The Commission has launched a public consultation to evaluate the support to social inclusion by the European Social Fund in the 2014-2018 period. Send your contribution until 19 December 2019 (midnight Brussels time).

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• how the European Social Fund (ESF) promotes social inclusion (integrating disadvantaged people into society and ensuring fairer life opportunities for all) and how it combats poverty/discrimination;
• structural reforms;
• the visibility, usefulness, relevance, value for money and effectiveness of ESF measures.

The consultation is available online in all official languages of the EU.

All citizens and organisations are invited to contribute to this consultation. Contributions are particularly sought from:

• Citizens, whether or not they are receiving or have received support from the European Social Fund to promote social inclusion, combat poverty or any discrimination;
• Organisations involved in the management of European Social Fund programmes, such as member states, managing authorities or intermediate bodies, members of monitoring committees;
• Organisations involved in the delivery of European Social Fund operations as beneficiaries or project partners: public bodies, NGOs, municipalities;
• Any organisation or citizen having a particular expertise in the area of social inclusion, poverty or discrimination.

The information collected will be used in assessing what has been achieved during the 2014-2018 period. It will also help the Commission to draw lessons on how to reinforce this support in the future, making it more effective and focused. Amongst other subjects, the evaluation will assess:

• whether the persons most in need of assistance were adequately reached (including geographically);
• which type of support has been the most effective.