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DRAFT OPINION (COM(2025)0558 – C100172/2025 – 2025/0239(COD))

On the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council Establishing the European Social Fund as part of the National and Regional Partnership Plan set out in Regulation (EU) [NRPPlan] establishing conditions for the implementation of the Union support to quality employment, skills and social inclusion for the period from 2028 to 2034

CULT-PA-785225

Committee on Culture and Education · Rapporteur: Isilda Gomes

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The Committee on Culture and Education proposes amendments to the Commission's proposal for a European Social Fund (ESF) regulation for 2028 to 2034, part of the National and Regional Partnership Plan. The amendments add culture, sport, education, training, youth and media skills to the ESF's scope, and require Member States to spend set shares of their ESF resources on youth employment, education and culture. They also require Member States to involve social partners, civil society, youth organisations and education providers in delivering ESF support, and add new articles on education, youth participation and synergies with Erasmus+.

Committee position. The Committee on Culture and Education proposes amendments to the Commission's proposal for the ESF regulation, adding culture, sport, education, training and youth to its scope, setting minimum spending shares for youth employment, education and culture, and strengthening the role of social partners, civil society and youth organisations.

Key points

  1. The ESF should support investments in people and reforms in employment, education, training and social inclusion, guided by the European Pillar of Social Rights and its 2030 targets.
  2. The ESF's scope for 2028 to 2034 should be aligned with the Council's employment guidelines and include socio-cultural and cultural activity, skills, sport and culture-based measures.
  3. The European Semester framework should be developed in partnership between national, regional and local authorities and include a gender perspective.
  4. The ESF should support labour market participation of women, young mothers, families in difficulty, young people, persons with disabilities, Roma and other minorities, and entrepreneurship, especially among young people.
  5. The ESF should support inclusive, publicly funded education and training systems, vocational training, lifelong learning, learning mobility, youth, culture, physical activity and sport, and teaching professions.
  6. The ESF should support skills including cultural awareness, digital and media skills, transversal, language and citizenship skills, and basic skills such as numeracy, literacy, science and financial literacy from an early age.
  7. The ESF should support skills development, training, social protection and fair working conditions for cultural and creative professionals, in complementarity with AgoraEU and national measures.
  8. The ESF should ensure sufficient funding for education and skills foundations, lifelong upskilling and reskilling, and synergies with Erasmus+, the European Solidarity Corps, the European Regional Development Fund and AgoraEU.
  9. The ESF should support personalised assistance for unemployed and inactive people, youth employment, prevention of early leaving from education and training, and the reinforced Youth Guarantee.
  10. The ESF should support access to services including healthcare and long-term care, equal opportunities, non-discrimination, poverty reduction, social inclusion, children's rights and the Child Guarantee.
  11. Member States with above-average rates of young people aged 15 to 29 not in employment, education or training must allocate at least 12.5% of their ESF shared-management resources to youth employment and vocational education and training.
  12. Member States must allocate at least 20% of their ESF shared-management resources to education and training, and at least 7.5% to culture.

Who is affected

  • Member States, which must allocate set shares of ESF resources to youth employment, education and culture, and involve partners in delivery.
  • Social partners, civil society organisations, youth organisations and education and training providers, which must be involved in managing, programming, monitoring and evaluating ESF activities.
  • Cultural and creative professionals, who should receive ESF support for skills, training, social protection and fair working conditions.
  • Young people, especially those not in employment, education or training, who should benefit from youth employment measures and the reinforced Youth Guarantee.
  • Persons with disabilities, Roma and other minorities, children in poverty and other disadvantaged groups, who should receive targeted ESF support.

Figures and deadlines

  • At least 78% of the population aged 20-64 should be in employment by 2030.
  • At least 60% of all adults should participate in training every year by 2030.
  • At least 15 million fewer people should be at risk of poverty or social exclusion by 2030, including 5 million children.
  • The Union labour market will comprise approximately 1 million fewer persons each year between now and 2040.
  • Member States with above-average rates of young people aged 15 to 29 not in employment, education or training must allocate at least 12.5% of their ESF shared-management resources.
  • Member States must allocate at least 20% of their ESF shared-management resources to education and training.
  • Member States must allocate at least 7.5% of their ESF shared-management resources to culture.
  • Committee members and alternates are appointed for a maximum period of seven years.