Regulation (EU) 2021/1057 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2021 establishing the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1296/2013

TABLE OF CONTENTS	TABLE OF CONTENTS
Part I	General provisions
Article 1	Subject matter
Article 2	Definitions
Article 3	General objectives of the ESF+ and methods of implementation
Article 4	Specific objectives of the ESF+
Article 5	Budget
Article 5a	Specific provisions linked to the mid-term review and related flexibility of the ESF+ strand under shared management
Article 6	Gender equality, equal opportunities and non-discrimination
Part II	Implementation under shared management
Chapter I	Common provisions on programming
Article 7	Consistency and thematic concentration
Article 8	Respect for the Charter
Article 9	Partnership
Article 10	Support for the most deprived persons
Article 11	Support for youth employment
Article 12	Support for relevant country-specific recommendations
Article 12a	Support for the STEP objectives
Article 12b	Support for alleviating the negative socio-economic consequences of natural disasters
Article 12c	Support for the development of skills in civil preparedness, in the defence industry including for dual-use capabilities, and in cybersecurity
Article 12d	Support for adaptation linked to decarbonisation
Chapter II	General support from the ESF+ strand under shared management
Article 13	Scope
Article 14	Social innovative actions
Article 15	Transnational cooperation
Article 16	Eligibility
Article 17	Indicators and reporting
Chapter III	ESF+ support for addressing material deprivation
Article 18	Scope
Article 19	Principles
Article 20	Content of the priority
Article 21	Eligibility of operations
Article 22	Eligibility of expenditure
Article 23	Indicators and reporting
Article 24	Audit
Part III	Implementation under direct and indirect management
Chapter I	Operational objectives
Article 25	Operational objectives
Chapter II	Eligibility
Article 26	Eligible actions
Article 27	Eligible entities
Article 28	Horizontal principles
Article 29	Participation of third countries
Chapter III	General provisions
Article 30	Forms of Union funding and methods of implementation
Article 31	Work programme
Article 32	Monitoring and reporting
Article 33	Protection of the financial interests of the Union
Article 34	Evaluation
Article 35	Audits
Article 36	Information, communication and publicity
Part IV	Final Provisions
Article 37	Exercise of the delegation
Article 38	Committee procedure for the ESF+ strand under shared management
Article 39	Committee set up under Article 163 TFEU
Article 40	Transitional provisions for the ESF+ strand under shared management
Article 41	Transitional provisions for the EaSI strand
Article 42	Entry into force
ANNEX I	Common indicators for general support from the ESF+ strand under shared management
ANNEX II	Common indicators for the ESF+ actions targeting social inclusion of the most deprived persons within the specific objective set out in Article 4(1), point (l), in line with Article 7(5), first subparagraph
ANNEX III	Common indicators for ESF+ support for addressing material deprivation
ANNEX IV	Indicators for the EaSI strand

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1

Subject matter

This Regulation establishes the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), which consists of two strands: the strand under shared management (the ‘ESF+ strand under shared management’) and the Employment and Social Innovation strand (the ‘EaSI strand’).

This Regulation lays down the objectives of the ESF+, its budget for the period 2021 to 2027, the methods of implementation, the forms of Union funding and the rules for providing such funding.

Article 2

Definitions

• (1) ‘lifelong learning’ means learning in all its forms, namely, formal, non-formal and informal learning, that takes place at all stages in life and results in an improvement or an update in knowledge, skills, competences and attitudes or in participation in society in a personal, civic, cultural, social or employment-related perspective, including the provision of counselling and guidance services, including early childhood education and care, general education, vocational education and training, higher education, adult education, youth work and other learning settings outside formal education and training and it typically promotes cross-sectoral cooperation and flexible learning pathways;

• (2) ‘third-country national’ means a person who is not a citizen of the Union, including stateless persons and persons with an undetermined nationality;

• (3) ‘basic material assistance’ means goods which fulfil the basic needs of a person for a life with dignity, such as clothing, hygiene goods, including feminine hygiene products, and school material;

• (4) ‘disadvantaged group’ means a group of people in vulnerable situations, including people experiencing or at risk of poverty, social exclusion or discrimination in its multiple dimensions;

• (5) ‘key competences’ means the knowledge, skills and competences all individuals need, at any stage of their lives, for their personal fulfilment and development, employment, social inclusion and active citizenship, namely, literacy; multilingualism; mathematics, science, technology, arts and engineering; digital skills; media skills; personal, social and learning to learn skills; active citizenship skills; entrepreneurship; cultural and intercultural awareness and expression; and critical thinking;

• (6) ‘most deprived persons’ means natural persons, whether individuals, families, households or groups of persons, including children in vulnerable situations and homeless people, whose need for assistance has been established according to the objective criteria which are set by the national competent authorities in consultation with relevant stakeholders while avoiding conflicts of interest, and which may include elements that allow for the targeting of the most deprived persons in certain geographical areas;

• (7) ‘end recipients’ means the most deprived persons receiving the support as laid down in Article 4(1), point (m);

• (8) ‘social innovation’ means an activity, that is social both as to its ends and its means and in particular an activity which relates to the development and implementation of new ideas concerning products, services, practices and models, that simultaneously meets social needs and creates new social relationships or collaborations between public, civil society or private organisations, thereby benefiting society and boosting its capacity to act;

• (9) ‘accompanying measure’ means an activity provided in addition to the distribution of food and/or basic material assistance with the aim of addressing social exclusion and contributing to the eradication of poverty, such as referrals to or providing social and health services, including psychological support, or providing relevant information on public services or advice on managing a household budget;

• (10) ‘social experimentation’ means a policy intervention that aims to provide an innovative response to social needs, implemented on a small scale and in conditions that enable its impact to be measured, prior to being implemented in other contexts including geographical and sectorial ones, or implemented on a larger scale, if the results prove to be positive;

• (11) ‘cross-border partnership’ means a structure of cooperation between public employment services, the social partners or civil society located in at least two Member States;

• (12) ‘microenterprise’ means an enterprise with fewer than 10 employees and an annual turnover or balance sheet below EUR 2 000 000 ;

• (13) ‘social enterprise’ means an undertaking, regardless of its legal form, including social economy enterprises, or a natural person which:
• (a) in accordance with its articles of association, statutes or with any other legal document that may result in liability under the rules of the Member State where a social enterprise is located, has the achievement of measurable, positive social impacts, which may include environmental impacts, as its primary social objective rather than the generation of profit for other purposes, and which provides services or goods that generate a social return or employs methods of production of goods or services that embody social objectives;
• (b) uses its profits first and foremost to achieve its primary social objective, and has predefined procedures and rules that ensure that the distribution of profits does not undermine the primary social objective;
• (c) is managed in an entrepreneurial, participatory, accountable and transparent manner, in particular by involving workers, customers and stakeholders on whom its business activities have an impact;

• (14) ‘reference value’ means a value which is used to set targets for common and programme specific result indicators and based on existing or previous, similar interventions;

• (15) ‘cost of purchasing food and/or basic material assistance’ means the actual costs which are linked to the purchase of food and/or basic material assistance by the beneficiary and are not limited to the price of the food and/or basic material assistance;

• (16) ‘microfinance’ includes guarantees, microcredit, equity and quasi-equity, coupled with accompanying business development services such as those provided in the form of individual counselling, training and mentoring, extended to persons and microenterprises that experience difficulties accessing credit for the purpose of professional and revenue-generating activities;

• (17) ‘blending operation’ means an action supported by the Union budget, including within a blending facility or platform as defined in Article 2, point (6), of the Financial Regulation, combining non-repayable forms of support or financial instruments from the Union budget with repayable forms of support from development or other public finance institutions, as well as from commercial finance institutions and investors;

• (18) ‘legal entity’ means a natural person, or a legal person created and recognised as such under Union, national, or international law, which has legal personality and the capacity to act in its own name, exercise rights and be subject to obligations, or an entity which does not have legal personality as referred to in Article 197(2), point (c), of the Financial Regulation;

• (19) ‘common immediate result indicator’ means a common result indicator which captures effects within four weeks from the day on which the participant has left the operation;

• (20) ‘common longer-term result indicator’ means a common result indicator which captures effects six months after the participant has left the operation.

Article 3

General objectives of the ESF+ and methods of implementation

• (a) under shared management, for the part of the assistance which corresponds to the specific objectives set out in Article 4(1) (ESF+ strand under shared management); and

• (b) under direct and indirect management, for the part of the assistance which corresponds to the objectives set out in Article 4(1) and Article 25 (EaSI strand).

Article 4

Specific objectives of the ESF+

• (a) improving access to employment and activation measures for all jobseekers, in particular young people, especially through the implementation of the Youth Guarantee, for long-term unemployed and disadvantaged groups on the labour market, and for inactive people, as well as through the promotion of self-employment and the social economy;

• (b) modernising labour market institutions and services to assess and anticipate skills needs and ensure timely and tailor-made assistance and support for labour market matching, transitions and mobility;

• (c) promoting a gender-balanced labour market participation, equal working conditions, and a better work-life balance including through access to affordable childcare, and care for dependent persons;

• (d) promoting the adaptation of workers, enterprises and entrepreneurs to change, active and healthy ageing and a healthy and well-adapted working environment that addresses health risks;

• (e) improving the quality, inclusiveness, effectiveness and labour market relevance of education and training systems including through validation of non-formal and informal learning, to support acquisition of key competences including entrepreneurial and digital skills, and by promoting the introduction of dual-training systems and apprenticeships;

• (f) promoting equal access to and completion of quality and inclusive education and training, in particular for disadvantaged groups, from early childhood education and care through general and vocational education and training, to tertiary level, as well as adult education and learning, including facilitating learning mobility for all and accessibility for persons with disabilities;

• (g) promoting lifelong learning, in particular flexible upskilling and reskilling opportunities for all taking into account entrepreneurial and digital skills, better anticipating change and new skills requirements based on labour market needs, facilitating career transitions and promoting professional mobility;

• (h) fostering active inclusion with a view to promoting equal opportunities, non-discrimination and active participation, and improving employability, in particular for disadvantaged groups;

• (i) promoting socio-economic integration of third-country nationals, including migrants;

• (j) promoting the socio-economic integration of marginalised communities, such as Roma people;

• (k) enhancing equal and timely access to quality, sustainable and affordable services, including services that promote the access to housing and person-centred care including healthcare; modernising social protection systems, including promoting access to social protection, with a particular focus on children and disadvantaged groups; improving accessibility including for persons with disabilities, effectiveness and resilience of healthcare systems and long-term care services;

• (l) promoting social integration of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion, including the most deprived persons and children;

• (m) addressing material deprivation through food and/or basic material assistance to the most deprived persons, including children, and providing accompanying measures supporting their social inclusion.

• (a) a smarter Europe through the development of skills for smart specialisation, skills for key enabling technologies, industrial transition, sectorial cooperation on skills and entrepreneurship, the training of researchers, networking activities and partnerships between higher education institutions, vocational and educational training institutions, research and technological centres and enterprises and clusters, and support for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and the social economy;

• (b) a greener, low carbon Europe through the improvement of education and training systems necessary for the adaptation of skills and qualifications, the upskilling of all, including the labour force, the creation of new jobs in sectors related to the environment, climate, energy, the circular economy and the bioeconomy.

• (a) the financing of short-time work schemes without the requirement that they be combined with active measures;

• (b) access to healthcare including for people who are not in imminent socio-economic vulnerability.

Article 5

Budget

Article 5a

Specific provisions linked to the mid-term review and related flexibility of the ESF+ strand under shared management

The following reallocations within the same programme shall also count towards the 10 % threshold:

• (a) reallocations from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) or the Cohesion Fund to one or more of the dedicated priorities established for the specific objectives referred to in Article 3(1), points (a)(vi) and (vii), points (b)(v), (ix), (xi) and (xii), point (c)(iii), point (d)(vii), and points (e)(iii) and (iv), of Regulation (EU) 2021/1058 in the context of the mid-term review;

• (b) reallocations from the Just Transition Fund (JTF) to the dedicated priorities established to support investments contributing to the objectives of the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP) established by Regulation (EU) 2024/795 of the European Parliament and of the Council ([^E0001]), or to the promotion of access to affordable housing pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2021/1056 in the context of the mid-term review;

• (c) reallocations from the ERDF or the Cohesion Fund to the dedicated priorities for the specific objectives referred to in Article 3(1), first subparagraph, points (a)(vi) and (b)(ix), of Regulation (EU) 2021/1058 or from the ESF+ to the dedicated priorities established pursuant to Article 12a of this Regulation or from the JTF to the dedicated priorities established to support investments contributing to STEP objectives approved in programme amendments prior to the mid-term review;

• (d) reallocations from the ERDF or the Cohesion Fund to priorities established for the specific objective referred to in Article 3(1), first subparagraph, point (b)(v), of Regulation (EU) 2021/1058 approved in programme amendments from 1 January 2025.

• (a) resources from the European Union Recovery Instrument referred to in Article 4 of Regulation (EU) 2021/1056;

• (b) the additional funding for the outermost regions as referred to in Article 110(1), point (e), of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060;

• (c) the resources reallocated to one or more of the dedicated priorities established to support the response to natural disasters pursuant to Article 12b of this Regulation, or under the specific objective referred to in Article 3(1), point (b)(x), of Regulation (EU) 2021/1058.

The derogation provided for in the first subparagraph of this paragraph shall apply only where reallocations of at least 10 % of the financial resources of the programme to one or more of the dedicated priorities referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article have been approved, provided that the request for the programme amendment is submitted to the Commission by 31 December 2025.

Article 6

Gender equality, equal opportunities and non-discrimination

Member States and the Commission shall support specific targeted actions to promote the horizontal principles referred to in Article 9(2) and (3) of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 and Article 28 of this Regulation that fall within any of the objectives of the ESF+. Those actions may include actions for ensuring accessibility for persons with disabilities, including in terms of information and communication technologies, and promoting the transition from residential or institutional care to family and community-based care.

Through the ESF+, Member States and the Commission shall aim to increase the participation of women in employment as well as conciliation between working and personal life, combat the feminisation of poverty and gender discrimination in the labour market and in education and training.

PART II

IMPLEMENTATION UNDER SHARED MANAGEMENT

CHAPTER I Common provisions on programming

Article 7

Consistency and thematic concentration

Member States and, where appropriate, the Commission shall foster synergies and ensure coordination, complementarity and coherence between the ESF+ and other Union funds, programmes and instruments, both in the planning phase and during implementation. Member States and, where appropriate, the Commission shall optimise mechanisms for coordination to avoid duplication of efforts and ensure close cooperation between entities responsible for implementation to deliver coherent and streamlined support actions.

Member States that had an average rate above the Union average of children of less than 18 years old at risk of poverty or social exclusion for the period between 2017 and 2019, on the basis of Eurostat data, shall allocate at least 5 % of their resources of the ESF+ strand under shared management to support targeted actions and structural reforms to tackle child poverty as set out in the first subparagraph.

The resources shall not be taken into account for verifying compliance with the minimum allocations set out in paragraphs 3 and 4.

Member States that had an average rate above the Union average of young people of 15 to 29 years of age who are not in employment, education or training for the period between 2017 and 2019, on the basis of Eurostat data, shall allocate at least 12,5 % of their resources of the ESF+ strand under shared management for the years 2021 to 2027 to support the targeted actions and structural reforms as set out in the first subparagraph.

Outermost regions fulfilling the conditions set out in the second subparagraph shall allocate at least 12,5 % of their resources of the ESF+ strand under shared management in their programmes to the targeted actions and structural reforms as set out in the first subparagraph. This allocation shall be taken into account for verifying compliance with the minimum percentage at national level set out in the second subparagraph when applicable.

When implementing targeted actions and structural reforms referred to in this paragraph, Member States shall give priority to inactive and long-term unemployed young people and put in place targeted outreach measures.

Article 8

Respect for the Charter

Article 9

Partnership

Where capacity building of the social partners and civil society organisations is identified by a relevant country-specific recommendation adopted in accordance with Article 121(2) and Article 148(4) TFEU, the Member State concerned shall allocate an appropriate amount of at least 0,25 % of its resources of the ESF+ strand under shared management for that purpose.

Article 10

Support for the most deprived persons

The resources referred to in Article 7(5) under specific objectives set out in Article 4(1), points (l) and (m), shall be programmed under a dedicated priority or programme. The co-financing rate for that priority or programme shall be 90 %.

Article 11

Support for youth employment

Support in accordance with the second and third subparagraphs of Article 7(6) shall be programmed under a dedicated priority or programme and it shall at least include support contributing to the specific objective set out in Article 4(1), point (a), and may include support contributing to the specific objectives set out in Article 4(1), points (f) and (l).

Article 12

Support for relevant country-specific recommendations

The actions addressing the challenges identified in relevant country-specific recommendations and in the European Semester as referred to in Article 7(2) shall be programmed under any of the specific objectives set out in Article 4(1) to support the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights and under one or more priorities, which can be a multi-fund priority.

Article 12a

Support for the STEP objectives

In accordance with Article 90(5) of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060, the amount paid as exceptional pre-financing shall be cleared from the Commission accounts no later than with the final accounting year.

In accordance with Article 90(6) of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060, any interest generated by the exceptional pre-financing shall be used for the programme concerned in the same way as the ESF+ and shall be included in the accounts for the final accounting year.

In accordance with Article 97(1) of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060, the exceptional pre-financing shall not be suspended.

In accordance with Article 105(1) of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060, the pre-financing to be taken into account for the purposes of calculating amounts to be de-committed shall include the exceptional pre-financing paid.

By way of derogation from Article 112 of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060, the maximum co-financing rate for dedicated priorities established to support the STEP objectives shall be 100 %.

Article 12b

Support for alleviating the negative socio-economic consequences of natural disasters

In accordance with Article 90(5), first subparagraph, of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060, the amount paid as exceptional pre-financing shall be cleared from the Commission accounts no later than with the final accounting year.

In accordance with Article 90(6) of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060, any interest generated by the exceptional pre-financing shall be used for the programme concerned in the same way as the ESF+ and shall be included in the accounts for the final accounting year.

In accordance with Article 97(1) of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060, the exceptional pre-financing shall not be suspended.

In accordance with Article 105(1) of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060, the pre-financing to be taken into account for the purposes of calculating amounts to be de-committed shall include the exceptional pre-financing paid.

Member States shall ensure that support from another Union instrument, from a national instrument or from a private insurance scheme received for operations selected in response to a natural disaster, is deducted from the expenditure included in the payment application submitted to the Commission.

Article 12c

Support for the development of skills in civil preparedness, in the defence industry including for dual-use capabilities, and in cybersecurity

Such exceptional one-off pre-financing shall be paid within 60 days of the adoption of the Commission decision approving the programme amendment pursuant to Article 24(4) of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060.

Any interest generated by such exceptional one-off pre-financing shall, pursuant to Article 90(6) of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060, be used for the programme concerned in the same way as the ESF+ and be included in the accounts for the final accounting year.

Pursuant to Article 97(1) of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060, such exceptional one-off pre-financing shall not be suspended.

The pre-financing to be taken into account for the purpose of calculating amounts to be decommitted shall, pursuant to Article 105(1) of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060, include any exceptional one-off pre-financing paid.

Beneficiaries shall not be subject to the requirements set out in Article 50(1), points (c), (d) and (e), of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 for operations supported under the dedicated priority referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article, where the public display of information on the support or the organisation of a communication event or activity is not required for reasons of security or public order pursuant to Article 69(5) of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060.

The Commission shall inform the European Parliament at least once a year of the number of operations that are the subject of the derogation provided for in the second subparagraph, as well as their total cost, in an aggregated manner, with due regard to confidentiality requirements.

Article 12d

Support for adaptation linked to decarbonisation

Such exceptional one-off pre-financing shall be paid within 60 days of the adoption of the Commission decision approving the programme amendment pursuant to Article 24(4) of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060.

Any interest generated by such exceptional one-off pre-financing shall, pursuant to Article 90(6) of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060, be used for the programme concerned in the same way as the ESF+ and be included in the accounts for the final accounting year.

Pursuant to Article 97(1) of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060, such exceptional one-off pre-financing shall not be suspended.

The pre-financing to be taken into account for the purpose of calculating amounts to be decommitted shall, pursuant to Article 105(1) of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060, include any exceptional one-off pre-financing paid.

CHAPTER II General support from the ESF+ strand under shared management

Article 13

Scope

This Chapter applies to support from the ESF+ strand under shared management contributing to specific objectives set out in Article 4(1), points (a) to (l) (general support from the ESF+ strand under shared management).

Article 14

Social innovative actions

Article 15

Transnational cooperation

Member States may support transnational cooperation actions under any of the specific objectives set out in Article 4(1), points (a) to (l).

Article 16

Eligibility

• (a) the purchase of land and real estate as well as infrastructure; and

• (b) the purchase of furniture, equipment and vehicles, except where such purchase is necessary for achieving the objective of the operation, or those items are fully depreciated during the operation, or the purchase of those items is the most economic option.

Article 17

Indicators and reporting

CHAPTER III ESF+ support for addressing material deprivation

Article 18

Scope

This Chapter applies to ESF+ support contributing to the specific objective set out in Article 4(1), point (m).

Article 19

Principles

The food and/or basic material assistance may be provided directly to the most deprived persons or indirectly, for example, through vouchers or cards, in electronic or other form, provided that they can be redeemed only against food and/or basic material assistance. Support for the most deprived persons shall be additional to any social benefit that may be provided to end recipients by national social systems or according to national law.

The food provided for the most deprived persons may be obtained from the use, processing or sale of the products disposed of in accordance with Article 16(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council ([^E0003]), provided that this is economically the most favourable option and does not unduly delay the delivery of food to the most deprived persons.

Any amount derived from such a transaction shall be used for the benefit of the most deprived persons, in addition to the amounts already available to the programme.

Article 20

Content of the priority

• (a) the type of support;

• (b) the main target groups; and

• (c) a description of the national or regional schemes of support.

Article 21

Eligibility of operations

Article 22

Eligibility of expenditure

• (a) the cost of purchasing food and/or basic material assistance, including costs related to transporting food and/or basic material assistance to the beneficiaries delivering the food and/or basic material assistance to the end recipients;

• (b) where the transport of the food and/or basic material assistance to the beneficiaries distributing them to the end recipients is not covered by point (a), the costs borne by the purchasing body related to transporting food and/or basic material assistance to the storage depots or the beneficiaries and storage costs at a flat-rate of 1 % of the costs referred to in point (a) or, in duly justified cases, costs actually incurred and paid;

• (c) the administrative, transport, storage and preparation costs borne by the beneficiaries involved in the distribution of the food and/or basic material assistance to the most deprived persons at a flat-rate of 7 % of the costs referred to in point (a) or 7 % of the costs of the value of the food disposed of in accordance with Article 16 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013;

• (d) the cost of collection, transport, storage and distribution of food donations and directly related awareness raising activities; and

• (e) the costs of accompanying measures undertaken by or on behalf of beneficiaries and declared by the beneficiaries delivering the food and/or basic material assistance to the most deprived persons at a flat- rate of 7 % of the costs referred to in point (a).

• (a) interest on debt;

• (b) purchase of infrastructure; and

• (c) costs of second-hand goods.

Article 23

Indicators and reporting

Article 24

Audit

Audit of operations may cover all stages of their implementation and all levels of the distribution chain, with the sole exception of control of the end recipients, unless a risk assessment establishes a specific risk of irregularity or fraud.

PART III

IMPLEMENTATION UNDER DIRECT AND INDIRECT MANAGEMENT

CHAPTER I Operational objectives

Article 25

Operational objectives

The EaSI strand shall have the following operational objectives:

• (a) to develop high-quality comparative analytical knowledge in order to ensure that policies to achieve the specific objectives set out in Article 4(1) are based on sound evidence and are relevant to needs, challenges and local conditions;

• (b) to facilitate effective and inclusive information sharing, mutual learning, peer reviews and dialogue on policies in the policy areas set out in Article 4(1) in order to assist the design of appropriate policy measures;

• (c) to support social experimentation in the policy areas set out in Article 4(1) and build up the stakeholders’ capacity at national and local levels to prepare, design and implement, transfer or scale up the tested social policy innovations, in particular with regard to the scaling up of projects developed by local stakeholders in the field of the socio-economic integration of third-country nationals;

• (d) to facilitate the voluntary geographical mobility of workers and increase employment opportunities through developing and providing specific support services to employers and jobseekers with a view to the development of integrated European labour markets, ranging from pre-recruitment preparation to post-placement assistance in order to fill vacancies in certain sectors, professions, countries, border regions or for particular groups, such as people in vulnerable situations;

• (e) to support the development of the market ecosystem around the provision of microfinance to microenterprises in start-up and development phases, in particular those that are created by or employ people in vulnerable situations;

• (f) to support networking at Union level and dialogue with and among relevant stakeholders in the policy areas set out in Article 4(1) and contribute to build up the institutional capacity of involved stakeholders, including the public employment services, public social security and health insurance institutions, civil society, microfinance institutions and institutions providing finance to social enterprises and the social economy;

• (g) to support the development of social enterprises and the emergence of a social investment market, facilitating public and private interactions and the participation of foundations and philanthropic actors in that market;

• (h) to provide guidance for the development of social infrastructure needed for the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights;

• (i) to support transnational cooperation in order to accelerate the transfer and facilitate the scaling up, of innovative solutions, in particular for the policy areas set out in Article 4(1); and

• (j) to support the implementation of relevant international social and labour standards in the context of harnessing globalisation and the external dimension of Union policies in the policy areas set out in Article 4(1).

CHAPTER II Eligibility

Article 26

Eligible actions

• (a) analytical activities, including in relation to third countries, in particular:
• (i) surveys, studies, statistical data, methodologies, classifications, micro-simulations, indicators and support for European-level observatories and benchmarks;
• (ii) social experimentation evaluating social innovations;
• (iii) monitoring and assessment of the transposition and application of Union law;

• (b) policy implementation, in particular:
• (i) cross-border partnerships, in particular between public employment services, the social partners and civil society, and support services in cross-border regions;
• (ii) a Union-wide labour-targeted mobility scheme at Union level to fill job vacancies where labour market shortcomings have been identified;
• (iii) support for microfinance institutions and institutions providing finance to social enterprises, including through blending operations such as asymmetric risk sharing or the reduction of transaction costs, as well as support for the development of social infrastructure and skills;
• (iv) support for transnational cooperation and partnership with a view to transferring and scaling up innovative solutions;

• (c) capacity building, in particular of:
• (i) networks at Union level related to the policy areas set out in Article 4(1);
• (ii) national contact points providing guidance, information and assistance related to the implementation of the EaSI strand;
• (iii) the administrations, social security institutions and employment services responsible for promoting labour mobility, of microfinance institutions and institutions providing finance to social enterprises or other social investment actors, as well as networking, in Member States or third countries associated to the EaSI strand pursuant to Article 29;
• (iv) stakeholders, including the social partners and civil society organisations, in view of transnational cooperation;