1. Key elements of the Commission proposal for the future ESF ESF Committee Cracow 1 December 2011

2. Legislative package
The General Regulation
Common provisions for cohesion policy, the rural development policy and the maritime and fisheries policy
Common provisions for cohesion policy only (ERDF, CF, ESF)
Fund specific regulations
ERDF regulation
CF regulation
ESF regulation
ETC regulation
EGTC regulation

3. Guiding political principles of the reform
Concentration on Europe 2020 Strategy
Focus on results
Better coordination and harmonisation between the funds
Simplification

4. Geographical coverage of support
Three categories of regions
Less developed regions (GDP per capita < 75% of EU average)
Transition regions (GDP per capita between 75% and 90%)
More developed regions (GDP per capita > 90%)

5. Budget for Cohesion Policy post 2013
billion EUR (2011 prices)
Cohesion Fund*
68.7
Less developed regions
162.6
Transition regions
39.0
More developed regions
53.1
Territorial Cooperation
11.7
Extra allocation for outermost and northern regions
0.9
TOTAL**
336.0
Connecting Europe facility for transport, energy and ICT
40.0
TOTAL
376.0
*Cohesion Fund will ring fence 10 billion EUR for the new Connecting Europe Facility
**Includes 2,5 billion EUR allocation for food for deprived persons

6. ESF - minimum shares
At least 25% of the Cohesion envelope for the ESF  € 84 billion
(25% for the less developed regions, 40% for the transition regions and 52% for the more developed regions)
Why?
Important contribution to the Europe 2020 strategy and its headline targets
Key factor for medium term growth (OECD)
Expression of European solidarity
In 2010, 10 million people were reached out

7. Strengthening the Strategic Approach
Operational Programmes
Partnership contract
Common Strategic Framework

8. Reinforcing Integrated Programming
Integrated programme approach
The Common Strategic Framework at EU level and the Partnership Contract at national level covering all the CSF Funds
Possibility for Member States to prepare and implement multifund programmes combining ERDF, ESF and the Cohesion Fund
Possibility for Member States to establish "multi-category" operational programmes which cover less developed, transition, and more developed regions or any combination of these
Possiblity to finance operations from more than one fund

9. Conditionality Ex ante conditionality
Conditions to be fulfilled prior to the submission of Partnership Contracts and operational programmes
Directly related to the thematic objectives or horizontal conditions of effectiveness
Non-fulfillment of conditionality constitutes a basis for suspension of payments
Reinforced macro conditionality for the funds
Closer link between cohesion policy and the economic governance of the Union

10. A focus on results (1): Performance framework and reserve
Focuses on the achievement of programme objectives with milestones and targets for performance for 2016, 2018 and
In case of significant shortfalls, possible suspension of payment during the implementation or even possible financial correction at the end of the programming period
Performance reserve
5% set aside at the beginning of the programming period (exception for ETC and for the EMFF)
The performance reserve is established per Fund, per Member State and per category of region

11. A Focus on Results (2): Indicators
Fund Specific Common Indicators
Common output and, where appropriate, result indicators
Fund specific rules on baselines, targets and reporting
Programme Specific Indicators
Output indicators, where appropriate
Result indicators related to the priority axis

12. A Focus on Results (3): Evaluation
Ex-ante evaluation
Evaluation during the programming period
Ex-post evaluation by the Commission

13. A focus on results (4): the Joint Action Plan
Optional approach – operation implemented and financed based on outputs and results agreed between the Member State and the Commission
JAP adopted by the Commission, based on a proposal by the Member State
Payments correspond to the achievement of ‘milestones’

14. Specific provisions for the ESF

15. Scope ESF contribution to the other thematic objectives notably:
18 Investment priorities in 4 thematic objectives
Promoting employment and supporting labour mobility
Promoting social inclusion and combating poverty
Investing in education, skills and lifelong learning
4. Enhancing institutional and administrative capacities
ESF contribution to the other thematic objectives notably:
Supporting an environmentally sustainable economy (low carbon…)
Enhancing the accessibility, use and quality of ICT
Strengthening research and innovation
4. Enhancing the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises
Four core thematic objectives
Promoting employment and supporting labour mobility
(i) Access to employment for job-seekers and inactive people including local employment initiatives and support for labour mobility;
(ii) Sustainable integration of young people not in employment, education or training into the labour market;
(iii) Self-employment, entrepreneurship and business creation;
(iv) Equality between men and women and reconciliation between work and private life;
(v) Adaptation of workers, enterprises and entrepreneurs to change;
(vi) Active and healthy ageing;
(vii) Modernisation and strengthening of labour market institutions, including actions to enhance transnational labour mobility;
2. Investing in education, skills and lifelong learning
(i) Reducing early school-leaving and promoting equal access to good-quality early-childhood, primary and secondary education;
(ii) Improving the quality, efficiency and openness of tertiary and equivalent education with a view to increasing participation and attainment levels;
(iii) Enhancing access to lifelong learning, upgrading the skills and competences of the workforce and increasing the labour market relevance of education and training systems;
3. Promoting social inclusion and combating poverty
(i) Active inclusion;
(ii) Integration of marginalised communities such as the Roma;
(iii) Combating discrimination based on sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation;
(iv) Enhancing access to affordable, sustainable and high-quality services, including health care and social services of general interest;
(v) Promoting the social economy and social enterprises;
(vi) Community-led local development strategies;
4. Enhancing institutional and administrative capacities
Investment in institutional capacity and in the efficiency of public administrations and public services with a view to reforms, better regulation and good governance; (ii) Capacity building for stakeholders delivering employment, education and social policies and for sectoral and territorial pacts to mobilise for reform at national, regional and local level.
The regulation has specific provisions to ensure that the ESF contribution to the other thematic objectives is traceable at the programming and implementing stage
In the OP, contribution should be described for each priority axis
Second dimension of the categorisation table will allow us to get information on these themes.

16. 20% ESF budget on Social Inclusion / poverty reduction
Thematic concentration
LESS DEVELOPED REGIONS
60% OP budget
on 4 investment
priorities
TRANSITION
REGIONS
70% OP budget
on 4 investment
priorities
MORE DEVELOPED REGIONS
80% OP budget
on 4 investment
priorities
20% ESF budget on Social Inclusion / poverty reduction

17. Ensuring a strong involvement of social partners and NGOs
Reinforced provisions on partnership in the General Regulation
Specific provisions in the ESF regulation
Possibility to involve social partners and NGOs through global grants
In the less developed regions or in the MS eligible for the Cohesion Fund:
appropriate amount of ESF resources to be allocated to capacity-building activities and to activities jointly undertaken by social partners
appropriate amount of ESF resources to be allocated to capacity-building of NGOs
Reinforced provisions on partnership in the General Regulation
- In particular, the Commission will propose a code of good practices to help MS in implementing the partnership principle.
Specific provisions in the ESF regulation
Possibility to involve social partners and NGOs through global grants
For social partners: appropriate amount of ESF resources to be allocated to capacity-building activities and to activities jointly undertaken
For NGOs: appropriate amount of ESF resources to be allocated to capacity-building

18. Gender equality and non discrimination at the core of the ESF
In the general regulation
Mainstreaming the principle for equality between men and women and non discrimination
In the ESF regulation
Obligation to plan specific targeted actions for equality between men and women and non discrimination (dedicated investment priorities)
Dual approach (mainstreaming and specific actions) for both priorities
It is today applied in most MS but not all. The regulation makes the obligation to pursue the dual approach much clearer
One investment priority dedicated to gender equality and reconciliation between professional and private life
Equal opportunity and non discrimination:
Clear obligation for MS to mainstream and to plan specific targeted actions
One investment priority dedicated to non discrimination

19. Transnationality and social Innovation
A clear requirement for Member States
The ESF shall promote social innovation
MS shall support transnational cooperation
A large range of freedom for Member States in the choice of themes
Strengthening the role of the Commission as facilitator

20. Reinforcing the territorial approach
Possibility to continue ESF support to local employment initiatives, territorial employment pacts…
Integrated approach to community-led local development
Facilitates integrated investment by small communities including local authorities, NGOs, and economic and social partners
Integrated approach and common rules = can be financed jointly from ERDF, ESF, EAFRD and EMFF
Possible support of sustainable urban development strategies
At least 5% of the ERDF resources to be allocated to integrated actions for sustainable urban development
The ESF may complement the ERDF for the actions falling under its scope

21. Specific provisions for financial management
Eligibility of expenditure: Equipment is now eligible
Simplified cost options :
obligatory for small projects
higher ceiling for lump sums
more legal security provided
Financial instruments
Possible use of the ESF through risk-sharing schemes, equity and debt, guarantee funds, holding funds and loan fund
ESF policy-based guarantee

22. Timeline 5th Report on Economic, Social and Territorial
Cohesion + Public
Consultation
Proposals for
Cohesion
Policy
Public
Consultation on
Common Strategic Framework
Entry into force and adoption of
Partnership
Contracts and
programmes
March
2010
Nov.
2010
June
2011
Oct.
2011
Dec.
2011
Jan.
2012
2012 – 2013
2014
Adoption of new legislative package and agreement on
budget post-2013
Proposal by the Commission of Multi-annual
Financial
Framework
Communication from the Commission:
Common
Strategic Framework
Adoption of Europe 2020 Strategy