1. European Social Fund

2. The European Social Fund (ESF) as part of the ESIF
The ESF is one of the five European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF). The other ones are:
European Regional Development Fund
Cohesion Fund
European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development
European Maritime & Fisheries Fund
These funds are the main source of investment at EU level to help Member States to restore and increase growth and to ensure a job rich recovery, while guaranteeing sustainable development, in line with the Europe 2020 objectives.

3. Structural Funds + Cohesion Fund
The ESF and EU budget
Cohesion Policy:
Structural Funds + Cohesion Fund
ESF: 84 billion EUR
YEI: 8.8 billion EUR

4. How does it work?

5. ESF thematic objectives
Employment
€28,2 bn EUR - EU
€40,6 bn EUR - Total
Social inclusion
€21,3 bn EUR - EU
€31,4 bn EUR - Total
Education
€27,1 bn EUR – EU
€39,2 bn EUR - Total
Administrative capacity building
€3,7 bn EUR – EU
€4,7 bn EUR - Total

6. ESF and VET ESF budget (EU amount): EUR 6,7 billion
adapting vocational education and training (VET) systems to labour market demands, by developing work-based learning in VET, including apprenticeship schemes, and encouraging companies to take on more trainees;
promoting the attractiveness and excellence of vocational education and training, including campaigns and skills competitions, and supporting young people in compulsory education to get acquainted with vocational trades and career possibilities;
promoting partnerships/networks between social partners, enterprises, education and training institutions/providerssupport for upgrading the basic skills and key competences of the adult population, including migrants, and creating new opportunities to capitalise on the knowledge and skills of older adults;
flexible pathways between sectors of education and training and between education and work

7. The European Social Fund Plus ESF+

8. A new architecture for the future
FAIR & BALANCEd
A new architecture for the future
Overview of the MFF proposal.
ESF+ falls under part in green under the new heading: II Cohesion and Values.
Despite overall cuts, Cohesion Policy has the largest share, with EUR billion and its nominal amount will be preserved. This will allow the same level of investment for economic and social cohesion thanks to greater ownership at national level with higher national co-financing rates.
The ESF+ envelope (around 27% of cohesion policy – which is a 4% increase from the period) of EUR billion shows the commitment of this Commission to Social Europe.
Source: European Commission

9. The ESF+ in the MFF
As you can see, the ESF+ falls within the cluster 'Investing in People, Social Cohesion and Values'. The ESF+ will contribute to the European Pillar of Social Rights and other policy priorities relevant for investing in people and values.
The ESF+ contributes to cohesion, in particular social cohesion, just like now.
As regards implementing rules, it will be subject to a common regulation with the ERDF and 6 other Funds, The new CPR contains common provisions for the ERDF, the ESF+, the Cohesion Fund and the EMFF and financial rules for those and for the Asylum and Migration Fund (AMIF), the Internal Security Fund (ISF) and the Border Management and Visa Instrument (BMVI).

10. ESF+ budget post-2020 MFF proposal with an ambitious social dimension
Positive signal compared to period (post-2020 EU27)
Around 27% of Cohesion policy budget
Concrete amount of billion (current prices)
Commitment to investing in people & implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights

11. ESF + €101,2 billion ESF+ shared management €100 billion
Concentration requirements
CSR implementation
25% Social inclusion, which includes
2% material deprivation (target: 4% at EU level)
10% in Member States with high NEET rate
Outermost Regions/NSPA €400 million
Transnationality €200 million
ESF+ (in)direct management €1,2 billion
Employment and Social €761 million Innovation strand
Health strand €413 million
The ESF+ shared management strand has a set budget of 100 billion euros.
The aim is that at least 4% of the ESF+ resources under shared management will be allocated to the support for the most deprived (i.e. the ex-FEAD). To that purpose MS shall allocate at least 2% of their national resources to this goal.
To encourage and facilitate transnational cooperation for social innovation euros has been allocated to this specific activity.
Due to their specificities and needs, there is also an allocation of euros to help the outermost regions in particular.
The amount allocated to the (in)direct strands in for EaSI and Health.

12. The ESF+: 5 funds coming together
The ESF+ is the result of the merging of 5 EU funds: the ESF, YEI, FEAD, EaSI and EU Health programme.
The ESF+ Regulation will replace the current ESF, FEAD, EaSI and EU Health programme regulations and will have multiple legal bases.
The ESF+ will include different components, ensuring the continuity of the policy priorities of the previous programmes.
The scope of the ESF+ is broader (basic material assistance and social integration measures) but fewer specific objectives
Beside general provisions applicable to all components of the ESF+, the regulation will establish:
common rules for the ESF+ under shared management component.
It is important however to note that the Common Provisions Regulation will establish the framework for action for most shared management Funds, including the ESF+ under shared management. In particular, the CPR lays down common rules regarding policy objectives to be supported by the Funds, programming, monitoring and evaluation arrangements, management and control, information and communication, and financial issues. Therefore the ESF+ Regulation establishes rules which are complementary to the CPR which are adapted to the specific nature of the operations it funds.
It is useful to read both the CPR and the ESF+ shared management section together in order to have a full understanding of how the implementation and programming will take effect.
Compared to the current programming period, there have been substantial improvements and simplifications which should ensure that programme implementation can begin without delay and that the administrative burden for beneficiaries and programme authorities will be significantly reduced.
- rules for (in)direct management (ex-EaSI and EU Health programme and specific ex-ESF parts, e.g. transnationality actions).
Under the (in)direct management strand, the ESF+ will include a series of improvements, including a sharper focus on disadvantaged groups and gender equality, greater budgetary flexibility and better integration between the current activities.
The complementarities between social experimentation, analytical work, capacity-building, transnational activities and greater upscaling/deployment at national level will become clearer within the simplified ESF+ structure.

13. The ESF+: flexibility & policy alignment
Key instrument for the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights.
Reinforced link with the European Semester and the European pillar of social rights in terms of setting policy priorities and mid-term review of programming.
Allocations for 5+2 years
Focus kept on support to youth employment and social inclusion, including the integration of third country nationals and of most deprived people.
The future ESF+ Regulation will ensure that resources are concentrated on the key challenges identified.
European Pillar of Social Rights and European Semester: strengthened alignment between the European Semester process and the funds' investment cycles would simplify programming and reporting. Before the programming cycle starts, challenges falling within the scope of the ESF+ identified in CSRs adopted in accordance with Article 121(2) and Article 148(4) TFEU and in the European Semester, and accompanied by a set of investment-related guidance issued for each Member State, would trigger programming.
The provisions relevant to the overall link of ESIF to the Semester and the Pillar are set out in the CPR.
To build on the good practice of performance orientation it is proposed to maintain the performance framework in a streamlined, clearer manner. Conditionality linked to the European Semester is similarly maintained but simplified. In particular, Country-Specific Recommendations (CSRs) will be taken into account in programming at least on two occasions: at the beginning of the programming and during the mid-term review.
Measures to promote sound economic governance are maintained. However suspensions will be linked to commitments only, not payments, in order to avoid aggravating economic crises.
- The CPR creates flexibility for the ERDF, ESF+ and the Cohesion Fund. Only the first 5 years will be programmed initially. Allocations for the last 2 years will be made on the basis of a substantial and in-depth mid-term review leading to corresponding reprogramming in The review will revisit the initial priorities and objectives of the programmes taking account of: progress in achieving objectives by end-2024; changes in the socio-economic situation; new challenges identified in country specific recommendations. This builds on the concept of the performance framework and the performance reserve and further reinforces the performance angle of the policy including through reprogramming. The performance reserve is however discontinued.
Article 14 Mid-term review
1. For programmes supported by the ERDF, the ESF+ and the Cohesion Fund, the Member State shall review each programme, taking into account the following elements:
the challenges identified in relevant country-specific recommendations adopted in 2024;
the socio-economic situation of the Member State or region concerned;
the progress in achieving the milestones.
2. The Member State shall submit to the Commission by 31 March 2025 a request for the amendment of each programme in accordance with Article 19(1). The Member State shall justify the amendment on the basis of the elements set out in paragraph 1.
The revised programme shall include:
the allocations of the financial resources by priority including the amounts for the years 2026 and 2027;
revised or new targets.

14. ESF+ OBJECTIVES General objectives
All strands: Support the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights
Shared management strand: also the Employment Guidelines and Country-specific recommendations under the European Semester
Employment and Social Innovation strand: special focus on employment, skills, social protection, social inclusion and working conditions.
Health strand: ensure a high level of health protection in the Union
Specific objectives
11 specific objectives under the CPR policy objective “a more social Europe” in the policy areas of employment, education and social inclusion, including health
Wording closely follows the principles of the Pillar
Specific references to migrants and basic material assistance
ESF+ also contributes to other CPR policy objectives
As a whole, the ESF+ Regulation will aim to support MS to achieve 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.
In addition it will also contribute to MS policies which ensure equal opportunities, access to the labour market, fair working conditions, social protection and inclusion and a high level of human health protection.
The shared management strand will focus on the Employment Guidelines and the challenges which have been identified in the CSRs and the European Semester.
Under the CPR, 11 objectives are simplified and consolidated to 5:
A smarter Europe (innovative & smart economic transformation)
A greener, low-carbon Europe (including energy transition, the circular economy, climate adaptation and risk management)
A more connected Europe (mobility and ICT connectivity)
A more social Europe (the European Pillar of Social Rights)
A Europe closer to citizens (sustainable development of urban, rural and coastal areas and local initiatives)
- Migration: all Cohesion Policy Funds will address long-term needs linked to integration, while AMIF will focus on short term needs.

15. ESF+ SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
A more social Europe (European Pillar of Social Rights)
EMPLOYMENT
Access to employment
Modernising labour market
Women’s labour market participation, work/life balance, childcare, working environment, adaptation of workers, active and healthy ageing
EDUCATION
TRAINING
Quality and inclusive education and training
Labour market relevance of Education and training systems
Lifelong learning, upskilling, anticipating change and new skills requirements
SOCIAL INCLUSION
Active inclusion
Integration of migrants and marginalised such as Roma
Access to services; social protection healthcare systems and long term care
Social integration of people at risk of poverty;
Addressing material deprivation
The 11 specific objectives of the ESF+ fall all under the policy objective “A more social Europe” which is set out in the CPR. They are more streamlined and simplified in comparison to the current programming period. They fall in key policy areas of employment, education and social inclusion, including health. They are also aligned with the principles of the Pillar. They focus on not only improving the situation of people, but also of systems so that real progress and change can be made.
Changes were made in order to adapt to the changing reality of the current times, such as reference to basic digital skills, work-life balance, migrants and also upskilling and reskilling.
ESF+ also contributes to other CPR policy objectives
ESF+ will continue to provide key support to CSR in the areas identified in the EU Semester for investment:
ALMP/PES reforms
Participation of women; youth employment
Education/training systems
Social inclusion, social protection systems, equal opportunities and access to services
Reform and accessibility of healthcare
Accompanying measures to pension reform (active ageing)
Integration of third-country nationals (migrants), Roma
The specific objective xi “Addressing material deprivation” corresponds to the support currently provided by the FEAD under OP I (i.e food and basic material assistance). The specific objective x “Promote integration of people at risk of poverty, including most deprived and children” corresponds to the support provided by the FEAD under OP II (social inclusion).
Horizontal principles:
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 policy areas. Therefore all programmes implemented under the ESF+ strand under shared management and the operations supported by EaSI and Health should ensure equality between men and women throughout the preparation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
The ESF+ should also promote the transition from residential/institutional care to family and community-based care, in particular for those who face multiple discrimination. The ESF+ should not support any action that contributes to segregation or to social exclusion.
Horizontal principles: Gender, Equal opps. Non-discrimination
Health
Contribution to Smarter Europe; Greener, low-carbon Europe

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