Enhancing Europe's Social Progress: PROGRESS Community Programme Overview

1. Introduction to PROGRESSCommunity programme for Employment and Social Solidarity 2007-2013 Finn Ola Jølstad Norwegian Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion

2. Building a social Europe • The EU can play its role in building a social Europe through: • Legislation • Agree with Member States common EU objectives • Provide additional financial support • Facilitate cooperation and dialogue with key actors

3. The open method of co-ordination • A new working method. Management by objectives. • Limited EU competence in the employment and social fields • Main responsibility lies with the Member States • The Lisbon strategy (The Growth and Jobs – strategy) based on the open method of co-ordination. • Agreement on the EU-level on policy objectives. National responsibility for implementation. • Key elements: • subsidiarity, • convergence, • management by objectives, • country surveillance, • integrated approach.

4. Progress – funding programme • A catalyst for change. • Support to the Member States in meeting their commitments or converging towards EU objectives through: • Proposing EU strategies • Implementing and following-up of EU objectives and their translation into national policies • Transposing and following up of the application of EU-legislation • Promoting co-operation and co-ordination between Member States and with civil society organisations

5. Progress • Five policy sections. Replacing four previous community programmes and broadening the scope: • Employment • Linked to the European Employment Strategy • Social inclusion and social protection • Linked to the strategy to combat social exclusion etc. • Working conditions • Labour law, restructuring, strategy on health and safety at work • Anti-discrimination • Principle of non-discrimination and mainstreaming into all EU-policies • Gender equality • Principle of gender equality and mainstreaming into all EU-policies

6. Progress – general objectives • To improve the knowledge and understanding of Member states situation through analysis, evaluation and close monitoring of policies • To support the development of statistical tools, methods and common indicators • To support and monitor the implementation of Community law and policy objectives in the Member States to assess their effectiveness and impact • To promote networking/mutual learning, identification and dissemination of good practice and innovative approaches at the EU-level • To enhance the awareness of stakeholders and the general public about the EU policies and objectives • To boost the capacity of key EU networks to promote and further develop EU policy and objectives

7. Progress – types of activities • Analytical activities • Data/statistics; common indicators; studies; impact assessments • Mutual learning, Awareness and Dissemination • Good practices, Peer Reviews, media campaigns and events • Support to main actors • Support to key EU networks; working groups, training seminars; experts’ networks; EU level observatories; etc.

8. Progress – types of funding • Progress – total financial envelope 2007-2013: € 743 mill • (between € 83 mill and € 120 mill per year over the period) • Direct subsidies (The Commission supports the work of others) • Subdelegation to EUROSTAT • Spontaneous subsidies (Commission decisions) • Calls for tenders (The Commission is buying services) • Studies, research • Framework contracts • Calls for proposals (The Commission co-finances projects) • Promoting networking and mutual learning • Identification and dissemination of good practices • Awareness raising projects

9. Progress – participation of Norway • Norway is not member of the EU and does thus not take part in the political co-operation of setting common objectives at the EU-level. The EU policy shaping is nevertheless of importance for Norway. • With the basis in the EEA-agreement, Norway can take part in programmes underpinning the common policy. • Financial contribution to Progress from Norway: approximately 130 mill NOK over the 7-year period. • Actors/organisations from Norway and other EFTA/EEA-countries can take part in the activities financed by progress on an equal basis as the Member States.

10. PROGRESS – examples of calls for proposals • Restricted Call for Proposals VP/2007/015 - "Innovative projects related to Employment Services - Projects aiming at improving matching of labour market needs through the modernisation and strengthening of labour market institutions, notably Employment Services“ • Open Call for Proposals VP/2007/013 - "Establishment of 3-year partnerships with Eu-level networks active in the field of combating social exclusion and discrimination, promoting gender equality and the integration of disabled people and representing roma people" • Open Call for Proposals VP/2007/008 - "Follow-up and dissemination activities to the Mutual Learning Programme of the European Employment Strategy“ • 3. Objectives - identification and exchange of good practice in a transnational context • 4. Priority areas for co-operation - … incl…Attracting more people to enter and remain on the labour market: making work a real option for all (Inclusive labour markets (disadvantaged groups, activation strategies etc.) • 5. Types of activities and exchange • 6. Eligibility criteria - Public authorities or agencies / Non-profit organisations in a partnership with public authorities or agencies/ Social partners organisations. • Projects should involve a stable partnership among core organisations based in at least three Member States, so as the transnational character is ensured.