European Social Fund

Briefing 22-02-2017

The European Social Fund (ESF) is one of the European Structural and Investment Funds. It promotes quality employment, social inclusion, education and training, and enhances the institutional capacity of public authorities. All EU Member States are eligible for ESF support through corresponding operational programmes. The Youth Employment Initiative (YEI) complements the ESF actions addressing youth unemployment. The ESF was created in 1957 and has a long history of actions and achievements. It has also not avoided criticism. In the current MFF the implementation of the Fund has been rather slow, but it is expected to reach full cruising speed in 2017.