THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

- strongly recommends that the ESF should retain its characteristic of being a structural fund and hopes that the territorial dimension will be strengthened when drawing up and implementing intersectoral operational programmes, including those relating to cooperation;
- notes with interest that the Fifth Cohesion Report makes reference to the innovative potential of local initiatives, and would very much support the ESF being an integral part of the Local Development model suggested in that report;
- considers that the core objectives of the ESF must continue to be to improve employment opportunities and the efficient functioning of the labour markets, develop and increase human capital, help workers to keep their jobs, and support innovation, entrepreneurship and reform in education and training;
- strongly emphasises that the ESF must continue to pay close attention to cross-cutting priorities such as the social inclusion of disadvantaged individuals and groups and countering gender and age discrimination. In particular, it should support and strengthen the aim of gender equality in terms of equal opportunities and equal treatment in the employment and remuneration of women (the gender pay gap);
- considers that income protection and support instruments could come within the scope of the ESF if they are linked to active labour market policy measures. The Committee believes that the provision of social shock absorbers should remain a matter for the Member States, as allowing such actions under the ESF would risk causing it to deviate from its aims and limiting its effectiveness by focusing it on emergency measures rather than long-term ones;
- highlights the drastic conditions of Roma communities, who suffer not only from social and economic exclusion, but also spatial segregation and below-average living conditions, which should be addressed with European instruments implemented at regional and local level.