The PROGRESS program

Luk Zelderloo EASPD Project Development Workshop 11.05.2007 Sofia, Bulgaria

The Policy Context

The revised Lisbon Strategy – Growth, Competitiveness and Job Creation • Make Europe a more attractive place to invest and work • Boost knowledge and innovation • Create more and better jobs Concretely, integration of broad orientation on economic policies and employment guidelines 2

The Social Agenda (2005-2010)

Roadmap for actions in the employment and social area as part of the Lisbon Strategy. • Moving towards full employment – Making work a real option for all – Increasing the quality and productivity of work, and – Anticipating and managing change • Creating a more cohesive society: Equal opportunities for all – Modernising social protection – Combating poverty and promoting social inclusion – Promoting diversity and non-discrimination 3

DG EMPL Financial Instruments in 2007 - Overview

European Social Fund European Globalisation Fund IPA – Pre-accession instrument PROGRESS Social Dialogue Other (EURES, special reports, etc.) mio Eur 11000 500 65 88 39 shared management 25 direct management 4

LEGAL CONTEXT

Article 13 of EC Treaty “… appropriate action to combat discrimination based on sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief; disability, age or sexual orientation” 5

Race Equality Directive (2000/43/EC)

• Racial or ethnic origin

Employment Equality Directive (2000/78/EC)

• Religion or belief, age, disability, sexual orientation

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Both Directives prohibit discrimination in • Access to employment • Employment and working conditions • Vocational guidance and training • Membership of organisations The Racial Equality Directive also covers • Education • Social Security • Health care • Goods and services • Housing 7

Progress Programme

• Simplification and streamlining of Community expenditure • Integrated Programme • Divided into five policy sections • Overall budget: 743 million EUR • Budget 2007: 82.9 million EUR 8

Progress Predecessors

• Four Community Action Programmes

Programme Title Amount and duration

Programme relating to the Community framework strategy on gender equality Community action programme to combat discrimination Programme of Community action to encourage cooperation between Member States to combat social exclusion 50 M EUR / 5 years (2001-2005 + 1 year extension) 98.4 M EUR / 5 years (2002-2006) 70 M EUR / 5 years (2002-2006) Community incentive measures in the field of employment 55 M EUR / 5 years (2002-2006) • Few dedicated budget lines on working conditions 9

Progress Five Policy Areas

• Employment (23%) Linked to the European Employment Strategy • Social Inclusion and Social Protection (30%) Linked to Open Method of Coordination • Working conditions (10 %) Labour Law, restructuring and anticipating change, strategy on health and safety at work • Anti-discrimination (23%) Principle of non-discrimination and mainstreaming of the principle into all EU policies • Gender equality (12%) Principle of gender equality and mainstreaming of the principle into all EU policies 10

Progress General Objectives

• To improve the knowledge and understanding of the situations prevailing in the Member states • To support the development of statistical tools, methods and common indicators • To support and monitor the implementation of policy objectives and Community law in the Member States, as assess their effectiveness and their impact 11

Progress General Objectives

• To promote networking/mutual learning, identification and dissemination of good practice and innovative approaches at 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, support and further develop EU policies and objectives 12

Progress types of Activities

• Analytical activities • Mutual learning, Awareness & Dissemination • Support to main actors 13

Access to Progress

• Participating countries (27+EFTA + EEA) • Public employment services and their agencies • Local and regional authorities • Specialised bodies provided for under Community law • Social Partners • NGO’s, in particular those organised at European level • Higher education institutions and research institutes • Experts in evaluation • National statistical offices • Media 14

Method of Implementation

• Direct management by the Commission • Commission is assisted by a Committee (with representatives from Member States) • Approval by the Committee of the general guidelines for implementation and annual work plans • Annual Plans of Work implemented through – Call for tenders (contracts) – Call for proposals (subsidies – max. 80% co-financing) – first call: end of May - June

The Progress “Antidiscrimination & Diversity” Strand

Objective 1: Improving the understanding of the situation in relation to discrimination In particular through analysis and studies and, where appropriate, the development of statistics and indicators as well as by assessing the effectiveness and impact of existing legislation, policies and practices. Examples in 2007: • Creation of a social-economic expert network group on diversity and discrimination • Study on diversity in the media • Study on discrimination in fields failing outside the current legislation 16

Objective 2: supporting the implementation of Community anti discrimination legislations Through effective monitoring, the holding of seminars for those working in the field and networking amongst specialised bodies dealing with anti-discrimination Examples: • financing of a legal expert networks • training of legal and policy practitioners at Community level • Support to EQUINET (network of equality bodies – see article 13 of the Race Directive) • training trageted at social partners, NGO and enterprises in all Member States.

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Objective 3: Raising awareness, dissemination information and promoting the debate About the key challenges and policy issues in relation to discrimination and the mainstreaming of anti-discrimination in all Community policies, including among the social partners, NGOs and other stakehodlers Examples in 2007: • National awareness raising activities (implemented by national authorities) •EU-level information campaign: www.stop-discrimination.info

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Objective 4: developing the capacity of key European level networks To promote and further develop Community policy goals and strategies in the field of combating discrimination Examples in 2007: Support to running costs or EU NGO netowrks (one per discrimination ground + smaller specialised networks on disability) 19

More useful information

Previous Antidiscrimination programme http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/fundamen tal_rights/index_en.htm

PROGRESS homepage (site to be developed) http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/progress/ docs_en.html

ESF Homepage http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/esf2000/in dex_en.html

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