THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION: LOCAL EMPLOYMENT DEVELOPMENT & THE IDELE PROGRAMME

1. THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION: LOCAL EMPLOYMENT DEVELOPMENT & THE IDELE PROGRAMME Dominic Rice European Commission DG Employment, Social Affairs, & Equal Opportunities Unit D2 (EES, CSR & Local Development) LAPs & RAPs: Second Peer Review Exchange Workshop Rome, 5 May 2006

2. What is Local Employment Development? Activities to develop employment locally, involving key local actors, generally in partnership with others (perhaps EU/nationally/regionally designed initiatives, but not always) Everything has a local dimension Promoting the local dimension of the European Employment Strategy

3. European Employment Strategy Introductory text to the 8 employment guidelines for 2005-2008 (integrated guidelines 17-24): "In taking action, Member States should ensure good governance of employment policies. They should establish a broad partnership for change by involving parliamentary bodies and stakeholders, including those at regional and local levels. European and national social partners should play a central role."

4. EU Support for Local Employment Development • 1986: LEDA Programme • 1993: White Paper on growth, competitiveness and employment • 1997: Territorial Employment Pacts (TEPs) • 1997: European Employment Strategy (EES) • 2001: Communication 'Strengthening the local dimension of the European Employment Strategy [COM (2001) 629 final, 6 Nov 2001] • 2005: Strategy for Growth and Jobs - for EES: 3 over-arching objectives, 8 guidelines) • European Social Fund - EQUAL, Article 6, global grants, etc.

5. European Commission: LED activities • The European Employment Strategy - political lever • ESF (and Article 6, EQUAL, pilot projects, etc.) - financial lever • BUT, focus now on: • Raising awareness of EES at local level, and of LED • Identifying, sharing, disseminating and promoting good practice; issuing guidance • Encouraging co-operation, at all levels, and promoting partnerships • Building on the experience of a wide range of LED activity

6. European Commission : LED Activities • Grants towards pilot projects (Preparatory Measures 2000-03) • Practical Handbooks for Local Employment Strategies (2004) • Benchmarking & Local Employment Development (2005) • New Member States and Local Employment Development: taking stock and planning for the future (2005-06) • Linking Local Actors (2006-07) • Joint work with the OECD LEED programme • IDELE: Identification, Dissemination and Exchange of good practice in Local Employment Development (2004-06) • Website address for LED pages on Europa: http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/local_employment/index_en.htm

7. EUROPEAN COMMISSION THE IDELE PROGRAMME (Promoting the local dimension of the EES)

8. IDELE Identification, Dissemination and Exchange of good practice in Local Employment development, and promoting better governance • 3-year rolling programme (2004-2006) • Series of 12 seminars, each on a different theme (4 each year) • Rigorous process of identification and analysis of good practices (focus on local strategies and overall approaches, rather than ad hoc projects) • Seminars bring together 25-30 participants - researchers, practitioners, policy makers (mainly from local level, but other levels also represented) – to discuss issues and case studies (6-8) in depth • Dissemination: website; each year, 4 thematic reports, plus overall report; will be increasing focus in Year 3 • Creating its own network, and database of good practice examples

9. IDELE • Themes: • Declining industrial areas • Integrating ethnic minorities in cities • Remote rural areas • Successful areas and the Lisbon Process • Lifelong Learning • Linking into national/regional governance systems • Sustainable finance (alternatives to the grant culture) • Cross-border areas • 2006 • Convergence Regions • Regional Competitiveness and Employment Regions (employment activation) • Rural Development • Final seminar (round-up)

10. IDELE Key questions common to each theme include: What are common factors, and what is transferable? How to overcome barriersto local action, under different kinds of geographical, economic and political circumstances? How can local strategies be effective in giving focus, purpose and integration to policy actions of all kinds? How can locally influenced action help to create and enhance a spirit of entrepreneurship and enterprise? How can local activities be persuaded to move from grant-based funding to sustainable development?

11. IDELE • Emerging issues/findings (1) • A lot is going on out there! • IDELE is an intensive process if it is to be effective • No 'one-size fits all'… BUT common factors and issues • Governance issues: "wired up" to other levels, flexibility • Effective where local strategies/action plans (LAPs) are developed – should link vertically and horizontally • Local Authorities always play a crucial role in LED partnerships and activities… BUT leadership not ownership • Maximise local assets • Local action profits from strong social and trust relationships

12. IDELE • Emerging issues/findings (2) • Finance: grant dependency, sustainability, attract capital • Best practice in LED often comes from organisations formed as companies (of some sort) • May exist because of or in spite of external policies and environment (and can change over time) • National governments can: provide commitment; acknowledge diverse needs at local level; remove barriers to partnership; balance accountability with freedom and flexibility • Have to work harder at involvement of private sector • Do not always need radical overhaul – adapt existing structures

13. IDELE • Emerging issues/findings (3) • BUT, remember… • Objective is not the creation of partnerships, but is the delivery of effective and efficient (public) services, responsive to local needs, that have a positive impact • Crowded platforms problem in some areas • Limits to the local – local level cannot or should not be involved in everything (if local is not the appropriate level, move to the next level up)

14. The Local Dimension of the EES • LINKS • Website address for LED pages on Europa:http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/local_employment/index_en.htm • Website address for EES pages on Europa: • http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/employment_strategy/index_en.htm • IDELE website: http://www.ecotec.com/idele/ • Benchmarking & LED project: http://www.benchmarking-led.dk/ • OECD-LEED: • http://www.oecd.org/document/9/0,2340,en_2649_34417_22477577_1_1_1_1,00.html • DG EMPL: • http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/index_en.html