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Shaping Transnational Cooperation in the new ESF Programmes

February 2007

The ESF regulation offers new opportunities for developing and enhancing cooperation between Member States and Regions. Transnational Cooperation can help to initiate reforms regarding employment and social inclusion policies and their delivery through learning from other countries by the way of exchange of information, sharing of good practice and working together towards common solutions. Getting this cooperation on track requires an efficient collaboration from all parties.

To provide a platform for exchange and debate, the Commission organised a seminar in Brussels on January 23rd bringing together government representatives from all Member States in charge of planning and implementing the future ESF programmes, and officials from the ESF units of DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities.

Peter Stub Jørgensen, ESF Director, in charge of transnational support, opened the seminar emphasising the challenges that the promotion of transnational cooperation brings to Member States and the Commission. The two need to work together to implement the requirement as laid out in article 3(6) of the ESF Regulation. He made reference to the Commission's orientation note explaining:

• The shift in responsibility to Member States. In the previous programming period, the Commission provided the lead for stimulating and supporting transnational cooperation under the ESF through the EQUAL Community Initiative. The ESF Regulation stipulates that it is now an integrated feature of the ESF 2007-13 and therefore Member States and regions must now assume the main responsibility for learning from one another through exchange of good practice and knowledge, and working together.
• Member States will have to make some strategic choices for the integration of transnational cooperation. This includes considering the areas/themes of their national programme's transnational cooperation which could add most value, and whether transnational cooperation should be integrated as a dedicated priority, a cross cutting theme, or a combination of these options.
• Once the strategic and policy choices are made, Member States must ensure delivery by ensuring that the costs for transnational actions are eligible and setting aside the necessary resources.
• The Commission is prepared - from its own technical assistance - to provide the complementary support to Member States. For example, by helping to establish a partner search tool or supporting an EU-wide thematic network, the Community action would provide clear added-value.

The seminar provided Member States with a first opportunity for discussion and included presentations from France, Czech Republic and Belgium Flanders who explained the strategic choices and implementation provisions underlying their Transnational Cooperation strategy for the new ESF period to be included in their Operational Programme.

In order to give all seminar participants an opportunity to exchange what they are currently considering and planning for transnational cooperation, and to raise questions on issues for which they have not yet taken a decision, the participants worked in small groups in parallel using the moderation method. This interactive technique produced a first overview of the strategies pursued:

• In terms of programming options, promotion of transnational cooperation through a dedicated priority is being planned by 10 Member States and through specific provisions across some or all thematic priorities by the others.
• First cluster of programmes that will promote transnational coordination in the same fields became apparent: Themes that more than 5 Member States will promote include:

	life-long learning and entrepreneurship under the adaptability priority
	equal opportunities/increased participation of women in employment and migrants/immigrants and asylum seekers under the integration priority
	persons with disabilities, social economy and ethnic minorities/racism/Roma under the anti-discrimination priority,
	validation of skills under the human capital priority.

In addition, more than 5 Member States stressed that they also intend to promote transnational cooperation through twinning, good governance, innovation and gender mainstreaming.

Member States unanimously highlighted that the implementation provisions to be specified nationally have to be clear and simple and that cooperation with partners from other Member States will be essential. This refers in particular to the specifications of eligible categories of expenditure, and of eligible types of activities.

The interactive sessions produced lively debates amongst Member States and raised a number of ideas, issues, and concerns on the specific role of Technical Assistance on the provision of dedicated resources to make transnational cooperation work.

A special session dealt with Member States' needs and interests in developing and applying common frameworks and support services to assist in partner search, to agree on effective provisions for interfaces, and share good practice. These were regarded as areas of common concern for which effective forms of collaboration between Member States and the Commission will be discussed at the follow-up seminar taking place on 22 March 2007.

Results and main documents distributed for the seminar (most of the documents provided by Member States reflect only drafts or plans and are not necessarily binding upon the Member States concerned).

Results - Annexe

Orientation note of the Commission
Brandenburg OP proposal
Czech Republic
Finland OP proposal
Spain - Annexe
Wales
Flanders OP proposal
Germany
Poland
 

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