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
2. The definitions set out in Article 2 of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 also apply to the ESF+ strand under shared management.
Article 3 General objectives of the ESF+ and methods of implementation
1. The ESF+ aims to support Member States and regions to achieve high employment levels, fair social protection and a skilled and resilient workforce ready for the future world of work, as well as inclusive and cohesive societies aiming to eradicating poverty and delivering on the principles set out in the European Pillar of Social Rights. 2. The ESF+ shall support, complement and add value to the policies of Member States to ensure equal opportunities, equal access to the labour market, fair and quality working conditions, social protection and inclusion, in particular focussing on quality and inclusive education and training, lifelong learning, investment in children and young people and access to basic services.
Article 4 Specific objectives of the ESF+
4. Where, upon a request submitted by the Member States concerned, the Commission finds that the conditions laid down in paragraph 3 are fulfilled, it shall adopt an implementing decision specifying the period during which the temporary additional support from the ESF+ is authorised. 5. The Commission shall monitor the implementation of paragraph 3 of this Article and assess whether the temporary additional support from ESF+ is sufficient to facilitate the use of support from the ESF+ in response to the exceptional or unusual circumstances. On the basis of its assessment, the Commission shall, where appropriate, make proposals for amendments to this Regulation, including on the thematic concentration requirements set out in Article 7, except the thematic concentration requirement as specified in Article 7(5) and (6).
Article 5 Budget
1. The financial envelope for the implementation of the ESF+ for the period 2021 to 2027 shall be EUR 87 995 063 417 , in 2018 prices. 2. The part of the financial envelope for the implementation of the ESF+ strand under shared management to contribute to the investment for jobs and growth goal in Member States and regions as referred to Article 5(2), point (a), of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 shall be EUR 87 319 331 844 , in 2018 prices, of which EUR 175 000 000 shall be allocated for transnational cooperation to accelerate the transfer, and facilitate the scaling up, of innovative solutions as referred to in Article 25, point (i), of this Regulation and EUR 472 980 447 , in 2018 prices, as additional funding to the outermost regions identified in Article 349 TFEU and the NUTS level 2 regions fulfilling the criteria laid down in Article 2 of Protocol No 6 on special provisions for Objective 6 in the framework of the Structural Funds in Finland, Norway and Sweden annexed to the 1994 Act of Accession (Protocol No 6). 3. The part of the financial envelope for the implementation of the EaSI strand for the period 2021 to 2027 shall be EUR 675 731 573 , in 2018 prices. 4. The amount referred to in paragraph 3 may also be used for technical and administrative assistance for the implementation of the EaSI strand, such as preparatory, monitoring, control, audit and evaluation activities including corporate information technology systems.
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.
Article 7 Consistency and thematic concentration
1. Member States shall programme their resources of the ESF+ strand under shared management by prioritising interventions that address the challenges identified in the European Semester, including in their national reform programmes as well as in the relevant country-specific recommendations adopted in accordance with Article 121(2) and Article 148(4) TFEU, and take into account the principles and rights set out in the European Pillar of Social Rights and the national and regional strategies relevant for ESF+ objectives, thereby contributing to the goals set out in Article 174 TFEU. 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. 2. Member States shall allocate an appropriate amount of their resources of the ESF+ strand under shared management to address challenges identified in relevant country-specific recommendations adopted in accordance with Article 121(2) and Article 148(4) TFEU and in the European Semester falling within the scope of the specific objectives of the ESF+ set out in Article 4(1) of this Regulation. 3. Member States shall allocate an appropriate amount of their resources of the ESF+ strand under shared management for the implementation of the Child Guarantee through targeted actions and structural reforms to tackle child poverty under the specific objectives set out in Article 4(1), points (f) and (h) to (l). 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. 4. Member States shall allocate at least 25 % of their resources of the ESF+ strand under shared management to the specific objectives for the social inclusion policy area set out in Article 4(1), points (h) to (l), including the promotion of the socio-economic integration of third-country nationals. 5. Member States shall allocate at least 3 % of their resources of the ESF+ strand under shared management to support the most deprived persons under the specific objective set out in Article 4(1), point (m), or, in duly justified cases, either the specific objective set out in Article 4(1), point (l), or both of those specific objectives. The resources shall not be taken into account for verifying compliance with the minimum allocations set out in paragraphs 3 and 4. 6. Member States shall allocate an appropriate amount of their resources of the ESF+ strand under shared management to targeted actions and structural reforms to support youth employment, vocational education and training, in particular apprenticeships, and the transition from school to work, pathways to reintegrate into education or training and second chance education, in particular in the context of implementing schemes under the Youth Guarantee. 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. 7. Paragraphs 2 to 6 of this Article shall not apply to the specific additional allocation received by the outermost regions and the NUTS level 2 regions fulfilling the criteria laid down in Article 2 of Protocol No 6. 8. Paragraphs 1 to 6 shall not apply to technical assistance.
Article 8 Respect for the Charter
1. All operations shall be selected and implemented while respecting the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (the ‘Charter’) and in accordance with the relevant provisions of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060. 2. In accordance with Article 69(7) of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060, Member States shall ensure the effective examination of complaints. This is without prejudice to the general possibility of citizens and stakeholders to address complaints to the Commission, including with regard to infringements of the Charter. 3. Where the Commission finds that there has been an infringement of the Charter, the Commission shall take into account the gravity of the infringement in its determination of the corrective measures to be applied in line with the relevant provisions of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060.
Article 9 Partnership
1. Member States shall ensure meaningful participation of the social partners and civil society organisations in the delivery of employment, education and social inclusion policies supported by the ESF+ strand under shared management. 2. Member States shall allocate an appropriate amount of their resources of the ESF+ strand under shared management in each programme to capacity building of the social partners and civil society organisations, including in the form of training, networking measures, and strengthening of the social dialogue, and to activities jointly undertaken by the social partners. 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
1. Member States may use the ESF+ to provide support to the objectives of the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP) referred to in Article 2(1), point (b) of Regulation (EU) 2024/795 of the European Parliament and of the Council ( 1 ), under the relevant specific objectives set out in Article 4(1) of this Regulation, including by supporting the development of skills in net-zero technologies, inter alia those based on learning programmes created by European Skills Academies, as well as the training of young people and the skilling, upskilling and reskilling of workers in net-zero technologies. 2. In addition to the pre-financing for the programme provided for in Article 90(1) and (2) of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060, where the Commission approves an amendment of a programme including one or more priorities dedicated to operations supported by the ESF+ contributing to the STEP objectives referred to in Article 2 of Regulation (EU) 2024/795, it shall make an exceptional pre-financing of 30 % on the basis of the allocation to those priorities. That exceptional pre-financing shall be paid within 60 days of the adoption of the Commission decision approving the programme amendment, provided that the programme amendment is submitted to the Commission by 31 March 2025. 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 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
1. Member States shall support actions of social innovation and social experimentation, including actions with a socio-cultural component or strengthening bottom-up approaches based on partnerships involving public authorities, the social partners, social enterprises, the private sector and civil society. 2. Member States may support the scaling up of innovative approaches tested on a small scale and developed under the EaSI strand and other Union programmes. 3. Innovative actions and approaches may be programmed under any of the specific objectives set out in Article 4(1), points (a) to (l). 4. Member States shall dedicate at least one priority to the implementation of paragraph 1 or 2, or both. The maximum co-financing rate for such priorities may be increased to 95 % for a maximum of 5 % of the national resources under the ESF+ strand under shared management. 5. Member States shall identify, either in their programmes or at a later stage during implementation, fields for social innovation and social experimentation that correspond to specific needs of Member States. 6. The Commission shall facilitate capacity building for social innovation, in particular through supporting mutual learning, establishing networks, and disseminating and promoting good practices and methodologies.
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
2. Contributions in kind in the form of allowances or salaries disbursed by a third party for the benefit of the participants in an operation may be eligible for a contribution from general support from the ESF+ strand under shared management provided that the contributions in kind are incurred in accordance with national rules, including accountancy rules, and do not exceed the cost borne by the third party. 3. The specific additional allocation received by the outermost regions and the NUTS level 2 regions fulfilling the criteria laid down in Article 2 of Protocol No 6 shall be used to support the achievement of the specific objectives set out in Article 4(1). 4. Direct staff costs shall be eligible for a contribution from general support from the ESF+ strand under shared management if they are in line with the beneficiary’s usual remuneration practice for the category of function concerned or in line with applicable national law, collective agreements or official statistics.
Article 17 Indicators and reporting
1. Programmes benefitting from general support from the ESF+ strand under shared management shall use common output and result indicators, as set out in Annex I to monitor progress in implementation. The programmes may also use programme-specific indicators. 2. Where a Member State allocates its resources to the specific objective set out in Article 4(1), point (l), to target the most deprived persons, in line with the first subparagraph of Article 7(5), the common indicators as set out in Annex II shall apply. 3. The baseline for common and programme-specific output indicators shall be set at zero. Where relevant to the nature of the operations supported, cumulative quantified milestones and target values of those indicators shall be set in absolute numbers. The reported values of the output indicators shall be expressed in absolute numbers. 4. The reference value of common and programme-specific result indicators for which a target value for 2029 have been set, shall be fixed using the latest available data or other relevant sources of information. Targets for common result indicators shall be fixed in absolute numbers or as a percentage. Programme-specific result indicators and related targets may be expressed in quantitative or qualitative terms. The reported values of common result indicators shall be expressed in absolute numbers. 5. Data on the indicators for participants shall only be transmitted when all data required under point 1.1 of Annex I relating to that participant are available. 6. Where data are available in registers or equivalent sources, Member States may enable the managing authorities and other bodies entrusted with data collection necessary for the monitoring and the evaluation of general support from the ESF+ strand under shared management to obtain data from those registers or equivalent sources, in accordance with Article 6(1), points (c) and (e), of Regulation (EU) 2016/679. 7. The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 37 to amend the indicators in Annexes I and II where considered necessary to ensure effective assessment of progress in the implementation of programmes. Such amendments shall be proportionate, taking into account the administrative burden borne by Member States and beneficiaries. Delegated acts in accordance with this paragraph shall not change the methodology for data collection as laid down in Annexes I and II.
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
1. The ESF+ support for addressing material deprivation shall be used only to support the distribution of food and goods that are in conformity with the Union law on consumer product safety. 2. Member States and beneficiaries shall choose the food and/or the basic material assistance on the basis of objective criteria related to the needs of the most deprived persons. The selection criteria for the food, and where appropriate for goods, shall also take into consideration climate-related and environmental aspects, in particular with a view to reduction of food waste and single-use plastics. Where appropriate, the choice of the type of food to be distributed shall be made having considered their contribution to the balanced diet of the most deprived persons. 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 ( 2 ), 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. 3. The Commission and Member States shall ensure that aid provided in the framework of the ESF+ support for addressing material deprivation respects the dignity and prevents stigmatisation of the most deprived persons. 4. Member States shall complement the delivery of food and/or basic material assistance by accompanying measures, such as referrals to competent services, under the specific objective set out in Article 4(1), point (m), or by promoting the social integration of the most deprived persons under the specific objective set out in Article 4(1), point (l).
Article 20 Content of the priority
2. In the case of programmes limited to support as referred to in paragraph 1 and the related technical assistance, the priority shall also include the criteria for the selection of operations.
Article 21 Eligibility of operations
1. The food and/or basic material assistance provided to the most deprived persons may be purchased by or on behalf of the beneficiary or made available free of charge to the beneficiary. 2. The food and/or basic material assistance shall be distributed free of charge to the most deprived persons.
Article 22 Eligibility of expenditure
2. Costs for the preparation of voucher or card schemes in electronic or other form, and corresponding operating costs are eligible under technical assistance provided they are borne by the managing authority or another public body which is not a beneficiary that distributes the vouchers or cards to end recipients, or provided they are not covered by the costs set out in of paragraph 1, point (c).
Article 23 Indicators and reporting
1. Priorities addressing material deprivation shall use common output and result indicators, as set out in Annex III to monitor progress in implementation. Those priorities may also use programme-specific indicators. 2. The reference values of common and programme-specific result indicators shall be established. 3. Managing authorities shall report twice to the Commission the results of a structured survey of the end recipients regarding the support received from the ESF+ and also focusing on their living conditions and the nature of their material deprivation, carried out during the previous year. That survey shall be based on the model which shall be established by the Commission by means of an implementing act. The first such reporting shall take place by 30 June 2025 and the second by 30 June 2028. 4. The Commission shall adopt an implementing act establishing the model to be used for the structured survey of end recipients in accordance with the advisory procedure referred to in Article 38(2) in order to ensure uniform conditions for the implementation of this Article. 5. The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 37 to amend the indicators in Annex III where considered to be necessary to ensure effective assessment of progress in the implementation of programmes. Such amendments shall be proportionate taking into account the administrative burden borne by Member States and beneficiaries. Delegated acts in accordance with this paragraph shall not change the methodology for data collection as laid down in Annex III.
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.
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).
Article 27 Eligible entities
2. Legal entities established in a third country which is not associated to the EaSI strand pursuant to Article 29 shall be exceptionally eligible to participate where necessary for the achievement of the objectives of a given action. 3. Legal entities established in a third country which is not associated to the EaSI strand pursuant to Article 29 shall, in principle, bear the cost of their participation.
Article 28 Horizontal principles
1. The Commission shall ensure that gender equality, gender mainstreaming and the integration of gender perspective are taken into account and promoted throughout the preparation, implementation, monitoring, reporting, and evaluation of the operations supported from the EaSI strand. 2. The Commission shall take appropriate steps to prevent any discrimination based on gender, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation during the preparation, implementation, monitoring, reporting, and evaluation of the operations supported from the EaSI strand. In particular, accessibility for persons with disabilities shall be taken into account throughout the preparation and implementation of the EaSI strand.
Article 29 Participation of third countries
The EaSI strand shall be open to the participation of the following third countries by means of an agreement with the Union: (a) members of the European Free Trade Association which are members of the European Economic Area, in accordance with the conditions laid down in the Agreement on the European Economic Area; (b) acceding countries, candidate countries and potential candidates, in accordance with the general principles and general terms and conditions for the participation of those countries in Union programmes established in the respective framework agreements and Association Council decisions or similar agreements and in accordance with the specific conditions laid down in agreements between the Union and those countries; The contributions referred to in this Article, first paragraph, point (c)(ii), shall constitute assigned revenues in accordance with Article 21(5) of the Financial Regulation.
Article 30 Forms of Union funding and methods of implementation
1. The EaSI strand may provide funding in any of the forms laid down in the Financial Regulation for financial contributions, in particular grants, prizes, procurement and voluntary payments to international organisations of which the Union is a member or in whose work it participates. 2. The EaSI strand shall be implemented directly as provided for in Article 62(1), first subparagraph, point (a), of the Financial Regulation or indirectly with bodies referred to in Article 62(1), first subparagraph, point (c), of that Regulation. When awarding grants, the evaluation committee referred to in Article 150 of the Financial Regulation may be composed of external experts. 3. Blending operations under the EaSI strand shall be implemented in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2021/523 and Title X of the Financial Regulation.
Article 31 Work programme
1. The EaSI strand shall be implemented on the basis of work programmes referred to in Article 110 of Financial Regulation. The content of those work programmes shall be established in line with the operational objectives set out in Article 25 of this Regulation and with the eligible actions set out in Article 26 of this Regulation. Work programmes shall set out, where applicable, the overall amount reserved for blending operations. 2. The Commission shall gather expertise on the preparation of the work programmes by consulting the working group referred to in Article 39(8). 3. The Commission shall foster synergies and ensure effective coordination between ESF+ and other relevant Union instruments as well as between the ESF+ strands.
Article 32 Monitoring and reporting
Indicators to report on the progress of the EaSI strand towards the achievement of the specific objectives set out in Article 4(1) and the operational objectives set out in Article 25 are set out in Annex IV. The performance reporting system shall ensure that data for monitoring the implementation and results of the EaSI strand are collected efficiently, effectively and in a timely manner. To that end, proportionate reporting requirements shall be imposed on recipients of Union funds and, where relevant, Member States.
Article 33 Protection of the financial interests of the Union
Where a third country participates in the EaSI strand by means of a decision adopted pursuant to an international agreement, or on the basis of any other legal instrument, the third country shall grant the necessary rights and access required for the authorising officer responsible, OLAF and the Court of Auditors to comprehensively exercise their respective competences. In the case of OLAF, such rights shall include the right to carry out investigations, including on-the-spot checks and inspections, as provided for in Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 883/2013.
Article 34 Evaluation
1. Evaluations shall be carried out in a timely manner to feed into the decision-making process. 2. By 31 December 2024, the Commission shall carry out a mid-term evaluation of the EaSI strand, on the basis of sufficient information available about its implementation. The Commission shall assess the performance of the programme pursuant to Article 34 of the Financial Regulation, and in particular its effectiveness, efficiency, coherence, relevance and Union added value, including vis-à-vis the horizontal principles referred to in Article 28 of this Regulation, and measure, on a qualitative and quantitative basis, progress made in meeting the objectives of the EaSI strand. The mid-term evaluation shall be based on the information generated by the monitoring arrangements and indicators established pursuant to Article 32, with a view to making any adjustments needed to the policy and funding priorities. 3. By 31 December 2031, at the end of the implementation period a final evaluation of the EaSI strand shall be carried out by the Commission. 4. The Commission shall submit the conclusions of the mid-term and final evaluations accompanied by its observations, to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions.
Article 35 Audits
Audits on the use of the Union contribution carried out by persons or entities, including by other than those mandated by the Union institutions or bodies, shall form the basis of the overall assurance pursuant to Article 127 of the Financial Regulation.
Article 36 Information, communication and publicity
1. The recipients of Union funding shall acknowledge the origin of those funds and ensure the visibility of the Union funding, in particular when promoting the actions and their results, by providing coherent, effective and proportionate targeted information to multiple audiences, including the media and the public. 2. The Commission shall implement information and communication actions relating to the EaSI strand, to actions taken pursuant to the EaSI strand and to the results obtained. Financial resources allocated to the EaSI strand shall also contribute to the corporate communication of the political priorities of the Union, insofar as those priorities are related to the objectives referred to in Article 3(1) and (2), Article 4(1) and Article 25.
Article 37 Exercise of the delegation
1. The power to adopt delegated acts is conferred on the Commission subject to the conditions laid down in this Article. 2. The power to adopt delegated acts referred to in Article 17(7) and Article 23(5) shall be conferred on the Commission for an indeterminate period of time from 1 July 2021. 3. The delegation of power referred to in Article 17(7) and Article 23(5) may be revoked at any time by the European Parliament or by the Council. A decision to revoke shall put an end to the delegation of the power specified in that decision. It shall take effect the day following the publication of the decision in the Official Journal of the European Union or at a later date specified therein. It shall not affect the validity of any delegated acts already in force. 4. Before adopting a delegated act, the Commission shall consult experts designated by each Member State in accordance with the principles laid down in the Interinstitutional Agreement of 13 April 2016 on Better Law-Making. 5. As soon as it adopts a delegated act, the Commission shall notify it simultaneously to the European Parliament and to the Council. 6. A delegated act adopted pursuant to Article 17(7) or Article 23(5) shall enter into force only if no objection has been expressed either by the European Parliament or the Council within a period of two months of notification of that act to the European Parliament and the Council or if, before the expiry of that period, the European Parliament and the Council have both informed the Commission that they will not object. That period shall be extended by two months at the initiative of the European Parliament or of the Council.
Article 38 Committee procedure for the ESF+ strand under shared management
1. The Commission shall be assisted by the committee referred to in Article 115(1) of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060. That committee shall be a committee within the meaning of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011. 2. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Article 4 of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 shall apply.
Article 39 Committee set up under Article 163 TFEU
1. The Commission shall be assisted by the Committee set up under Article 163 TFEU (the ‘ESF+ Committee’). 2. Each Member State shall appoint one government representative, one representative of the workers’ organisations, one representative of the employers’ organisations and one alternate for each member for a maximum period of seven years. In the absence of a member, the alternate shall be automatically entitled to take part in the proceedings. 3. The ESF+ Committee shall include one representative from each of the organisations representing workers’ organisations and employers’ organisations at Union level. 4. The ESF+ Committee, including its working groups referred to in paragraph 7, may invite non-voting representatives of stakeholders to attend its meetings. This may include representatives of the European Investment Bank and the European Investment Fund as well as relevant civil society organisations. 5. The ESF+ Committee shall be consulted on the planned use of technical assistance referred to in Article 35 of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 in the case of support from the ESF+ strand under shared management, as well as on other issues having an impact on the implementation of strategies at Union level relevant to the ESF+. The opinions of the ESF+ Committee shall be adopted by an absolute majority of the votes validly cast, and shall be communicated to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, for information. The Commission shall inform the ESF+ Committee in writing of the manner in which it has taken account of its opinions. 7. The ESF+ Committee shall set up working groups for each ESF+ strand. 8. The Commission shall consult the working group dealing with the EaSI strand on the work programme. It shall inform that working group of the manner in which it has taken account of the results of that consultation. That working group shall ensure that a consultation of the work programme with stakeholders, including with representatives of civil society, takes place.
Article 40 Transitional provisions for the ESF+ strand under shared management
Regulation (EU) No 1304/2013, Regulation (EU) No 223/2014 or any act adopted under those Regulations shall continue to apply to programmes and operations supported under those Regulations during the 2014 to 2020 programming period.
Article 41 Transitional provisions for the EaSI strand
1. Regulation (EU) No 1296/2013 is repealed with effect from 1 January 2021. Any references to Regulation (EU) No 1296/2013 shall be construed as references to this Regulation. 2. The financial envelope for the implementation of the EaSI strand may also cover technical and administrative assistance expenses necessary to ensure the transition between the ESF+ and the measures adopted pursuant to Regulation (EU) No 1296/2013. 3. If necessary, appropriations may be entered in the Union budget beyond 2027 to cover the expenses provided for in Article 5(4), to enable the management of actions not completed by 31 December 2027. 4. Repayments from financial instruments established by Regulation (EU) No 1296/2013 shall be invested in the financial instruments of the social investment and skills policy window referred to in Article 8(1), point (d), of Regulation (EU) 2021/523. 5. In accordance with Article 193(2), second subparagraph, point (a), of the Financial Regulation, in duly justified cases specified in the financing decision and for a limited period, activities supported under this Regulation and the underlying costs may be considered eligible as of 1 January 2021, even if they were implemented and incurred before the grant application was submitted.
Article 42 Entry into force
This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union . It shall apply from 1 January 2021 with regard to the EaSI strand.