Source: European Parliament
The European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) is implemented under shared management. It is up to Member States to decide which measures they want to invest in, in line with the specific objectives of the ESF+ Regulation[1].
All Managing Authorities (MA) must have a website with information on programmes under its responsibility, covering the programme’s objectives, activities, available funding opportunities, achievements, and a list of operations selected for support (Article 49 of the Common Provisions Regulation (CPR)[2]).
For the selection of operations, the MA shall establish and apply criteria and procedures which are non-discriminatory, transparent, ensure accessibility to persons with disabilities, ensure gender equality, and take account of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (‘the Charter’), the principle of sustainable development and the EU policy on environment (Article 73(1) of the CPR).
Article 69(7) of the CPR stipulates that it is the Member States’ responsibility to ensure the effective examination of complaints concerning the Funds.
The scope, rules and procedures concerning those arrangements are the responsibility of Member States in accordance with their institutional and legal framework. This is without prejudice to the general possibility of citizens and stakeholders to address complaints to the Commission.
The Horizontal Enabling Conditions on the effective application and implementation of the Charter and on the implementation and application of the United Nations Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities (UNCRPD) reiterate that Member States need to have reporting arrangements to the monitoring committee regarding cases of non-compliance of operations in place.
- [1] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32021R1057 .
- [2] Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2021 laying down common provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund Plus, the Cohesion Fund, the Just Transition Fund and the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund and financial rules for those and for the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, the Internal Security Fund and the Instrument for Financial Support for Border Management and Visa Policy.