million€

European Commission PROGRESS PREDECESSORS  Four Community Action Programmes   Few dedicated budget lines on working conditions Programme TitleAmount and duration Programme relating to the Community framework strategy on gender equality 55 M€ / 5 years ( year extension) Community action programme to combat discrimination 98,4 M€ / 5 years ( ) Programme of Community action to encourage cooperation between Member States to combat social exclusion 70 M€ / 5 years ( ) Community incentive measures in the field of employment 55 M€ / 5 years ( )

European Commission PROGRESS OVERALL GOAL  To financially support the implementation of the objectives of the European Union in the employment and social affairs area, as set out in the Social Agenda, and thereby contribute to the achievement of the Lisbon Strategy goals in these fields.

European Commission PROGRESS FIVE POLICY AREAS  Employment Linked to the European Employment Strategy  Social inclusion and social protection Linked to Open Method of Coordination  Working conditions Labour law, restructuring and anticipating change, strategy on health and safety at work  Anti-discrimination Principle of non-discrimination and mainstreaming of the principle into all EU policies  Gender equality Principle of gender equality and mainstreaming of the principle into all EU policies

European Commission PROGRESS GENERAL OBJECTIVES  To improve the knowledge and understanding of the situations prevailing in the Member States  To support the development of statistical tools, methods and common indicators  To support and monitor the implementation of policy objectives and Community law in the Member States, and assess their effectiveness and their impact

European Commission  To promote networking/mutual learning, identification and dissemination of good practice and innovative approaches at EU level  To enhance the awareness of stakeholders and the general public about the EU policies and objectives  To boost the capacity of key EU networks to promote, support and further develop EU policies and objectives  To promote gender mainstreaming into all sections and activities of PROGRESS PROGRESS GENERAL OBJECTIVES

European Commission  Analytical activities (data/statistics; common indicators; studies; impact assessments)  Mutual learning, Awareness & Dissemination (best practices & peer review; media campaigns and events)  Support to main actors (support to key EU networks; working groups; training seminars; experts' networks; EU level observatories; exchange of personnel; cooperation with international institutions) PROGRESS TYPE OF ACTIVITIES

European Commission PROGRESS FINANCIAL ENVELOPE Total financial envelope – 743,29 m€ ,995,72103,56110,07113,63116,96120,41

European Commission Repartition of the budget among policy sections ( ) Employment23% Social inclusion30% Working conditions10% Non-discrimination23% Gender equality12% Support2% PROGRESS FINANCIAL ENVELOPE

European Commission  Participating countries  Public employment services and their agencies  Local and regional authorities  Specialised bodies provided for under Community law  Social partners  NGOs, in particular those organised at European level  Higher education institutions and research institutes  Experts in evaluation  National statistical offices  Media ACCESS TO PROGRESS

European Commission ENHANCING PROGRESS IMPACT 1.  Four axes 1.Consolidation 2.Focus 3.Alignement 4.Complementarity

European Commission  Increasing efficiency and performance – result-based management –Developing a strategic framework for PROGRESS implementation  Focusing on actions where EU added-value is highest –Defining EU added-value –Complementarity with ESF and other Community interventions ENHANCING PROGRESS IMPACT

European Commission  Promoting partnership –Coordination at Commission level –Coordination at the national level –Link between PROGRESS Committee and other policy Committees –Partnership with NGOs and social partners –Social Agenda Forum  Putting in place a multi-annual programming IMPLEMENTING PROGRESS

European Commission METHOD OF IMPLEMENTATION  Direct management by the Commission  Commission is assisted by a Committee (with representatives from Member States)  Approval by the Committee of the general guidelines for implementation and annual plans of work  Annual Plans of Work implemented through  Call for tenders (contracts)  Call for proposals (subsidies - max 80% co-financing)

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