Relevant stakeholders, including organisations involved in ESF management, are invited to share their views on activities carried out in the 2014-2018 period.
The Commission wishes to know citizens’ and stakeholders’ opinion on the activities carried out since 2014 by the EU with its European Social Fund (ESF) in order to support education, training and vocational training for skills and lifelong learning (in the context of the Thematic Objective 10). The purpose of the evaluation is threefold:
- Taking stock of the results of ESF support for education and training for the period 2014-2018;
- Providing lessons for the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), to inform the planning of ESF education and training support from 2021
- Paving the way for the ex-post evaluation of the European Social Fund by the Commission due by December 2024.
In line with the 4 investment priorities under Thematic Objective 10, the evaluation will assess, amongst other subjects, the success and effectiveness of EU initiatives for:
- reducing and preventing early school leaving,
- promoting equal access to education and lifelong learning for all,
- supporting vocational training,
- improving the quality, efficiency and access to university education.
It will also identify which type of support has been the most effective.
Who is invited to contribute to this consultation?
All citizens and organisations are invited to contribute to this consultation. Contributions are particularly sought from:
- Member States and organisations involved in the management of ESF such as managing authorities, intermediate bodies, project implementers, members of monitoring committees,
- organisations involved in the delivery of ESF operations as beneficiaries or project partners: public bodies, education institutions, NGOs, municipalities,
- any organisation or citizen having a particular expertise in the area of education and training,
- citizens whether or not they are receiving or have received support from the European Social Fund in the area of education and training,
How to contribute?
Contributions can be submitted until 24 February 2020 (midnight, Brussels time).
You can contribute to the consultation by filling the online questionnaire
Questionnaires are available in all official EU languages. You can submit your responses in any official EU language.
For reasons of transparency, organisations and businesses taking part in public consultations are asked to register in the EU’s Transparency Register.
Background information and next steps
This public consultation is an integral part of the evaluation of ESF support to education and training (Thematic Objective 10).
The overall evaluation and the present consultation deal with the ESF support provided under the six so-called investment priorities of ESF Thematic Objective 9 ‘Promoting social inclusion, combating poverty and any discrimination’, notably:
The evaluation and the present consultation deal with the ESF support provided under the four investment priorities under ESF Thematic Objective 10, notably:
- Reducing and preventing early school leaving and promoting equal access to education, formal, non-formal and informal learning pathways for reintegrating into education and training;
- Improving the quality and efficiency of, and access to, tertiary and equivalent education and training;
- Enhancing equal access to lifelong learning for all age groups in formal, non-formal and informal settings and
- Improving the labour market relevance of education and training systems.
The results of this consultation will be analysed and summarised in a synopsis report that will be published on the website of DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion. The results will also be presented in the Staff Working Document of the evaluation of ESF support .
Further information
