Compared to the rest of the world, Europe has the best levels of social protection and also ranks highly in terms of quality of life and wellbeing. However, it faces a wide range of challenges, including impact of the COVID situation.

The EU has only limited competence when it comes to social issues as most of it is up to national governments. The responsibility for employment and social policies lies mostly with the member states and their governments. This means that national governments - and not the EU - decide on issues such as wage regulations, including minimum wage, the role of collective bargaining, pensions systems and retirement age, and unemployment benefits.

However, over the years, the EU has been working on social issues throughout the European integration process and come up with a series of instruments in the social sector. These include EU laws, funds and tools to better coordinate and monitor national policies. The EU also encourages countries to share best practices on issues such as social inclusion, poverty and pensions.

One of the supporting tools is the European Social Fund+, with a total budget of €88 billion for next 7 years. It will play an important role in the implementation of the action plan on the European Pillar of Social Rights and in countering the socio-economic effects of the pandemic. It integrates the former European Social Fund, the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI), the Fund for European Aid to the most Deprived (FEAD) and the EU programme for Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI) into one fund.

Social Europe

EP Plenary session - European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) 2021-2027

Development and pilot testing of four groups of social inclusion services for persons with disabilities under the Act on social inclusion of persons with disabilities in the western region of Slovenia

Banner outside the building of the University of Fine Arts in Budapest - Renovation and enlargement works in the building are partly financed by the EU Social Fund

This infoclip illustrates the new intensive care unit in a hospital, in Santander (Spain). This project has been financed by the European Social Fund.

Infoclip: New hospital Covid/Intensive care unit - European Social Fund - Santander (Spain)

The European Social Fund (ESF) is Europe's main instrument for supporting jobs, helping people get better jobs and ensuring fairer job opportunities for all EU citizens. The EU will contribute €12,9 billion to Spain's €16.2 billion ESF budget. The ESF is improving the training and vocational education system to boost the quality of the skills and qualifications they offer and their relevance to employers and businesses. Measures are underway to achieve a substantial reduction in the number of students leaving school early without qualifications and to give those who have a second chance. This infoclip illustrates the installation and use of digital devices for school in Santander (Spain), thanks to the European Social Fund.

Infoclip: Digital devices for school - European Social Fund - Santander (Spain)

A delegation from the Employment and Social Affairs Committee (EMPL) travel to Košice (Slovakia). MEPs visits several Roma settlements in the area, as well as projects co-financed by the European Social Fund plus (ESF +). Footages Courtesy C.E.N. s.r.o. - TA3.

EP Delegation to Slovakia: visit of Roma settlements and meeting with social workers

Within the recycling centre in Brussels, a team supervised by the association "Les Petits Riens" is present on site to examine the objects brought there. If these can be reused, they are stored, sorted and then recovered via second-hand shops. The participants in this project are in professional reintegration. The ESF aims to support that kind of project to help people find better jobs and to offer more equitable professional prospects. This Infoclip illustrates people selecting items that can be treated in the waste collection center, sorting and packaging center for clothes, sorting and repair center for toys, repair shop for household appliances and second-hand store.

Infoclip: Circular economy and social inclusion

Parliament debates and approves the new European Social Fund (ESF+), with investments secured to combat youth unemployment and child poverty. Extracts from the debate, the votes and statement by David CASA (EPP, MT), rapporteur, Nicolas SCHMIT, European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, Dennis RADTKE (EPP, DE), Brando BENIFEI (S&D, IT), and Terry REINTKE (Greens/EFA, DE).

European Social Fund: extracts from the debate and statement by David CASA (EPP, MT), rapporteur

During the plenary session (7-10 June 2021) in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, MEPs debate on the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) 2021-2027: opening statements by David CASA (EPP, MT), rapporteur and by Nicolas SCHMIT, European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights.

European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) 2021-2027: opening statements by David CASA (EPP, MT), rapporteur and by Nicolas SCHMIT, European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights

During the plenary session (7-10 June 2021) in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, MEPs debate on the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) 2021-2027 (Continuation of the debate).

European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) 2021-2027: MEPs debate (continuation)

During the plenary session (7-10 June 2021) in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, MEPs debate on the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) 2021-2027.

European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) 2021-2027: MEPs debate

During the plenary session (7-10 June 2021) in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, MEPs debate on the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) 2021-2027: closing statement by Nicolas SCHMIT, European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights.

European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) 2021-2027: closing statement by Nicolas SCHMIT, European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights

The new European Social Fund + integrates into one instrument the former European Social Fund, the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI), the Fund for European Aid to the most Deprived (FEAD) and the EU programme for Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI). This infoclip illustrates various projects funded by the European Social Fund or associated programs, such the Greek Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD/ΤΕΒΑ) in Athens (Greece), distribution of food to needies, Zelva in Ljubljana (Slovenia) for the inclusion of disabled persons, Carijou, a second-hand toy store located in Strasbourg (France) with back-to-work employees and Tremplin program in the Brussels region (Belgium) helping youngs to get into work through vocational training and apprenticeships.

Infoclip: European Social Fund - ESF+

Views during the signature by Martin SCHULZ, EP PresidentEP President and Zanda KALNIŅA-LUKA&Scaron;EVICA, President of the Council, in the presence of the rapporteurs:&nbsp;Elisabeth Morin-Chartier (EPP, FR) rapporteur,&nbsp;Marita ULVSKOG, (S&amp;D, SE), Krisjanis Karins (EPP, LV), Judith Sargentini (Greens/EFA), Peter Simon (S&amp;D, DE) Timothy Kirkhope (ECR, UK) and Tadeusz Zwiefka (EPP PL)

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