European Social Fund: fighting poverty and unemployment | CDE Almería - Centro de Documentación Europea

The European Parliament is backing updated rules to tackle unemployment and high rates of poverty in the EU.

The report, adopted in plenary on 4 April, proposes to increase funding for the European Social Fund in the EU’s budget for 2021-2027 with a primary focus on youth employment and children.

Many people are concerned about ocial and employment issues. Parliament wants the EU to do more on social issues by supporting a renewed and simplified European Social Fund, known as the European Social Fund Plus’ (ESF+).

The new version of the fund could then help to create full employment, boost the quality of work, increase productivity, make it easier for people to find work in a different part of the EU, improve education and training as well as promote social inclusion and health.

Young people and children key priority

ESF+ will invest in three main areas: education, training and lifelong learning; effectiveness of labour markets and equal access to quality employment; social inclusion, health and combatting poverty.

MEPs want to ensure that ESF+ continues to support youth employment with a particular focus on inactive young people and the long-term unemployed, as well as create better measures to implement the European Child Guarantee in order to contribute to children’s equal opportunities and access to free education.

Support to health and social innovation

The ESF+ funds would also support initiatives enabling people to find better employment or work in a different region or country of the EU.

The ESF+ programme would support the digital transformation of health and care services as well as investment in early diagnosis and screening, enhance cooperation between EU countries,, for instance on rare and complex diseases.