Ex-ante conditionality test ESF Technical Working Group Brussels, 13 June 2012 DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion

Overview Test undertaken by Finland, Estonia and Poland Findings of the Commission services Lessons learned Advice for self-assessment

Test – Which ex-ante conditionalities Finland Access to employment Adaptation Active inclusion Estonia Early school leaving Poland All Higher education LLL

Finland – What is expected ? (1) Access to employment: Assessment of each criterion: Personalised services: OK Active labour market measures: OK Preventive labour market measures: info missing At an early stage: OK for young people, but for others info is missing which prioritise the most vulnerable: OK which are open for all jobseekers: info missing Information on new job vacancies: OK Cooperation agreements with relevant stakeholders: info missing Reference to regulatory provisions is not enough Conclusion on fulfillment: each criterion + overall

Finland – What is expected ? (2) Active inclusion Assessment of each criterion: National strategic policy framework for poverty reduction aimed at active inclusion: OK Does the policy framework provide a sufficient evidence base? info missing Is in accordance with the national poverty and social exclusion target: OK Involvement of stakeholders: set out which stakeholders Support for stakeholders: clarify that support also covers support for managing and implementing projects

Estonia - What is expected ? Early school leaving A system for collecting and analysing data at all relevant levels that provides a sufficient evidence base to develop targeted policies and monitors developments: OK Is there a strategic policy framework ? that is based on evidence ? info missing Does policy framework cover prevention (OK), intervention (OK) and compensation (info missing)? Does it involve all policy sectors and stakeholders ? info missing

Poland - What is expected ? Higher education Lifelong learning All the criteria to be assessed Strategic policy frameworks must be in place Poland All LLL

Measures to increase participation and attainment that: Higher education: national/regional strategic policy framework in place Measures to increase participation and attainment that: increase higher education participation among low income groups and other under-represented groups reduce drop-out rates/improve completion rates Measures to improve employability and entrepreneurship that: encourage the development of transversal skills, including entrepreneurship in relevant HE programmes reduce gender differences in terms of academic and vocational choices Poland All Higher education LLL

Findings of the Commission services Overall conclusion on the fulfillment of the ex-ante conditionality: missing for FI and EE Conclusion by criterion: missing for Fi and EE Not all criteria are assessed: FI, EE and PL Some assessments include non-relevant information No disagreement on the content or assessment undertaken, but assessment is incomplete

Lessons learned For each applicable ex-ante conditionality : conclusion: fulfilled/partially fulfilled/not fulfilled Undertake self-assessment for each criterion (criterion by criterion): assess and motivate whether it is fulfilled/partially fulfilled/not fulfilled conclusion of the self-assessment Be short and to the point: do not include non-relevant information, but ensure that the (non) fulfilment of each criterion is motivated.

Advice for self-assessment Start early Timely inform the other Ministries involved in the self-assessment and explain what is expected from them Common understanding: share draft self-assessment and discuss on informal basis with the DG EMPL Geo Unit Action plan: in case of applicable ex-ante conditionality which is not fulfilled: prepare action plan and start its implementation, possibly co-financed by the ESF.

Thank you for your attention !