Guidance for Member States on the use of European Structural and Investment Funds in tackling educational and spatial segregation

The objectives of the inclusive growth priority of the EU 2020 strategy and the corresponding headline targets cannot be achieved without a particular effort to reduce the educational and spatial segregation of marginalised people.

Experience of the 2007-2013 programming period has shown some mixed results in tackling segregation. In the field of housing, for example, the Article 7 (2) of Council Regulation (EU) No 437/2010 (ERDF Regulation) and the Commission Regulation (EC) No 1828/2006 (implementing regulation) specified two important conditions: the integrated approach and desegregation (spatial integration). This resulted in some housing pilot actions targeting marginalised Roma communities across Europe. As desegregation proved to be difficult, the outcomes of the housing pilots justified further methodological guidance on desegregation.

This guidance note provides recommendations on the efficient use of European Structural and Investments Funds (ESI Funds) in tackling educational and spatial segregation based on the EU legislative and policy frameworks.