In the European Parliament, we are working on a policy document concerning the future of the European Social Fund.
The draft report on this matter is available at: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/EMPL-PR-765062_PL.pdf
I believe this document requires changes, so after consulting with the implementing bodies in our voivodeship, I submitted several amendments in which I highlighted the following aspects:
- the key role of local and regional actors in the design, implementation, and accountability of the program, as they are the beneficiaries,
- the need to maintain a decentralized approach,
- the need to move away from thematic concentration at the European level. Objectives should be agreed upon at the level of Member States and regions—the needs of regions vary, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution,
- the need to further develop, promote, and modernize the ESF+. The fund is a very good tool, but I believe we must remain open to change and reform,
- the need for flexibility, enabling a rapid response to dynamic socio-economic conditions,
- the key role of the ESF+ in building Europe’s competitiveness; therefore, we must ensure high-quality vocational training and lifelong learning.
These are just the first steps in the work on this document. I encourage you to follow the developments. The final version of the document will be published on the European Parliament’s website.