Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament pursuant to the second subparagraph of Article 251 (2) of the EC Treaty concerning the common position of the Council on the adoption of a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European Social Fund
Date: 2006-06-13
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU regional policy, European Social Fund, economic and social cohesion, employment policy, equal treatment, operation of the Institutions, regional development

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 13.6.2006 
COM(2006) 301 final 

2004/0165 (COD) 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION 
TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 

pursuant to the second subparagraph of Article 251 (2) of the EC Treaty 

concerning the 

common position of the Council on the adoption of a Regulation of the European 
Parliament and of the Council on the European Social Fund 

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   EN 

 
 
 
  
 
 
2004/0165 (COD) 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION 
TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 

pursuant to the second subparagraph of Article 251 (2) of the EC Treaty 

concerning the 

common position of the Council on the adoption of a Regulation of the European 
Parliament and of the Council on the European Social Fund 

1. 

BACKGROUND 

Date of transmission of the proposal to the EP and the Council 
(document COM(2004) 493 final – 2004/0165(COD)): 

Date of the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee: 

Date of the opinion of the European Committee of the Regions: 

Date of the opinion of the European Parliament, first reading: 

Amended Commission proposal (document COM(2005) 523 final – 
2004/165 (COD)): 

Date of adoption of the common position: 

15.7.2004

9.3.2005

23.2.2005

6.7.2005

17.10.2005

12.6.2006

2. 

OBJECTIVE OF THE COMMISSION PROPOSAL 

The  purpose  of  the  Commission’s  proposal  was  to  define  the  tasks  of  the  European  Social 
Fund and the scope of  the  assistance  under the Fund with regard to the “Convergence” and 
"Regional Competitiveness and employment” objectives.  

Together with the proposals for Regulations on the Cohesion Fund, on the European Regional 
Development Fund, on the European Grouping for territorial cooperation and on the general 
rules  applicable  to  all  the  Funds,  it  represents  the  Community  legal  framework  for  the 
implementation of Cohesion policy in the period 2007-2013. 

3. 

COMMENTS ON THE COMMON POSITION 

The Common position was adopted on 12 June 2006 by qualified majority. The Commission 
can endorse it because it considers it an appropriate compromise that meets the objectives of 
the  amended  Commission  proposal,  which  accepted  a  large  number  of  the  European 
Parliament’s amendments.  

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In relation to the amended Commission proposal one change of substance was requested by 
Council.  Member  States  indicated  unanimously  their  objection  to  the  provisions  of 
article 5 (3) providing an allocation of at least 2% of ESF resources under the "Convergence" 
Objective to "capacity building and activities jointly undertaken by the social partners". After 
consultation  with  the  European  Parliament,  the  Presidency  has  proposed  that  the  text  be 
adapted to state that "an appropriate amount of ESF resources shall be allocated to capacity 
building,  which  shall  include  training,  networking  measures,  strengthening  the  social 
dialogue  and  activities  jointly  undertaken  by  the  social  partners."  The  other  modifications, 
requested by the Council, do not change the substance of the Commission proposal. 

4. 

CONCLUSION 

The Commission considers that the common position adopted on 12 June 2006 by qualified 
majority is balanced and can therefore support it.  

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