1. Future of the ESF
ESF Committee
Amsterdam, 15/06/2016

2. Opinion of the ESF Committee
The members of the ESF Committee expressed, the wish to discuss the future of the European Social Fund and to formulate one opinion

3. Proposal: Two opinions
Initial opinion: June 2016
Formal opinion on the future of the ESF: June 2017

4. Inititial opinion: Reason
Declaration of intention: informing the Commission's preparation of the legislative proposal

5. Added value of the ESF Instrument of European solidarity
Support Member States in addressing main challenges in the area of human capital development
Reach the objectives of Europe 2020,
Support structural reforms
Helping the most vulnerable people in our society.

6. The context High unemployment Poverty
Need to continue investing in human capital development.

7. The issues
The scope of the Fund: geographic, thematic and intervention scope
ESF for all MS?
Differentiation?
Which thematic focus?
Which eligbilities?

8. The issues
Objectives of the Fund, including strategic alignment to Union priorities
Which priorities?
Role of CSRs?
Employment Guidelines?
How to ensure alignment?

9. The issues
Result orientation including effectiveness of the current delivery system for achieving, monitoring and evaluating results: what works for achieving results and what does not.
How to improve result-orientation?
Ways to monitor?
Performance assurance?
Role of conditionalities?

10. The issues Simplification, flexibility and eligibilities of the Fund.
How to simplify further?
How to make the fund more adaptable to policy challenges?
Should eligibilities of expenditure change?

11. The issues
Good governance and partnership, including support for capacity building.
Take stock of partnership. How to improve it?
How does ESF can improve capacity building and improvement

12. The issues
The architecture and management of the Fund, including exploring alternative delivery modes.
How can programming structure be improved?
Can we explore alternative delivery modes other than grants and shared management?

13. What should stay the same?
What we want to know?
What works?
What does not work?
What should change?
What should stay the same?

14. Sub-group on the future of the ESF
Contribute for the final ESF Committee Opinion
Generate informal and independent debate on the future of the ESF
Feed ideas and concerns into the work on the future
Feed into the impact assessment of the post-2020 legislative proposals

15. Membership and invitations
Members participate in an independent capacity
Membership is voluntary
Alternatively, every member of the ESF Committee and EU level Social Partner can appoint one expert.
Possible invitations to Social Protection Committee, the Employment Committee and non-member experts

16. Timing Opinion of the ESF Committee: June 2017
Impact Assessment: 1st semester 2017
MFF: December 2017
Regulations: 1st semester 2018

17. Thank you for your attention.