Need to engage with Euro funds

 

Need to engage with Euro funds

Since it is based on Draft EU Regulations, this paper carries a “health warning”. There may be one or two separate Operational Programmes for Scotland. Because the Scottish Government has not released its latest thinking on these developments, there may yet be changes.  

A) INTRODUCTION 

1) The purpose of this paper is to begin focusing Social Enterprise intentions and objectives for the forthcoming EU Structural Funds Programme 2014-2020. On Friday 08 February 2013, EU Budget ceilings were agreed by EU Heads of State at the Dublin Summit. Since the EU Parliament has the power to veto this and discussions between the Council and Parliament begin this week, it is anticipated that there may be transfers within the ceilings agreed. The broad shape of EU Structural Funds for this Programme has already been set out in: 

 ERDF Regulation, COM(2011) 614 final of October 06 2011

 ESF Regulation COM(2011) 607 final /2 of March 14 2012

 Common Strategic Framework Regulation COM(2012) 496 final of September 11 2012

2) This paper seeks to match Thematic Objectives and Investment Priorities in these Regulations with Outcomes and Objectives in the current Support Social Enterprise programme funded by Scottish Government. 

B) FOCUS NEEDED FOR ESF 

ESF Regulation COM(2011) 607 final /2 of March 14 2012, Article 4 Consistency and Thematic Con-centration says: 

1) More Developed Regions (likely to be most of Central Scotland) must choose to have 80% of ESF in up to four Investment Priorities

2) Transitional Regions (likely to be Highlands and Islands) must choose 70% of ESF in up to four In-vestment Priorities below

3) The 18 Investment Priorities for the 4 Thematic Objectives mainly supported by ESF are shown below.  

C) FOCUS NEEDED FOR ERDF

Draft ERDF Regulation, COM(2011) 614 final of October 06 2011, Article 4 Thematic Concentration says: 

a) In Transition and More Developed Regions

i) 80% ERDF to focus on Research and Innovation and Competiveness of SMEs (strengthening research, technological development and innovation; enhancing the competitiveness of small  and medium-sized enterprises: supporting the shift towards a low-carbon economy in all sectors)

ii) 20% ERDF to focus on Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (supporting the shift towards a low-carbon economy in all sectors)

D) MATCHING SUPPORTING SOCIAL ENTEPRISE PROGRAMME WITH ERDF AND ESF OBJECTIVES AND PRIORITIES 

This Section begins matching Outcomes and Objectives in the Scottish Government Supporting Social Enterprise Programme with ERDF Thematic Objectives and  ESF Investment Priorities.

: 

  (8) promoting employment and supporting labour mobility:

ERDF

a) development of business incubators and investment support for self employment and busi-ness creation

b) local development initiatives and aid for structures providing neighbourhood services to cre-ate new jobs, where such actions are outside the scope of Regulation (EU) No […]/2012 [ESF]

c) investing in infrastructure for public employment services

ESF 

a) Access to employment for job-seekers and inactive people, including local employment initia-tives and support for labour mobility;

b) Sustainable integration of young people not in employment, education or training into the la-bour market

c) Self-employment, entrepreneurship and business creation

d) Equality between men and women and reconciliation between work and private life

e) Adaptation of workers, enterprises and entrepreneurs to change

f) Active and healthy ageing

g) Modernisation and strengthening of labour market institutions, including actions to enhance transnational labour mobility

 (9) promoting social inclusion and combating poverty:

ERDF

a) investing in health and social infrastructure which contribute to national, regional and local de-velopment, reducing inequalities in terms of health status, and transition from institutional to community-based services;

b) support for physical and economic regeneration of deprived urban and rural communities;

c) support for Social Enterprises;

ESF 

a) Active inclusion

b) Integration of marginalised communities such as the Roma

c) Combating discrimination based on sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation

d) Enhancing access to affordable, sustainable and high-quality services, including health care and social services of general interest

e) Promoting the Social Economy and Social Enterprises

f) Community-led Local Development Strategies

 (10) investing in education, skills and lifelong learning infrastructure 

ERDF

investing in education, skills and lifelong learning by developing education and training infrastruc-ture

ESF

a) Reducing early school-leaving and promoting equal access to good quality early-childhood, pri-mary and secondary education

b) Improving the quality, efficiency and openness of tertiary and equivalent education with a view to increasing participation and attainment levels

c) Enhancing access to lifelong learning, upgrading the skills and competences of the workforce and increasing the labour market relevance of education and training systems

(11) enhancing institutional capacity and an efficient public administration

ERDF

by strengthening of institutional capacity and the efficiency of public administrations and public services related to implementation of the ERDF, and in support of actions in institutional capacity and in the efficiency of public administration supported by the ESF.

ESF

a) Investment in institutional capacity and in the efficiency of public administrations and public services with a view to reforms, better regulation and good governance

This Investment Priority is only applicable throughout the territory of the Member States which have at least one NUTS level 2 region as defined in Article 82(2) (a) of Regulation (EU) No […] or in Member States eligible for Cohesion Fund support. (Eastern Scotland, South Western Scotland, North Eastern Scotland and Highlands and Islands are Scotland’s 4 NUTS 2 Regions.) 

b) Capacity building for stakeholders delivering employment, education and social policies and sectoral and territorial pacts to mobilise for reform at national, regional and local level.

 

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