1. Transnational and innovative actions under the European Social Fund
State of play
Strengths and weaknesses
Opportunities for enhancing the transnational and innovative dimension of ESF OPs

2. Transnational and innovative actions under the European Social Fund
The ESF Regulation has included principles and processes of quality management to promote continuous improvements
Learning from experimentation and evidence of good practice
 promote innovation
Learning from others
 promote transnational exchange and cooperation

3. Transnational actions under the European Social Fund 2007-2013
Objective: Improve OP quality, efficiency and
effectiveness of ESF OPs, and policies supported by the ESF,
through learning from others
Regulatory provisions
Build on the approach and achievements of EQUAL
Benefit from an increased intervention rate for a transnational priority axis
Develop synergies with other transnational actions, in particular in the field of leaning mobility

4. Transnationality under the ESF A wide scope – wider than EQUAL
no geographical restriction
no thematic limitation
no final beneficiary is excluded
all types of exchange can be promoted
In the previous period the Commission has been the main motor and resource for stimulating and supporting transnational cooperation under the ESF and making it work through the EQUAL Community Initiative and innovative actions (Art. 6). This new role is backed by the ESF Regulation (Reg. (EC) No 1081/2006[1]) which stipulates that transnational co-operation is an integrated feature of the European Social Fund (ESF) :
"The ESF shall also support transnational and interregional actions in particular through the sharing of information, experiences, results and good practices, and through developing complementary approaches and coordinated or joint action."
This provision invites Member States and regions to support transnational cooperation, through their national and regional ESF Operational Programmes (OP),
in all policy areas identified for ESF interventions, such as adaptability, labour market policies, social inclusion, human capital and strengthening public administration;
for all types (strategic stakeholders such as social partners, NGOs, training and regional development organisations, public administrations, ESF management bodies, beneficiaries, participants in projects) and levels of actors, and
for all types of exchange and cooperation (joint projects; events; focus groups and networks; mobility and exchange of people).
[1] Regulation (EC) No 1081/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 July 2006 on the European Social Fund and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1784/1999, Official Journal of the EU, L 210, , p. 12

5. Transnationality: Actors, Agendas, Actions
Lifelong learning
Entrepreneurship
Migration
Discrimination
ESF Management
Collaboration
Networking
Governmental departments
Exchange
Mobility
Key stakeholders; social partners
Trainers, local actors
Ultimate benefiaries

6. Transnational cooperation under the ESF 2007 -2013 Transnational Mobility
Supporting transnational mobility is a new opportunity for the ESF, complementing the Lifelong Learning Programme.
Promotional schemes can benefit from a number of tools to facilitate learning mobility (e.g. Europass CV, ) as well as job mobility (above all EURES).
Extending the opportunities for learning mobility is an important step towards the development of an open and inclusive European labour market.

7. Transnational cooperation under the ESF 2007 -2013
ESF OPs: 117
with priority axis:
with horizontal actions 70
Total budget of dedicated priorities: 1,2 billion €
Estimated total budget for transnational and interregional cooperation: close to 3 billion €

8. Innovative actions under the European Social Fund
Objective: Improve OP quality, efficiency and effectiveness of ESF OPs, and policies supported by the ESF, through learning from experimentation and evidence of good practice
Regulatory provisions
Build on the approach and achievements of EQUAL
Promote innovative actions throughout the innovation cycle, from experimentation to mainstreaming
Choose themes in partnership

9. Social Innovation Building on the EQUAL experience
EQUAL demonstrated the added value of an experimental approach. It is a cost effective and sustainable way of introducing social change, because it has
Mobilised and empowered stakeholders and governments for learning from each other, thus developing a culture for social innovation;
Developed and tested a range of tools and methods, and built up capacities to facilitate innovation processes, thus contributing to the establishment of an infrastructure for social innovation
proven the advantages of innovative solutions by producing and accumulating a large body of evidence of the benefits of validated good practices

10. Why more focus on innovation support under the ESF?
To respond to key challenges in promoting the creation of more and better jobs (population ageing, globalisation, climate change, migration, new work patterns and lifestyles, etc.);
To tackle the long-term social impact of the crisis (business restructuring and upgrading skills to match labour market needs);
To improve governance of the ESF by involving citizens, bridging institutional barriers, and develop evidence based policies.
Innovations are needed where established ways of delivering labour-market and social-inclusion policies are
no longer suitable in meeting their objectives,
no longer feasible and affordable for the public sector, or
no longer acceptable to the citizen.

11. ESF support throughout the cycle
Social innovation
ESF support throughout the cycle
stage of the innovation cycle
promotional instrument
Generating new ideas and mobilising citizens
Small grants to local employment initiatives or NGOs
Developing, testing and validating new approaches and practices
Project support to stakeholders and public administrations
Building bridges and exploiting synergies between unrelated systems, institutions or actions
Support new forms of partnerships between key stakeholders and governments
Testing hypotheses through experimentation
Support of social experiments
Raising awareness; building capacities and mobilise for change in the public administration
Support of mutual learning platforms and networks; in particular peer to peer learning
Supporting change in structures, organisations and institutional frameworks
support to replicate adapt and scale up tested innovations with a clear advantage over current practice

12. Social Innovation A partnership approach
The ESF Regulation asks to define the themes for the funding of innovation in the context of partnership.
This provision gives the Monitoring Committee a vital role to play
Sharing of themes between member states can stimulate transnational cooperation
Transnational experiments can generate sound evidence for reforms and change.
Developing innovations in partnership helps to build sustainable pathways and transitions, e.g.
from unemployment to work;
from prison to employment;
from inactivity or parental leave to work,
from unemployment to self-employment,
from migration to work.

13. A new momentum of the ESF to innovative action
The new Commission will emphasise the role of social innovation and of mutual learning for stimulating and underpinning reforms.
The President has requested a report with proposals for future policies to better exploit the potential of social innovations , based on the "acquis" of the Community in this field.
The ESF is expected to make a significant contribution to the President's initiative, by
presenting its actions and impact;
reviewing current approaches, actions, and achievements;
outlining principles for anchoring learning and innovation in the ESF in the medium and long term.

14. Transnational and innovative actions Review of state of play (1)
Programming options not fully exploited
Transnationality priority: 40% of all OPs
10% bonus: 8 out of 47 (Σ>€160m)
Some existing measures qualify for a transnational priority
Scope of activities not fully used
Transnationality: mobility, staff exchange, networking
Innovation: citizen and stakeholder involvement, experimentation, benchmarking, scaling up
Synergies between transnational actions and innovative schemes underdeveloped
Spending below expectations
In the previous period the Commission has been the main motor and resource for stimulating and supporting transnational cooperation under the ESF and making it work through the EQUAL Community Initiative and innovative actions (Art. 6). This new role is backed by the ESF Regulation (Reg. (EC) No 1081/2006[1]) which stipulates that transnational co-operation is an integrated feature of the European Social Fund (ESF) :
"The ESF shall also support transnational and interregional actions in particular through the sharing of information, experiences, results and good practices, and through developing complementary approaches and coordinated or joint action."
This provision invites Member States and regions to support transnational cooperation, through their national and regional ESF Operational Programmes (OP),
in all policy areas identified for ESF interventions, such as adaptability, labour market policies, social inclusion, human capital and strengthening public administration;
for all types (strategic stakeholders such as social partners, NGOs, training and regional development organisations, public administrations, ESF management bodies, beneficiaries, participants in projects) and levels of actors, and
for all types of exchange and cooperation (joint projects; events; focus groups and networks; mobility and exchange of people).
[1] Regulation (EC) No 1081/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 July 2006 on the European Social Fund and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1784/1999, Official Journal of the EU, L 210, , p. 12

15. Transnational and innovative actions Review of state of play (2)
Low level of awareness regarding the value added of innovative approaches
OPs not sufficiently tuned to one another regarding implementation provisions
Transnational networks and actions not sufficiently linked with national/regional actions
Support capacities and services underdeveloped
Services to raise awareness, orient and guide project applicants and promoters, facilitate networks, validate and synthesise results, and provide support in mainstreaming
In the previous period the Commission has been the main motor and resource for stimulating and supporting transnational cooperation under the ESF and making it work through the EQUAL Community Initiative and innovative actions (Art. 6). This new role is backed by the ESF Regulation (Reg. (EC) No 1081/2006[1]) which stipulates that transnational co-operation is an integrated feature of the European Social Fund (ESF) :
"The ESF shall also support transnational and interregional actions in particular through the sharing of information, experiences, results and good practices, and through developing complementary approaches and coordinated or joint action."
This provision invites Member States and regions to support transnational cooperation, through their national and regional ESF Operational Programmes (OP),
in all policy areas identified for ESF interventions, such as adaptability, labour market policies, social inclusion, human capital and strengthening public administration;
for all types (strategic stakeholders such as social partners, NGOs, training and regional development organisations, public administrations, ESF management bodies, beneficiaries, participants in projects) and levels of actors, and
for all types of exchange and cooperation (joint projects; events; focus groups and networks; mobility and exchange of people).
[1] Regulation (EC) No 1081/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 July 2006 on the European Social Fund and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1784/1999, Official Journal of the EU, L 210, , p. 12

16. Changes in responsibility
A harmonised and synchronised framework for action
National and regional frameworks, ad hoc convergence in a variable geometry
Commission
via
EQUAL guidelines defines schedule, themes, eligibility rules and implementation provisions
Member States and regions define themes, eligibility rules and implementation provisions

17. Conclusions Take serious steps to make transnationality work, by
Implementing or reinforcing working models for promotional schemes and actions (agreed with EU auditors) thereby fully exploiting the opportunities of the regulation;
Specifying a basic set of common eligibility rules;
Establishing or reinforcing professional support services and learning environments
Develop synergies between/ link transnational and innovative actions
In the previous period the Commission has been the main motor and resource for stimulating and supporting transnational cooperation under the ESF and making it work through the EQUAL Community Initiative and innovative actions (Art. 6). This new role is backed by the ESF Regulation (Reg. (EC) No 1081/2006[1]) which stipulates that transnational co-operation is an integrated feature of the European Social Fund (ESF) :
"The ESF shall also support transnational and interregional actions in particular through the sharing of information, experiences, results and good practices, and through developing complementary approaches and coordinated or joint action."
This provision invites Member States and regions to support transnational cooperation, through their national and regional ESF Operational Programmes (OP),
in all policy areas identified for ESF interventions, such as adaptability, labour market policies, social inclusion, human capital and strengthening public administration;
for all types (strategic stakeholders such as social partners, NGOs, training and regional development organisations, public administrations, ESF management bodies, beneficiaries, participants in projects) and levels of actors, and
for all types of exchange and cooperation (joint projects; events; focus groups and networks; mobility and exchange of people).
[1] Regulation (EC) No 1081/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 July 2006 on the European Social Fund and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1784/1999, Official Journal of the EU, L 210, , p. 12

18. The „Learning for Change“ Initiative
Provides support for boosting the innovative and transnational dimension of ESF OPs
Individual support to member states and regions on request, such as expert and peer assignments for
Reviews of schemes and support actions
Assistance in designing promotional schemes
Common support, such as development of, and guidance on,
model support schemes and infrastructures
Tools for ESF managers (for monitoring, experimentation, validation etc.)
Tools and good practices for promoters

19. Workshops for ESF Managing Authorities to enhance transnational and innovative action
Objectives:
To identify/develop working models for promoting transnational and innovative action;
To advise the Commission in its support actions under the "Learning for Change" Initiative;
To further develop the role of the ESF as a motor for change through social innovation and mutual learning;
To assist in presenting ESF actions and achievements for the BEPA report for the President

20. Workshops to enhance transnational and innovative action under the ESF
Exchange knowledge and experience on trends, barriers and drivers in transnational learning the promotion of innovation;
Share options, practices, experience and orientations in designing and implementing effective schemes and actions;
Identify suitable working models of direct promotional support (tools, methods), and of key factors for developing capacities and infrastructures;
Make recommendations for effective monitoring of transnational and innovative activities and achievements