Ministry of Labour and Social PoliciesMinistry of Labour and Social PoliciesDirectorate General for Guidance and Training PoliciesDirectorate General for Guidance and Training Policies

Shaping the future of the ESF Shaping the future of the ESF ESF and Europe 2020ESF and Europe 2020

WORKSHOP 3 WORKSHOP 3 –– ““MORE EFFECTIVE ESFMORE EFFECTIVE ESF””

Focus on delivery systems has implied an administrative burden not always justified by the objective of “sound financial management”.Socio-economic crisis highlights such as obstacles in the ESF management.

ESF ManagementESF Management

Bureaucratic logic is prevaling: focus on management and papers, more than on efficiency and results achievement.

↓negative effects also at beneficiaries level: beacuse of the heavy administrative burden they tend to give up in asking ESF resources.

Obstacles in the ESF deliveryObstacles in the ESF delivery

EffectsEffects

Lack of confidence in the concrete application of Lack of confidence in the concrete application of innovations introduced with the semplification innovations introduced with the semplification package;package;Slowness and/or delay of the answers, that ESF Slowness and/or delay of the answers, that ESF should provide prompltly, especially in crisis should provide prompltly, especially in crisis situations;situations;Tend to prefer traditional training activities, with Tend to prefer traditional training activities, with ““safesafe”” targets, in order to reach expenses targets, in order to reach expenses thresholds given by the decommittment rule;thresholds given by the decommittment rule;Sometimes, negative perception of the real added Sometimes, negative perception of the real added value of ESF interventions;value of ESF interventions;Increasing of the costs related to management and Increasing of the costs related to management and control activities.control activities.

Issues for the future Issues for the future Back to the strategic dimension Back to the strategic dimension

of cohesion and ESF policy of cohesion and ESF policy throughthrough

•• more differentiation of roles between the more differentiation of roles between the various key stakeholders (mostly European various key stakeholders (mostly European Commission and Member States)Commission and Member States)••More flexibility of Operational Programmes;More flexibility of Operational Programmes;•• Defining a priority shared Defining a priority shared ““menumenu”” at European at European level and settlement of effective options at level and settlement of effective options at appropriate level;appropriate level;•• Establishing of a periodical forum, also at Establishing of a periodical forum, also at political level, on the coehesion policy political level, on the coehesion policy implementation.implementation.

Issues for the future Issues for the future Increasing subsidiarity in Increasing subsidiarity in

management and control fieldsmanagement and control fieldsthroughthrough

•• defining a defining a ““control chaincontrol chain””: first and second : first and second level controls under the responsability of the level controls under the responsability of the OPsOPs’’ Authorities; general supervision of the Authorities; general supervision of the European Commission;European Commission;

•• simplification and differentiation of control simplification and differentiation of control methods.methods.

Issues for the future Issues for the future Make legislative simplifications Make legislative simplifications

really usable really usable throughthrough

•• more flexibility in the application of more flexibility in the application of simplificationssimplifications’’ rules;rules;

•• more comore co--operative role in the replies from operative role in the replies from the European Commission or, as an the European Commission or, as an alternative, more responsability and alternative, more responsability and autonomy of the Managing Authorities.autonomy of the Managing Authorities.

Issues for the future Issues for the future Strenghtening mutual trust in the Strenghtening mutual trust in the

relationship between European Commission relationship between European Commission and Member Statesand Member States

throughthrough•• continuous implementation of partnership continuous implementation of partnership principle, not only at political level, but also principle, not only at political level, but also at administrative level;at administrative level;•• going beyond a traditional and conservative going beyond a traditional and conservative view, in favour of a more innovative and view, in favour of a more innovative and propro--active role.active role.

Simplifying the programming architectureSimplifying the programming architecturethroughthrough

•• put aside some of the current foreseen put aside some of the current foreseen compulsory Authorities for each Ops (i.e. compulsory Authorities for each Ops (i.e. Certifying Authority)Certifying Authority)

Issues for the futureIssues for the future

Exploit the possibility of reExploit the possibility of re--orienting orienting programmes and interventions, not only to programmes and interventions, not only to

spending and spending and ““paper basedpaper based””accomplishments, but also to resultsaccomplishments, but also to results

throughthrough•• defining and testing an appropriate set of defining and testing an appropriate set of indicators, to measure the results in a indicators, to measure the results in a transparent and reliable manner.transparent and reliable manner.

Issues for the futureIssues for the future

Make effective the proportionality principleMake effective the proportionality principle’’s s applicationapplication

Not only in spending terms, but also in Not only in spending terms, but also in promotion of thematic priorities terms.promotion of thematic priorities terms.

Issues for the futureIssues for the future