Activites

• 1999/08/13 Final act published in Official Journal
  • Regulation 1999/1784
  • OJ L 213 13.08.1999, p. 0005-0008
• 1999/07/12 Final act signed
• 1999/07/12 End of procedure in Parliament
• #2192
• 1999/06/21 Council Meeting
• 1999/05/06 Decision by Parliament, 2nd reading
  • T4-0429/1999 summary

    Under codecision procedure, the European Parliament adopted the recommendation by Karin Jöns (PSE,DE) for second reading of the proposal for a Council regulation on the European Social Fund (ESF). The Parliament approves the Council's common position, subject to amendments, notably in the following areas: - extending the field of application of the Fund to include social integration into the labour market; - requiring particular attention to be given to promoting a skilled, trained and adaptable workforce and specific measures to improve women's access to and participation in the labour market.�

• 1999/05/05 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament
• 1999/05/04 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament
  • T4-0356/1999 summary

    Following the entry into force of the Treaty of Amsterdam on 01/05/99, the European Parliament confirmed (without debate) as its first reading under codecision procedure its vote of 19/11/98 on the proposal for a European Parliament and Council regulation on the European Social Fund. The Parliament's rapporteur is Karin Jöns (DE,PSE).�

• 1999/04/22 Committee report tabled for plenary confirming Parliament's position
  • A4-0257/1999
• 1999/04/22 Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
  • A4-0250/1999
• 1999/04/15 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 2nd reading
• 1999/04/14 Council position published
  • 06406/1/1999 summary

    The Council common position on the ESF has taken up the general approach of the draft regulation proposed by the Commission. The Council text incorporates a majority of the amendments adopted by the European Parliament and incorporated in the amended proposal (7 amendments, relating in particular to eligible measures under the fund, tackling segregation on the basis of gender, new sources of employment in the sector of the social economyreconciling family and professional life, accompanying socio-educational measures...) with the exception of 4 amendments, some of which were considered fundamental, particularly those amendments relating to the following: - synergies to be created between the ESF and the other funds in the context of efforts to concentrate interventions; - the priority to be given to the promotion of a qualified and adaptable workforce or to specific measures aimed at improving women's access to the labour market; - granting a fixed percentage of 1% of the overall allocation under the ESF to finance actions via NGOs involved in this are. Elsewhere, the common position redefines the field of application of the ESF according to 5 clear policy priorities: - developing and promoting active labour-market policies to combat unemployment; - promoting equal opportunities for all in gaining access to the labour market; - promoting and improving education and vocational training; - promoting a skilled, trained and adaptable labour force; - improving women's access to and position in the labour market. The Council adds that the priorrities of the national employment action plans will be taken into account within the framework of funding interventions.�

• 1999/02/01 Modified legislative proposal published
  • COM(1999)0044 summary

    The European Commission's amended proposal incorporates around 20 of the amendments adopted by the European Parliament at first reading. It fully supports the Parliament's proposal to use the ESF as a primary instrument for preventing and combatting unemployment. It should hence be designed to: - promote active labour market policies in order to prevent unemployment; - develop and improve systems of professional training and education in order to facilitate access to the labour market; - improve and maintain employability; - promote professional mobility and improve labour market integration; The ESF should furthermore be designed to: - promote a competent workforce; - encourage innovation; - improve women's participation in the labour market; - reduce work segregation according to gender; With regard to eligible measures, the Commission has incorporated those amendments which ensure financial support to: - apprenticeship and the promotion of employability as well as continuing training; - the development of new areas of employment, particularly in the realm of social business actions; - the development of work formulae which reconcile family life with professional life and allow flexible transition from working life to retirement; - socio-educational measures which help to enable labour market integration. Equally, the Commission has incorporated an amendment designed to favour local projects, giving priority to NGO projects and providing these with special eligibility conditions. Among the amendments not retained are, most notably, those related to the following areas: - taking account of the needs of disadvantaged groups (the long-term unemployed, disabled people, young and senior workers) and measures designed to make the ESF an instrument for combatting all forms of discrimination in the labour market (race, ethnic origin, religion, age, disablement...); - providing for measures for the non-profit-making modernisation of public services or other employment agencies as well as measures to combat social exclusion in the labour market; - setting intervention thresholds for the ESF, such as a 15% credit threshold for the improvement of workforce training systems, stimulation of innovation, support for entrepreneurship and job creation, or even a 15% threshold for measures to promote the increased presence of women on the workforce. Finally, the Commission is much less insistent than the Parliament as regards the equality of opportunities between men and women within the framework of the ESF.�

• 1998/11/19 Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
  • T4-0677/1998 summary

    In adopting the report by Mrs Karin JÖNS (PSE, D), Parliament sought to define the tasks of the European Social Fund (ESF) in order to avoid any restrictions on the scope of its activities. Parliament considered that the ESF should support measures seeking to prevent and combat unemployment and also those intended to promote social protection, full employment, sustainable development and economic and social cohesion. Consideration must be given to the principle of equality of opportunity between men and women and the needs of disadvantaged groups (long- term unemployed, disabled persons, older workers and young people). The ESF should also contribute to measures to combat discrimination of all types in the labour market (sex, race, ethnic origin, religion, disability, age or sexual orientation). Parliament considered that the ESF should: - operate throughout the whole European area; - support not only the European employment strategy and the development of active labour market policies but also their practical implementation; - support local employment initiatives and territorial pacts and the development of the 'third system' (social economy). The NGOs and local partnerships involving NGOs should have access to ESF funding. It also stressed that the activities eligible for funding should facilitate integration into the labour market. The ESF could in particular be involved in the modernisation of public employment services or other non-profit-making job placement services and the development of links between the world of work and bodies whose aim is to combat social exclusion from the world of work. It could also support initiatives seeking to enhance the compatibility of family and working life or to facilitate the transition from working life to retirement. Parliament recommended that this support should be concentrated on the main objectives and the most effective activities. Not less than 15% of appropriations should be allocated to improving systems for training a skilled and adaptable workforce, fostering innovation, supporting entrepreneurship and employment creation. The same percentage of appropriations should be used for measures to encourage greater participation of women in the labour market. Parliament called for the appointment of a representative with responsibility for equal opportunity issues on the ESF monitoring committees. Organisations receiving support from the Fund should be required to provide details of their equal opportunities policy in order to ensure effective evaluation of the implementation of 'mainstreaming'. Equality of opportunity and a preventive labour market policy should be included in the list of innovatory measures eligible for direct financing from the Commission. However, the Commission and the Member States should ensure that there is no overlap between interventions under the ESF and other Community measures relating to training and the labour market. �

• 1998/11/18 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament
• 1998/10/27 Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
  • A4-0398/1998
• 1998/06/15 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
• 1998/03/18 Legislative proposal published
  • COM(1998)0131 summary

    OBJECTIVE: in connection with the revision of the Structural Funds, to present the specific Regulation governing the ESF for the period 2000-2006, taking account of the implications of AGENDA 2000 (COS0590). SUBSTANCE: the proposal only concerns the scope of the ESF, the overall logic being described in depth in the general proposal on the Structural Funds (AVC98090). The role of the ESF in the context of the new Structural Funds is based on the new title on employment in the Amsterdam Treaty, the European Employment Strategy adopted at Essen and the Guidelines on Employment. It is of a horizontal nature, providing a common framework for all measures falling under Objectives 1, 2 and 3. However, the ESF will function as a separate objective, providing support for measures to develop human resources funded outside Objective 1 and 2 regions. The main provisions of the proposal concern: -the implementation of the Fund: the ESF must be sufficiently flexible to take account of the considerable diversity of policies, practices and needs in the field of employment in the Member States. The measures which may be funded are therefore defined relatively broadly at this stage, in order to facilitate an effective link-up with the annual Guidelines on Employment; - the scope of the ESF: unlike the other Funds, the ESF is horizontal and operates throughout the territory of the Union; - the measures: ESF measures relate to five fields grouped under the new Objective 3: (a) active labour market policies to combat unemployment and prevent long-term unemployment by facilitating the occupational reintegration of this category of the unemployed, and integration of the young and of people returning to the labour market after a period of absence; (b) promoting social inclusion; (c) lifelong learning and education and training systems to enhance employability and mobility on the labour market; (d) measures to anticipate and facilitate economic and social change; (e) improving the participation of women in the labour market. To improve the effectiveness of ESF aid, the proposal guarantees a certain minimum participation by the aid in each of the five fields of action. Special importance is to be attached to the last two fields (each of which should receive at least 15% of resources). However, Member States may set their own priorities for ESF investment. The proposal stipulates that every ESF measure must devote at least 1% of its funds to distributing small grants to local groups.�

Documents

• Legislative proposal published: COM(1998)0131
• Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading: A4-0398/1998
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading: T4-0677/1998
• Modified legislative proposal published: COM(1999)0044
• Council position published: 06406/1/1999
• Committee report tabled for plenary confirming Parliament's position: A4-0257/1999
• Committee recommendation tabled for plenary, 2nd reading: A4-0250/1999
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading: T4-0356/1999
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 2nd reading: T4-0429/1999
• : Regulation 1999/1784
• : OJ L 213 13.08.1999, p. 0005-0008

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)