People often view the social and financial aspects of a society as conflicting, if not opposed.  Investments in social fields are expected to be financed under the belief that this investment will be lost, but nothing could be further from the truth. 

The value of financial support cannot be understood without first considering the social dimension of any return.  The trick is to ensure this return is maximised using available resources. This is the role of Financial Instruments: to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of public policies and public budgets in a pressurised environment.  Thousands of ESF+ projects and people are supported using financial instruments. Building a better understanding of how financial instruments work is essential to ensure Europe continues on its path to a sustainable recovery.

Find out more on 2 December 2021 at the fi-compass event

The European Commission – Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (DG EMPL) in partnership with the European Investment Bank (EIB) are jointly organising the fi-compass event ‘ESF+ financial instruments responding to social challenges in Europe’, which aims to guide managing authorities and ESF Plus stakeholders how best use financial instruments.

The online event will highlight how financial instruments under ESF+ contribute to the EU social agenda with an introduction to the new rules for shared management beyond 2021 and for Invest EU. It will also provide updates on the implementation of the fi-compass activities, as well as the state of the art of financial instruments under ESF across the EU, with on-the-ground examples.  Check out the Fi-Compass website for more details and register by midday on 30 November.