Glossary

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Term in english	Definition
Action 1	Starting phase intended to consolidate the national and transnational work programme of the DPs. This phase will be concluded by a Development Partnership Agreement (DPA) and a Transnational Co-operation Agreement (TCA) which will precede the confirmation of the selection for Action 2.
Action 2	Phase lasting 18 to 36 months, in which the activities and the work programme of the DPs are implemented.
Action 3	Thematic networking, dissemination and mainstreaming activities which are organised at national level and linked to similar activities at European level.
ADAPT and EMPLOYMENT (Community Initiatives)	The ESF Human Resources Initiatives which funded more than 10 000 projects between 1994 and 1999 and preceded EQUAL. The ADAPT Community Initiative aimed to transform the way in which companies, the organisations which support them, and workers themselves, respond to economical and technological change. The EMPLOYMENT Community Initiative has targeted groups of people who faced difficulties in accessing labour market. It had four strands: NOW for equality of opportunities between women and men; HORIZON for people with disabilities; INTEGRA for socially excluded people; YOUTHSTART for young people.
Asylum seekers	Three categories of asylum-seekers are identified in EQUAL: Those whose application for asylum is under consideration by the Member State concerned; Those who have been admitted under a humanitarian resettlement or evacuation programme or who benefit from a temporary protection arrangement;
Community Initiative Programme (CIP) EQUAL	Programming document which describes the principal commitments of a Member State regarding the CI EQUAL, e.g. strategy, main actions, measures and financial plan. Before adoption by the Commission the document undergoes a negotiation process. There were 17 EQUAL CIPs for the period 2000-04, given that Belgium and the UK present each 2 CIPs. The total number as from the second round is 27 with the addition of the 10 new Member States.
Development partnership agreement (DPA)	Formalisation of the common strategy (context, objectives, work programme, etc.) which is adopted by all national partners within a DP. The agreement is established at the end of Action 1.
Development partnership (DP)	Operational entity of the EQUAL initiative. The DP (geographical or sectoral) gathers several public, semi-public or private organisations, called national partners, with a view to implement experimental activities on the basis of a common project linked to a thematic field of EQUAL. The partners participate at the decision making process on an equal footing. One of the partners ensures the administrative and financial co-ordination.
Dissemination	Structured ways to raise awareness of other players, in the outcomes and lessons learnt.
ECDB (EQUAL Common Database )	European database containing information on all EQUAL DPs (rationale, objectives, activities etc.), their national and transnational partners (contact addresses etc.) which can be consulted via the Web. The ECDB data is supplied both by the national databases and the other ETCIM module.
Empowerment	In the field of social inclusion : process of mobilising resources and developing skills with a view to partake actively in one's own future. In EQUAL this notion applies to all actors of the DP by encouraging a balanced share of the power and participation between all. Empowerment is one of the key principles of EQUAL.
ESF	The European Social Fund (ESF) is one of the four structural Funds. It is the financial instrument of the European Union to invest in human resources. It transfers substantial sums to the Member States through several programmes to support the creation of more and better jobs.
ETCIM (EQUAL Transnational Co-operation Internet Module)	Web based information regarding the transnational co-operation partnerships (TCP) and the transnational cooperation agreements (TCA). The access is restricted to the DPs concerned and the managing authorities.
European employment strategy (EES)	Common European response to employment problems that spurs member States to co-ordinate their policies.It is built on three overarching objectives (full emplyment, improving quality and productivity at work, strengthening social cohesion and exclusion), supported by ten priorities for action. This strategy involves the annual adoption of guidelines and the preparation of National employment Action Plans (NAP Employment) for each Member State.
Final beneficiaries	Term by which the regulations referring to the structural funds define the public or privates entities and enterprises that are responsible for implementation of the operations. In the case of EQUAL it is the DP. Not to be mistaken with those benefiting from the actions often referred to as ultimate beneficiaries.
Gender mainstreaming	Systematic approach to address the conditions, priorities and needs of men and women in all policies and practice in order to promote activities based on equality between women and men.
Geographical DP	A DP that addresses problems which are determined by specific territorial features. The problem tackled sets down the geographical limits of the DP (city, rural area, travel-to work area, region etc.).
Horizontal mainstreaming	Transferring lessons learnt to similar organisations. The transfer can be specific (e.g. a particular tool) or broad (e.g. contributing to a change of practice).
Innovation	EQUAL is a laboratory to explore and test innovative approaches regarding employment, training policies and aims, methods and systems of implementation. Innovation is relative (what is innovative in a specific context or territory might not be in another). Investing in innovation will be particularly justified when it is possible to replicate and impact on the existing systems (mainstreaming). Innovation is one of the key principles of EQUAL
Job desegregation	Policy and practice to counter the concentration of men and women in certain types and levels of jobs. Horizontal segregation relates to certain types of work or professions being dominated by one sex. Vertical segregation refers to (usually) women being unable to access management / senior positions.
Key principles of EQUAL	The EQUAL Initiative is based on six guiding principles. Thematic approach Partnership Empowerment Transnational co-operation Innovation Mainstreaming and dissemination
Mainstreaming	A process which enables activities to impact on policy and practice. This process includes identifying lessons, clarifying the innovative element and approach that produced the results, their dissemination, validation and transfer. More specifically, mainstreaming also defines the phase of transfer and the way in which other actors take account of the results, approaches and key elements elaborated by one or more DPs . Mainstreaming can be horizontal or vertical. Mainstreaming is one of the key principles of EQUAL.
Managing authorities	Public authority (generally the Department of Employment) entrusted with the management of the EQUAL CIP.
Measure	Sub-category within a priority enabling activities to be financed. These are mainly the thematic fields.
Monitoring Committee	Committee managing the implementation of the CIP. It is established by the Member State and made up of a range of key players.
Networking	Collective work that brings together DPs as well as other key actors. It contributes to the identification and validation of outcomes and good practices with a view to dissemination and mainstreaming.
Partnership	One of the key principles (and tangible result from the first round of EQUAL), brings together different partners in order to develop a common strategy within a DP.
Priority	One of the priorities of the strategy adopted in a CIP to which objectives and financial resources are assigned. These are Employability, Entrepreneurship, Adaptability, Equal opportunities for women and men, asylum seekers and technical assistance.
Programming complement	Document, complementary to the CIP, containing detailed information on its implementation.
Pull mechanism	In the context of mainstreaming, it defines a mechanism in which policy and decision-makers or other key actors identify priorities within the experimental activities and follow their progress with a view to use the results.
Push mechanism	In the context of mainstreaming, it defines a mechanism by which DPs seek to increase the visibility of their results with a view to transfer the latter to other actors.
Sectoral DP	A DP aimed at addressing specific problems related to a particular economic or industrial sector or cause of discrimination.
Social economy	The term 'social economy' stands mainly for organisations (co-operatives, associations, foundations etc) that are oriented toward principles of the market economy while pursuing social aims (combat exclusion etc.).
Social inclusion (Strategic co-operation on)	Process launched at the Lisbon European Council in 2000 to strengthen the fight against poverty and exclusion. Through this each Member State sets out its National Action Plan defining priorities and objectives to enhance social inclusion (NAP inclusion).
Technical assistance	It regards on the one hand the structures (service providers) and, on the other hand, the resources aimed at supporting the implementation of the CIP (support for the DP, setting up of networks and transnational co-operation, etc).
Thematic approach	The EQUAL national programmes are centred around nine thematic fields. The aim of this approach is to explore new ways of tackling problems that are common to different types of discrimination and inequality, rather than focusing on specific target groups.
Thematic fields	Access and return to the labour market Combating racism Setting up businesses Social economy Life long learning Adaptation to structural and economic change, especially ICT Reconcile family and professional life Reducing the gender gaps and supporting job desegregation Socio-economic integration of asylum seekers
Transnational co-operation agreement (TCA)	Formalisation of the Transnational co-operation Partnership (TCP), established at the end of Action 1 between several DPs from different Member States. It describes the transnational work programme, the indicative budget, the role of each transnational partner etc.
Transnational co-operation partnership (TCP)	Grouping of at least two DPs from different Member States to develop joint transnational activities such as: training, studies, products, methods, exchange of trainees or trainers etc.
Transnational co-operation	Source of inspiration and of policy innovation. Transnational co-operation relates to individual DPs that are requested to set up a transnational co-operation partnership as well as to collective work through thematic networks at European level. It relates also to sharing of good practice between Member States and key partners such as the social partners and the European Commission. Transnational co-operation is one of the key principles of EQUAL.
Vertical mainstreaming	Transfer of lessons learnt and integration of all or part of results into policy and practice at the institutional, political, regulatory or administrative level.

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