Spain leads in the implementation of investments under the European Social Fund, a pillar of Social Europe

The Secretary of State for Employment, Joaquín Pérez Rey, at the conference "European Social Fund, Quo Vadis?"

The Secretary of State for Employment, Joaquín Pérez Rey, has taken part in the conference entitled European Social Fund, Quo Vadis? promoted by the Federal Republic of Germany, which debated the future of this instrument, which promotes political and social cohesion in the EU and which Pérez Rey described as "a fundamental pillar of Social Europe".

The Ministry of Labour and Social Economy is ultimately responsible for the management of these funds and, before the deadline of the first half of this year, managed to execute the €9.87 billion corresponding to the 2014-2020 period. For every euro invested, the Ministry of Labour calculates that a return of €1.3 has been obtained.

The Secretary of State underlined the importance of this European budget allocation: "We are not talking about a simple financial fund, but about a tool that strengthens social cohesion and ensures that economic growth reaches all citizens". It has been the engine of investment and has allowed economic integration to go hand in hand with improved employment opportunities, vocational training and social inclusion.

Labour has already started implementing the European Social Fund +, which is endowed with €11.3 billion for the period 2021-2027. In terms of employment, the ESF+ department headed by Yolanda Díaz has prioritised young people, earmarking almost €2.34 million for specific employment policies. This represents more than 22% of total ESF+ support, well above the 12.5% required by regulation for ESF+ policies.

Allocation of ESF funds

This allocation was divided between 23 operational programmes, one for each of the Autonomous Communities and Cities, and four at State level, in particular:

• Operational Programme for Social Inclusion and Social Economy (POISES)
• Operational Programme for Employment, Training and Education (POEFE)
• Operational Programme for Technical Assistance (POAT)
• Operational Programme for Youth Employment (POEJ), jointly managed by the Autonomous Regions and various state bodies.
  

Results of ESF investment

Aside from being successful in terms of the amount implemented, the European Social Fund has demonstrated a high degree of effectiveness in Spain:

• More than 8.7 million people have received ESF support, 51% of them women.
• The overall rate of labour market integration of the beneficiaries of employability measures was 30.6%, corresponding mainly people in a situation of vulnerability and the most difficult to integrate into the labour market.

The Ministry of Work and Social Economy, as the ministry ultimately responsible for the European Social Fund, considers these investments to be a good example of a good use of European funds.

Objectives and priorities for ESF investment

The 23 operational programmes have invested European Social Fund assistance in the following key objectives and priorities:

Objective 1: Promoting sustainable employment, job quality and labour mobility.

• Access to employment for jobseekers and inactive people.
• Self-employment and business start-ups.
• Equality between men and women in all areas, including access to employment, career progression, work-life balance and promotion of equal pay for equal work.
• Modernisation of labour market institutions, such as public and private employment services.

Objective 2: Promoting social inclusion, combating poverty and all forms of discrimination.

• Active inclusion and improving the employability of people in vulnerable situations.
• Socio-economic integration of marginalised communities.
• Promotion of social entrepreneurship and professional integration in social enterprises and in the Social and Solidarity Economy.

Objective 3: Education, training and vocational training for skills acquisition and lifelong learning.

• Reducing and preventing early school leaving and promoting equal access to quality early childhood, primary and secondary education.
• Improving the quality, efficiency and accessibility of higher education, especially for disadvantaged groups.
• Improving equal access to lifelong learning.
• Improving the labour market relevance of education and training systems, facilitating the transition from education to employment.

Non official translation