A presentation on 'what is Social Inclusion' by EAPN for NCVO's event on LEPs, Growth and EU funds on 25 September 2013. Vincent Caron (EAPN Policy Officer) gave a presentation at the European Funding Network. Find out more about the NCVO's European policy work: http://europeanfundingnetwork.eu

1. Delivering on Social inclusion
through Structural Funds
EUROPEAN ANTI-POVERTY NETWORK
RÉSEAU EUROPÉEN DES ASSOCIATIONS
DE LUTTE CONTRE LA PAUVRETÉ ET L’EXCLUSION SOCIALE
Vincent Caron, EAPN Policy Officer
European Funding Network, London, 25
September 2013

2. Structure of Presentation
 Presenting EAPN
 Key Findings
 EU context: a growing potential for social
inclusion & poverty reduction in SF?
 EAPN’s Perspective
 The Way Forward

3. Presenting EAPN
• Independant EU Network of NGOs
• Fight for a social EU free of poverty
• Started in 1990 – key actor in Social OMC
• Working with and for people in poverty
• Financial support from EU (PROGRESS)
• 29 National Networks + 18 European Organisations

4. Key findings
 Only 17% of ESF 2007-2013 earmarked for social inclusion
 Strong focus on labour market integration (vocational
training, self employment, development of managers,
employment services)
 In the current economic crisis, increasing need for broader
and more socially integrated projects targeting people
further from the labour market
 No real enforcement of the partnership principle : NGOs
still sidelined from strategic planning & project delivery
 A loss with the disappearance of the Community Initiative
Programmes (i.e. EQUAL)

5. EU Context: A growing potential for social
inclusion/ poverty reduction in SF?

6. Some opportunities in the current SF
(2007-2013)
 ESF: promoting social inclusion through pathways for the
integration of disadvantaged people;
 ERDF: investment in local development, neighborhood
services, health and social infrastructure; community
development strategies + supporting integrated housing
programmes for marginalized communities (like Roma,
Homeless people).
 General Regulation: « Each Member State shall organise
(…) a partnership with authorities and bodies such as any
other appropriate body representing civil society”.

7. I - In the General Regulation applicable to all SF:
The positive:
 SF should deliver on the poverty reduction target of Europe 2020
 Promoting social inclusion and combating poverty as common objective
for all SF
 A more assertive partnership principle (NGOs involvement at all stages
of OPs; non-binding European code of conduct on partnership)
 Mainstreaming of community-led local development approaches in SF
 Simplified delivery system: encourage and facilitate the use of flat rates
and lump sums for small projects
The negative:
 The introduction of macro-economic conditionalities prior to the
disbursement of Funds. In case of excessive budget deficit, Structural
Funds could be suspended by the European Commission
 A growing focus on growth-enhancing priorities (competitiveness of
SMEs, innovation, energy efficiency, ICT…)
A higher profile given to social inclusion in
the future SF (2014-2020) (1/4)

8. II - Increased ESF role in reducing poverty & social exclusion
 The so-called minimum shares:
- An increased and secured ESF Budget: a minimum share for the
ESF, representing at least 25% of the budget allocated to Cohesion
Policy (i.e. around EUR 81 billion).
- A minimum ring-fencing allocation of 20% dedicated to promoting
social inclusion and combating poverty.
 Promoting social inclusion and combating poverty clearly
identified as one of the four main objectives (including through
active inclusion approaches)
 An attempt to facilitate transnational co-operation
 Giving effectiveness to the partnership principle: explicit
reference of non-governmental organizations as relevant partners
for the implementation of the OPs with a possible use of global
grants and capacity-building.
 Promotion of social innovation : testing and scaling-up innovative
solutions to address social needs
A higher profile given to social inclusion in
the future SF (2014-2020) (2/4)

9. III - ERDF : still focused on a growth and jobs model
3 “social-oriented” priorities:
 Promoting social inclusion and combating poverty (investments in
health and social infrastructures/ physical and economic regeneration of
deprived urban and rural communities/ support for social entreprises)
Promoting employment and labour mobility
 Investments in skills, education and lifelong learning by developing
education infrastructures
But:
A relative failure to mainstream social considerations
A higher profile given to social inclusion in
the future SF (2014-2020) (3/4)

10. IV – The Social Investment Package (SIP)
Main goal: helping MSs to implement the SF’s
priorities on social inclusion (especially ESF)
Guidance note to Managing authorities (with good
practices of SF projects on active inclusion, social
services, childcare, long-term care, social economy,
social innovation)
A higher profile given to social inclusion in
the future SF (2014-2020) (4/4)

11. EAPN’s perpective

12. EAPN’s work: promoting social inclusion through
SF
 Monitoring & analysis (EAPN Survey on the
contribution of SF to social inclusion, 2009; EAPN
annual NRP Reports)
 Lobbying EU key decision-makers & support national
advocacy work (policy papers, official meetings,
Manual, toolkit, campaign…)
 Information/ Exchange (training/ capacity-building;
exchange sessions on national realities, leaflets…)

13. EAPN’s ongoing initiatives
 Monitoring the implementation of SF through the European
Semester/ Europe 2020: EAPN 2013 NRP Report
 Intensive advocacy to influence the new SF 2014-2020:
At EU level
- EAPN’s response to the EC legislative proposals
- EAPN’s proposals for amendment to the EP Reports
- Joint EU Campaign EU Money for Poverty Reduction NOW!
together with other 19 social NGOs with more than 13.000 people
signing the online petition.
At National level
- Helping National Networks to get involved from the design of the
OPs and PAs : EAPN SF Toolkit
 Ensuring that Community-led local development will deliver on
social inclusion
An overview of EAPN’s work on Structural Funds (2014-2020) is provided in
EAPN Mag n°137

14. Key messages from the EAPN 2013 NRP
Report Widening the gap
1. Structural Funds still fall short of their potential to
deliver on the Poverty reduction target despite a slight
improvement.
2. Although some progress is noted, support to
integrated active inclusion approaches through
Structural Funds is still insufficient and piecemeal which
gives little room for investments in long-term pathways
to quality employment and inclusion.
3. The partnership principle is still not being really
enforced at National level, which makes access to
Structural Funds still very problematic for NGOs.

15. The way forward
 Make Social inclusion and Poverty reduction a core
and cross-cutting objective in all SF (by backing the
20%-25% and integrated active inclusion approaches)
 Make sure that all disadvantaged groups are
targeted (against the creaming phenomenon)
 Ensure a full implementation of the partnership
principle for NGOs both at management and delivery
level (with a targeted use of global grants and
technical assistance)
 Promote social ex-ante conditionalities
 Develop social inclusion proofing
 Make transnationality more socially inclusive

16. EUROPEAN ANTI-POVERTY NETWORK
RÉSEAU EUROPÉEN DE LUTTE
CONTRE LA PAUVRETÉ ET L’EXCLUSION SOCIALE
SQUARE DE MEEUS, 18 – 1050 BRUSSELS
TEL: 0032 2 226 58 50 – FAX: 0032 2 26 58 69
www.eapn.eu - team@eapn.eu
Thank you for your attention
For more information
Vincent Caron, EAPN Policy Officer
Vincent.caron@eapn.eu
See: www.eapn.eu