European Social Fund: Fighting poverty and unemployment

The improved European Social Fund+ programme focuses on fighting child poverty and youth unemployment in Europe, Society.

On 8 June, the European Parliament adopted new rules to tackle unemployment and poverty in the EU in the wake of the pandemic crisis. The renewed and simplified European Social Fund, known as the European Social Fund+, will focus on children and youth.

With a budget of €88 billion for 2021-2027, the fund will help EU countries provide access to free education, decent food and housing for children. It will also support investments in apprenticeships and vocational training for unemployed young people.

Many people are concerned about social and employment issues. The fund will promote social inclusion for those suffering job losses and income reduction and will provide food and basic assistance to the most deprived. What is the European Social Fund?  

• It is the EU's oldest financial instrument to invest in people, improve job opportunities for workers and raise their standard of living.  
• Funding is distributed to EU countries and regions to finance operational programmes and employment-related projects, from helping to create work to addressing educational gaps, poverty and social inclusion.
• Beneficiaries are usually people, but funding can also be used to help companies and organizations. 

More flexibility, simplicity and efficiency

The updated European Social Fund Plus merges a number of existing funds and programmes, pooling their resources:

• The European Social Fund and the Youth Employment Initiative
• The Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived
• The EU Programme for Employment and Social Innovation

This allows for more integrated and targeted support. For instance, people affected by poverty will benefit from a better mix of material assistance and comprehensive social support.

Because of these more flexible and simpler rules, it should be easier for people and organizations to benefit from the fund.

Priorities

The European Social Fund+ will invest in three main areas:

• Education, training and lifelong learning
• Effectiveness of labour markets and equal access to quality employment
• Social inclusion and combatting poverty

The fund also supports initiatives enabling people to find better employment or work in a different EU region or country. This includes developing new skills for new types of jobs required by the green and digital transitions.

Read more about social policies 

• Youth employment: the EU measures to make it work 
• Getting back to work after a long sickness or injury (video) 
• European Solidarity Corps: opportunities for young people 
• The future of Erasmus+ 
• Press release: agreement reached on the European Social Fund+ for 2021-2027 (29 January 2021) 

European Social Fund+  

• Procedure file 
• Briefing 
• Fact sheet
• Social Europe: what Parliament is doing on social policy
• Covid-19: how the EU fights youth unemployment
• European Solidarity Corps: opportunities for young people
• Youth employment: the EU measures to make it work
• Reducing unemployment: EU policies explained
• European Social Fund: fighting poverty and unemployment 
• How the EU improves workers’ rights and working conditions
• Improving public health: EU measures explained
• Final vote on European Solidarity Corps
• Social security coordination: new rules for more flexibility and clarity
• Posted workers: the facts on the reform (infographic)
• Posting of workers: final vote on equal pay and working conditions
• Gig economy: EU law to improve workers’ rights (infographic)
• Better working conditions for all: balancing flexibility and security
• European Globalisation Adjustment Fund: helping redundant workers
• The Parliament’s fight for gender equality in the EU
• Globalisation's impact on employment and the EU
• Covid-19's economic impact: €100 billion to keep people in jobs
• Better working conditions for truck drivers across the EU
• Parents’ work-life balance: new leave rules for family care
• Parliament calls for measures to combat sexual harassment in Europe
• Female genital mutilation: where, why and consequences
• Understanding the gender pay gap: definition and causes
• Getting back to work after a long sickness or injury (video)
• Drinking water in the EU: better quality and access
• Accessibility: making products and services in the EU easier to use
• Disaster management: boosting the EU's emergency response
• Health threats: boosting EU readiness and crisis management
• A new ambitious EU Disability Strategy for 2021-2030

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