Social Agenda Issue 52 - EN

SOC I A L AG E NDA / J U LY 2 0 1 7 / 3 Just as we are celebrating thirty years of EU cohesion policy, the European Commission has put forward its proposals for the 2021-2027 budgetary period. The need for more economic and social cohesion is increasingly gaining currency in the discussions on the future of Europe. The Commission’s proposal for the 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), as the EU budget is called officially, is remarkable in several ways from an employment and social affairs standpoint. For the first time, it specifies how much money would actually go to a streamlined and integrated social fund, “ESF+”: €101 billion. That represents a significantly higher share within the overall cohesion budget than is the case in the current MFF. It also consecrates the role of the European Pillar of Social Rights, proclaimed by EU leaders in November 2017, as a compass for steering investment towards EU priorities, with a particular focus on education and training for young people and up-skilling for workers of all ages. Thirdly, it aims at aligning the recommendations generated by the European Semester of economic policy coordination, with the use of the EU funds in the social and employment area, so that investments are tailored to the policy priorities for each country. Beyond ESF+, the Commission also proposes to channel social investment through other programmes, such as InvestEU, a reinforced Erasmus, Digital Europe or Horizon Europe. The achievements of cohesion policy are sometimes taken for granted and overlooked. Especially the fact that it has been instrumental in helping the countries that joined the European Community, and then the European Union, catch up with the older Member States, including in terms of employment, social affairs and inclusion. Today more than ever, the proposal for an ESF+ aims to clearly assert the employment and social priorities, with a focus on social inclusion, youth employment and delivering on the priorities of the European Semester. Upwards convergence Welcome to n°52 Joost Korte Director General of the European Commission's Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion Directorate General 8