ESF ACROSS BORDERS: ENGAGING THE REGIONS
Action Plan to support to transnational and interregional
cooperation 2007-2013 at EU level
Gerhard Bräunling
March 28 2008
Why support transnational cooperation?
- improve governance and impact of policies and programmes by learning from others
- contribute to developing a European labour market
2000-2006 2007-2013
Member States at national, regional
and local level
Commission via
EQUAL
The basis – Operational Programmes
Total budget of dedicated priorities: 1,43 billion €
Estimated total budget for transnational and interregional cooperation: 3 billion €
Popular themes for transnational cooperation:– disadvantaged, discrimination, diversity– gender and work/life balance– LLL in firms, entrepreneurship and innovation– promoting partnerships– Improving human capital: Reforms in education and
training systems
A broad range of approaches
Benchlearning
Collaborative
activityMobility of
people
Policy themes and issuesCapacity building and governanceSkills development
Action plan to support transnational cooperation
Establishment of a common information platform to identify and share the themes and funding provisions for transnational cooperation
The creation and application of a user-friendly IT toolkit facilitate searches for partners, events, activities and results
Establishment of a network of contact points to share experience, practice and tools
Thematic networks, exchange events and policy fora of groups of Member States and regions
Validating and disseminating good practices and results
Role of contact points
experienced and trained on the job, good language skills, good knowledge in employment and social exclusion policies
provide services for contact persons from other countries (information and liaison point; organise study visits, etc.)
Support ESF management teams at all levels, in particular Intermediate Bodies
Advise and support applicants and beneficiaries (by organising information events, support in partner search etc.)
Action plan to support transnational cooperation
Establishment of a common information platform to identify and share the themes and funding provisions for transnational cooperation
The creation and application of a user-friendly IT toolkit facilitate searches for partners, events, activities and results
Establishment of a network of contact points to share experience, practice and tools
Thematic networks, exchange events and policy fora of groups of Member States and regions
Validating and disseminating good practices and results
Information and partner search toolkit
Applicants, beneficiaries and the wider public need tools to search information and partners
Information throughout the lifecycle of an activity
Contact points will play an important role in testing and promoting the toolkit
The Italian Government has started to develop the toolkit, in close collaboration with the contact points
Action plan to support transnational cooperation
Establishment of a common information platform to identify and share themes and funding provisions for transnational cooperation
The creation and application of a user-friendly IT toolkit facilitate searches for partners, events, activities and results
Establishment of a network of contact points to share experience, practice and tools
Thematic networks, exchange events and policy fora of groups of Member States and regions
Validating and disseminating good practices and results
A web based communication platform
Contact points and other relevant stakeholders can use the platform to exchange information, concerns, practices and implementation provisions
It is robust, flexible and easy to use:
www. transnationality.eu
Action plan to support transnational cooperation
Establishment of a common information platform to identify and share the themes and funding provisions for transnational cooperation
The creation and application of a user-friendly IT toolkit facilitate searches for partners, events, activities and results
Establishment of a network of contact points to share experience, practice and tools
Thematic networks, exchange events and policy fora of groups of Member States and regions
Validating and disseminating good practices and results
EU wide exchangeand learning platforms
Objectives: benchlearning, validation of good practice from OPs, and its capitalisation through action plans under the OPs
Call for proposals by European Commission
Key ESF themes and good governance issues
Lead partners: ESF managing authorities
Max duration: 36 months
Max ESF contribution: 500.000 €
Action plan to support transnational cooperation
Establishment of a common information platform to identify and share the themes and funding provisions for transnational cooperation
The creation and application of a user-friendly IT toolkit facilitate searches for partners, events, activities and results
Establishment of a network of contact points to share experience, practice and tools
Thematic networks, exchange events and policy fora of groups of Member States and regions
Validating and disseminating good practices and results
Conclusions
Consensus that contact points (CP) are crucial to make transnational exchange and cooperation work
CPs have met personally and are now starting to exchange plans and provisions, common issues, concerns and practices on the website
Regions and member states have started to commit themselves to formal cooperation to maximise synergies, complementarities and benefits common exchange, validation and mainstreaming efforts:– Thematic networks– Networks to support mobility at all levels
EU wide learning platforms will support rapid learning and integrate good practice into OPs