11755/26

ECOFIN.2.A LIMITE EN

Council of the European Union

Brussels, 9 July 2026 (OR. en)

11755/26

LIMITE

COH 132 SOC 488 SAN 578 CADREFIN 332 POLGEN 192 CODEC 1427

PARLNAT

Interinstitutional File: 2025/0239 (COD)

COVER NOTE

From: European Committee of the Regions

date of receipt: 9 July 2026

To: General Secretariat of the Council

Subject: 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

COM(2025) 558

- Opinion from the European Committee of the Regions

Delegations will find enclosed the opinion of the European Committee of the Regions on the above.

_______________

COR-2026-00373-00-01-PAC-TRA (EN) 1/22

EN

SEDEC-VIII/011

172nd plenary session, 1-2 July 2026

DRAFT OPINION

European Social Fund 2028-2034

_____________

Rapporteur: Tom Jungen (LU/PES)

Mayor of the Municipality of Roeser

_____________

Deadline for tabling amendments:

15:00 (Brussels time) on 16 June 2026. Amendments must be submitted using the online tool for tabling

amendments (available through the Members’ Portal at https://memportal.cor.europa.eu/).

Number of signatures required: 6

COR-2026-00373-00-01-PAC-TRA (EN) 2/22

Reference document:

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

COM(2025) 558

COR-2026-00373-00-01-PAC-TRA (EN) 3/22

Draft opinion of the European Committee of the Regions – European Social Fund 2028-2034

I. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR AMENDMENTS

Recommendation for amendment 1

Recital 1

Text proposed by the European Commission CoR amendment

[Whereas:] (1) Article 162 of the Treaty on the

Functioning of the European Union (TFEU)

establishes the European Social Fund (ESF) in

order to improve employment opportunities for

workers in the internal market, thereby helping to

improve living standards, facilitating

employment, increasing their geographic and

occupational mobility within the Union and

helping them to adapt to industrial

transformations and changes in production

systems, notably through vocational training and

retraining.

Article 174 TFEU states that the Union shall

develop and pursue its actions leading to the

strengthening of its economic, social and

territorial cohesion.

Recommendation for amendment 2

Recital 1

Text proposed by the European Commission CoR amendment

[...] In order to contribute to the implementation of

the European Pillar of Social Rights the ESF

should support investments in people and reforms

of the systems in the policy areas of employment,

education and social inclusion, thereby supporting

economic, territorial and social cohesion in

accordance with Article 174 of the Treaty.

[...] In order to contribute to the implementation of

the European Pillar of Social Rights the ESF

should support investments in people and reforms

of the systems in the policy areas of employment,

education and social inclusion, thereby supporting

economic, territorial and social cohesion in

accordance with Article 174 of the Treaty. In order

to tackle inequalities and geographically

concentrated educational, training and cultural

gaps, the ESF should guarantee a specific and

significant allocation of resources for the

integrated territorial strategies, including

through territorial instruments such as ITI and

CLLD, while at the same time maintaining the

flexibility within the framework of the NRP Plan.

This approach must not alter the planning

COR-2026-00373-00-01-PAC-TRA (EN) 4/22

framework set out in the NRP Plan Regulation,

but must strengthen the ESF contribution to

territorial cohesion. In addition, and taking into

account the permanent structural constraints of

the outermost regions referred to in Article 349

TFEU, as well as the specific challenges of

regions facing demographic decline, the ESF

should provide specific measures aimed at

improving access to employment, professional

mobility, education, skills and social inclusion in

those regions.

Reason

Poverty and exclusion require part of the ESF to be earmarked for place-based strategies, ensuring real

impact without altering the NRP plans. Reintroducing Article 349 TFEU is key for cohesion and support

for outermost regions.

Recommendation for amendment 3

Recital 3

Text proposed by the European Commission CoR amendment

At Union level, the European Semester of

economic policy coordination is the framework to

identify national reform priorities and monitor

their implementation. Member States must submit

annual progress reports on the implementation of

their medium-term fiscal-structural plans. That

framework should be the basis for the use of Union

funding in a coherent manner, including with a

view to maximise the added value of the financial

support to be received.

At Union level, the European Semester of

economic policy coordination is the framework to

identify national reform priorities and monitor

their implementation. Under the Semester, the

Social Convergence Framework assesses the

risks and challenges to upward social

convergence in the Member States with the aim

of preserving social fairness and ensuring a

cohesive society and an economy that delivers

sustainable and inclusive growth. Member States

should submit annual progress reports on the

implementation of their medium-term fiscal-

structural plans. Both elements of this framework

should be the basis for the use of Union funding in

a coherent manner, including with a view to

maximising the added value of the financial

support to be received and addressing the risks to

social convergence.

Reason

The Social Convergence Framework is the most concrete social element of the European Semester and

should be the main link between the ESF and the Semester.

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Recommendation for amendment 4

Recital 4

Text proposed by the European Commission CoR amendment

The Union is confronted with structural challenges

arising from economic globalisation, vulnerable

supply chains, the management of migration flows

and the increased security threat, the clean energy

transition, technological change and demographic

change, an ageing workforce, lack of social

housing, and growing skills and labour shortages

in many sectors and regions.

The Union is confronted with structural challenges

arising from economic globalisation, vulnerable

supply chains, the management of migration flows

and the increased security threat, the clean energy

transition, technological change, the development

of new artificial intelligence (AI) tools and

demographic change, an ageing workforce, lack of

social housing, and growing skills and labour

shortages in many sectors and regions.

Reason

Progress needs to be made in studying and assessing the impact of the development of new artificial

intelligence (AI) tools and the difficulties this poses when it comes to education, employment and the

lives of EU citizens.

Recommendation for amendment 5

Recital 6

Text proposed by the European Commission CoR amendment

Between now and 2040, the Union labour market

will comprise approximately 1 million fewer

persons each year.Furthermore, in addition to a

shrinking workforce, some regions are affected by

a small and stagnant share of the population with

tertiary education, making it difficult to

compensate for the loss of labour through higher

labour productivity. This will increase pressure on

the social welfare model of the Union, putting its

sustainability and adequacy under pressure. It will

also increase labour and skills shortages in the

labour market, putting strain on economic growth

and competitiveness.For some sectors this will

lead to labour cost pressures.This is why the ESF

needs to support an increase in participation in the

labour market, especially of women and young

people, persons with disabilities, Roma

communities and to support employers in finding

the right people for available jobs, empower older

workers with appropriate labour market and

workplace measures, ensure a skilled workforce

able to tackle major societal challenges, and

Between now and 2040, the Union labour market

will comprise approximately 1 million fewer

persons each year.Furthermore, in addition to a

shrinking workforce, some regions are affected by

a small and stagnant share of the population with

tertiary education, making it difficult to

compensate for the loss of labour through higher

labour productivity, not to mention the impact of

new artificial intelligence (AI) tools on training

cycles and the labour market. This will increase

pressure on the social welfare model of the Union,

putting its sustainability and adequacy under

pressure. It will also increase labour and skills

shortages in the labour market, putting strain on

economic growth and competitiveness.For some

sectors this will generate labour cost pressures.

This is why the ESF needs to support an increase

in participation in the labour market, especially of

women and young people, persons with

disabilities, Roma communities and to support

employers in finding the right people for available

jobs, empower older workers with appropriate

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support a healthy work life balance including by

ensuring access to quality childcare.

labour market and workplace measures, ensure a

skilled workforce able to tackle major societal

challenges, and support a healthy work life

balance, particularly by ensuring access to quality

childcare.

Reason

Progress needs to be made in studying and assessing the impact of the development of new artificial

intelligence (AI) tools and the difficulties this poses, in particular when it comes to education,

employment, vocational training and the lives of EU citizens.

Recommendation for amendment 6

Recital 11

Text proposed by the European Commission CoR amendment

Efficient and effective implementation of actions

supported by the NRP Plan, including the ESF,

depends on good governance and partnership

between all actors at the relevant territorial levels

and the socio-economic actors, in particular the

social partners and civil society organisations.

Efficient and effective implementation of actions

supported by the national recovery and resilience

plans, including the ESF, depends on good

multilevel governance that includes regions and

local authorities and partnership between all

actors at the relevant territorial levels and the

socio-economic actors, in particular the social

partners and civil society organisations. The

effective involvement of regional and local

representatives and the social partners and civil

society organisations is essential for ensuring the

quality of ESF measures. To this end, their role

should be given greater prominence in the

relevant ESF committees under the terms of this

Regulation, without prejudice to the partnership

rules of the NRP Plans.

Reason

The amendment highlights the need for multilevel governance when it comes to the crucial involvement

of regions and local authorities, while respecting the partnership principle and emphasising the social

partners and civil society organisations.

Recommendation for amendment 7

Recital 15

Text proposed by the European Commission CoR amendment

[...] The ESF should also contribute to the

modernisation of social protection systems with a

view in particular to promoting their accessibility.

[...] The ESF must also contribute to the

modernisation of social protection systems with a

view in particular to promoting their accessibility.

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The ESF should also support timely and equal

access to affordable, sustainable and quality

essential services, including housing, care,

healthcare and education, with a particular focus

on minors and their families and disadvantaged

groups.

Reason

The new Regulation weakens the explicit reference to essential services, in particular housing and

childcare, that are in the 2021-2027 ESF+ Regulation.

Recommendation for amendment 8

Recital 16

Text proposed by the European Commission CoR amendment

[...] Support to social innovation plays an

important role in achieving these objectives and

should therefore be promoted.

[...] Support to social innovation and

transnational cooperation has proven to deliver

high European added value. A specific channel

should be set up within the ESF to ensure the

continuity of the work of the European Union

Programme for Employment and Social

Innovation (EaSI) in experimentation and

scaling up solutions, including local models

aimed at eliminating long-term unemployment,

without changing the functions or

implementation methods laid down in the NRP

Plan Regulation. Similarly, the macro-regional

strategies (MRSs) constitute important

frameworks that strengthen transnational

cooperation and cohesion within the EU, thus

also creating the conditions for multilevel

development.

Reason

Social innovation and transnational cooperation, long-standing areas of EaSI’s activities, are key for

scaling up effective solutions. Creating a social innovation strand within the ESF managed by the

Commission would maintain the NRPP framework and ensure the continuity of best practices.

Recommendation for amendment 9

Add to Recital 16

Text proposed by the European Commission CoR amendment

Mentoring is a proven lever for social inclusion,

access to employment and skills development. In

view of the available evidence of its impact and its

COR-2026-00373-00-01-PAC-TRA (EN) 8/22

alignment with the Union’s priorities, it should be

integrated into the Union’s funding instruments

– in particular the European Social Fund (ESF)

and national and regional partnership plans – so

as to enable its deployment on a large scale.

Recommendation for amendment 10

Recital 18

Text proposed by the European Commission CoR amendment

[...] In this context, Member States should also be

encouraged to use the ESF to supports targeted

actions to promote horizontal principles such as

the promotion of gender equality and ensuring the

accessibility of services for people with disabilities

and to enable people with disabilities to actively

participate.

[...] In this context, Member States must also be

encouraged to use the ESF to supports targeted

actions to promote horizontal principles such as

the promotion of gender equality and to ensure the

accessibility of services for people with disabilities

and to enable them to actively participate.

The ESF will ensure that gender equality, gender

mainstreaming and the cross-cutting integration

of the gender dimension are taken into account

and promoted at all stages of its implementation.

It will also help to increase women’s participation

in employment, combat the feminisation of

poverty and promote work-life balance. The ESF

should also ensure respect for the principle of

equal opportunities and non-discrimination,

including accessibility for people with disabilities

and support for the transition from institutional

models to community- and family-based services.

Reason

The new Regulation weakens gender equality. A strong clause similar to that in the 2021-2027 ESF+

Regulation should be introduced, and accessibility, non-discrimination and deinstitutionalisation

guarantees from the previous framework maintained.

Recommendation for amendment 11

Recital 19

Text proposed by the European Commission CoR amendment

To ensure that the social dimension of Europe as

set out in the European Pillar of Social Rights is

duly put forward and that a sufficient amount of

resources is targeting those most in need,

Member States should allocate resources of the

ESF to fostering social inclusion.

To guarantee that a sufficient quantity of ESF

resources is directed towards those who need it

most, and that the social dimension of Europe as

set out in the European Pillar of Social Rights is

effectively put forward,the ESF must ensure a

strong and visible focus on child and gender

COR-2026-00373-00-01-PAC-TRA (EN) 9/22

poverty and social exclusion, fair and decent

employment, education, training and culture,

housing and efforts to address material

deprivation, complementing the horizontal

provisions of the NRPP Regulation. These

priorities must be supported using a specific

allocation of resources under the ESF, while at

the same time allowing managing authorities

sufficient flexibility in the design and application

of measures to address these priorities in line with

the needs identified on the ground.

Reason

A minimum ESF allocation is needed: 20 million children remain at risk of poverty, with this number

increasing and threatening social cohesion. Eradicating child poverty must be cross-cutting and must be

a priority in order to meet the EU’s 2030 target of reducing it by 5 million cases.

Recommendation for amendment 12

Recital 20

Text proposed by the European Commission CoR amendment

Due to the particular need to support children in

poverty Member States should also programme

resources of the ESF to address the measures

under the Child Guarantee.

Given the need to support children and contribute

to the European Child Guarantee, the ESF

should ensure that there is a strong and specific

focus on tackling child poverty and social

exclusion in all Member States, regions and local

authorities, taking account of the different levels

of need and guaranteeing that support goes to

where it is most required. This support should be

provided using an appropriate and specific

allocation of ESF resources, while preserving

flexibility in implementation under the NRP

Plan.

Reason

A minimum allocation under the ESF is needed to combat child poverty and should be applied in all

Member States, reflecting the EU’s commitment to the European Pillar of Social Rights. To this end,

realistic and comparable indicators by country are essential.

Recommendation for amendment 13

Article 2

Text proposed by the European Commission CoR amendment

Article 2

ESF support

Article 2

ESF support

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(1) The European Social Fund (ESF) shall

support the specific objectives set out in Article 3

of Regulation XX [NRP Plan Regulation].

(2) For the purpose of paragraph 1, Member

States use of the ESF shall, for the purposes of

Article 2, point (b) of Regulation XX [NRP Plan],

be based on the guidelines for the employment

policies of the Member States, as provided for in

Article 148 (2) of the Treaty, set out in the

Decision (EU) xxxx [Employment guidelines

adopted by the Council at the latest by 1 January

2027].

(1) The European Social Fund (ESF) shall

support the specific objectives set out in Article 3

of Regulation XX [NRP Plan Regulation] with an

allocation of at least EUR 110 billion (2025

prices), which will be complemented, where

appropriate, with corresponding amounts in

current prices and adjusted for inflation.

(1a) Gaps in the specific objectives of the ESF+

compared to previous references shall also be

addressed. In particular, the ESF+ shall support

the implementation of the Youth Guarantee;

efforts to modernise labour market institutions

and services, including anticipating skills needs;

the balanced participation of women and men in

the labour market and equal working conditions;

the adaptation of workers, enterprises and

entrepreneurs to change; equitable access to

quality and inclusive education and training,

ensuring these are completed; and the

socioeconomic integration of third-country

nationals, including migrants and marginalised

communities, such as the Roma community.

(2) For the purpose of paragraph 1, Member

States use of the ESF shall, for the purposes of

Article 2, point (b) of Regulation XX [NRP Plan],

be based on the guidelines for the employment

policies of the Member States, as provided for in

Article 148 (2) of the Treaty, set out in the

Decision (EU) xxxx [Employment guidelines

adopted by the Council at the latest by 1 January

2027].

(3) The ESF specific objectives shall be set

out in this Regulation in order to ensure legal

certainty, political visibility and consistency in

the implementation of the fund, while remaining

aligned with the NRP Plan Regulation.

(4) The Commission shall, by means of

implementing acts, establish ESF indicators to

measure: a) poverty and child poverty reduction;

b) access to essential services; c) quality

employment; d) housing; e) material deprivation;

and f) the local and regional dimension at least at

NUTS 3 level, in accordance with this

Regulation. These indicators shall be consistent

with the Performance Framework Regulation

and, where appropriate, take into account the

COR-2026-00373-00-01-PAC-TRA (EN) 11/22

European Semester, in particular the country-

specific recommendations addressed to the

Member States, as well as the Social Convergence

Framework.

(5) The implementation of the ESF shall

avoid disproportionately concentrating resources

in capital regions or in other higher-income

areas, ensuring that areas with the greatest needs

are effectively targeted. To this end, Member

States shall establish objective place-based

criteria and indicators at least at NUTS 3 level,

and report annually in accordance with

Article 2(3).

(6) Member States shall report annually on

the local and regional implementation of the ESF

at least at NUTS 3 level in order to avoid

disproportionate geographical concentrations

and to improve efforts to target areas with greater

needs.

Reason

The ESF should remain a social investment tool (Articles 162 to 164 TFEU) with minimum allocations

for inclusion, child poverty and NEETs, earmark funds for place-based strategies and use disaggregated

NUTS 3 indicators to ensure local inequalities are not hidden.

Recommendation for amendment 14

New Article 3

Text proposed by the European Commission CoR amendment

The European Social Fund shall contribute

towards:

a) reaching high levels of employment and

quality employment, with fair and decent wages

commensurate with the cost of living;

b) promoting fair and sufficient social protection;

c) developing a skilled and resilient workforce

that is prepared for the future;

d) fostering inclusive and cohesive societies;

e) reducing and eradicating poverty;

f) applying the principles of the European Pillar

of Social Rights.

Reason

The new Regulation removes the general objectives of the ESF, undermining its identity. Reintroducing

these objectives is key to preserving the Regulation’s strategic direction.

COR-2026-00373-00-01-PAC-TRA (EN) 12/22

Recommendation for amendment 15

Article 4

Text proposed by the European Commission CoR amendment

Article 4

Social innovation

(1) Social innovation shall be supported in the

areas falling within the scope of the ESF, in

particular with the aim of testing, evaluating and

scaling up innovative solutions, including at the

local or regional level, in order to address social

needs in partnership with the relevant partners and,

in particular, social partners.

(2) The Commission shall use technical

assistance at its own initiative, in accordance with

Article 12 of Regulation (EU) [NRP Plan

Regulation] to facilitate capacity building for

social innovation, in particular through supporting

mutual learning, transnational cooperation,

establishing networks, and disseminating and

promoting good practices and methodologies.

Article 4

Social innovation

(1) Social innovation and transnational

cooperation shall receive specific support in the

areas falling within the scope of the ESF, in

particular with the aim of testing, evaluating and

scaling up innovative solutions and

experimentation, including at the local or regional

level, and of transferring solutions, such as local

‘zero long-term unemployment’ models, in order

to address social needs in particular, adopting

innovative approaches for accessing culture in

partnership with the relevant partners and, in

particular, social partners.

(2) The Commission shall use technical

assistance at its own initiative, in accordance with

Article 12 of Regulation (EU) [NRP Plan

Regulation] to facilitate capacity building for

social innovation, including in the field of culture,

in particular through supporting mutual learning,

transnational cooperation, establishing networks,

and disseminating and promoting good practices

and methodologies.

(3) The Commission may directly manage

calls for proposals under the ESF social

innovation strand that ensure the functional

continuity of EaSI in: a) social innovation and

experimentation; b) transnational cooperation;

and c) support for local job guarantees and ‘zero

long-term unemployment’ models, in full respect

of the applicable financial and implementation

rules.

(4) Member States may support the scaling

up and transfer of innovative approaches

developed on a small scale, including those

previously funded by EaSI or other Union

programmes.

(5) In the context of social innovation, the

Commission shall support measures to develop

mentoring programmes and deploy them on a

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large scale, contributing to social inclusion,

access to employment and skills development.

Reason

Social innovation and transnational cooperation, long-standing areas of EaSI’s activities, are key for

scaling up effective solutions. Creating a social innovation strand within the ESF managed by the

Commission would ensure the continuity of results and the transfer of best practices without altering the

NRPPs.

Recommendation for amendment 16

Article 5

Text proposed by the European Commission CoR amendment

Article 5

Support for demographic transition

Member States and regions shall, where

appropriate, set out an integrated approach to

addressing challenges stemming from the

demographic transition in one or more dedicated

chapters of the National Regional and Partnership

Plan.

Article 5

Support for demographic transition

Member States and regions shall, where

appropriate, set out an integrated approach to

addressing challenges stemming from the

demographic transition in one or more dedicated

chapters of the National Regional and Partnership

Plan. This approach could include localising

investments through integrated place-based

strategies and place-based instruments (ITI,

CLLD, etc.) aimed at improving both access to

essential services and human and social capital,

while enhancing the regions’ attractiveness and

living conditions. To this end, special attention

could be paid to regions experiencing persistent

demographic challenges, especially at NUTS 3,

taking account of relevant indicators such as

population loss, ageing populations or territorial

imbalances.

Reason

The CoR secured the first EU legal definition of depopulation as continuous demographic decline. The

Commission has refined this definition and, through communications, such as presidential letters, has

helped to highlight the CoR’s contribution and the right to stay in specific areas.

Recommendation for amendment 17

Article 6

Text proposed by the European Commission CoR amendment

(5) For the purposes of this Article, ‘most deprived

persons’ means natural persons, whether

individuals, families, households or groups of

(5) For the purposes of this Article, ‘most deprived

persons’ means natural persons, whether

individuals, families, households or groups of

COR-2026-00373-00-01-PAC-TRA (EN) 14/22

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.

persons, including children in vulnerable

situations, older people 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.

Reason

To include older people in the definition of ‘most deprived persons’, as, together with minors, they are

considered to be one of the groups most in need of protection.

Recommendation for amendment 18

Article 7

Text proposed by the European Commission CoR amendment

Article 7

Partnership

Member States shall ensure meaningful

participation of the social partners and civil society

organisations in the delivery of support for quality

employment, education and skills and social

inclusion policies in accordance with Article 6 of

Regulation XX [NRP Plan].

Article 7

Partnership

Member States shall ensure meaningful

participation of the social and educational

partners and civil society organisations in the

delivery of support for quality employment,

education and skills and social inclusion policies

in accordance with Article 6 of Regulation XX

[NRP Plan].

Reason

Stressing the added value of including educational partners.

Recommendation for amendment 19

Article 8

Text proposed by the European Commission CoR amendment

Article 8

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’) with regard to the support

provided for the general objective referred to in

Article 3(1), point (c) [specific objective –

employment] of Regulation XX [NRP Plan].

Article 8

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’) with regard to the support

provided for the general objective referred to in

Article 3(1), point (c) [specific objective –

employment] of Regulation XX [NRP Plan].

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(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. The Committee shall also include one

representative from each of the organizations

representing workers’ organisations and

employers’ organisations at Union level.

(3) The Committee may deliver opinions on

any issues regarding the implementation of the

ESF.

(2) Each Member State shall appoint one

government representative, one regional

representative, one local representative, one

representative of the workers’ organisations, one

representative of the employers’ organisations and

self-employed people 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. The Committee shall also include one

representative from each of the organizations

representing workers’ organisations and

employers’ organisations at Union level. The

Committee shall also include one representative

of civil society organisations at EU level,

appointed in accordance with transparent

representation rules.

(3) The Committee may make

recommendations on ESF indicators and on the

application of minimum allocations under

Article 2.

(4) The Committee may deliver opinions on

any other issues regarding the implementation of

the ESF.

Reason

Updating the ESF Committee to include civil society, with social action recognised at EU level, and

allowing recommendations on indicators and minimum allocations, would strengthen legitimacy and

technical oversight without affecting the governance of the NRP plans.

II. POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS

THE EUROPEAN COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS (CoR):

1. welcomes the objective of a people-centred 2028-2034 ESF and reiterates that it should remain a

dedicated fund with a guaranteed allocation of at least EUR 110 billion (2025 prices), which must

be complemented with corresponding amounts in current prices and adjusted for inflation, and

should be strengthened and kept separate from other funds included in the NRPPs, being the only

EU fund dedicated as a priority to social policies. Social and geographical imbalances and

inequalities prove this need. Social Europe is a distinctive feature of the EU’s identity at global

level;

2. points out that the ESF has been provided for in an EU Treaty (Title XI TFEU) since 1957. It is

an integral part of the EU’s unique identity at global level;

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3. believes that creating one plan per Member State runs the risk of eroding subsidiarity, weakening

multilevel governance and undermining the partnership principle, and may create uncertainties

on the predictability of funding and hinder efforts to ensure funds reach those who need them

most, particularly at regional and local levels; underlines, in this regard, the need for Member

States to have sufficient flexibility in line with their national systems, while ensuring that regional

and local authorities are properly involved;

4. calls for governance to remain under shared management, including the competent local and

regional authorities and ensuring greater involvement for social partners and civil society under

the partnership principle, due to their proximity to problems on the ground and associated needs.

The CoR therefore supports the idea of a multilevel governance assessment and a subsidiarity

clause, as proposed in its opinion on the NRP plans;

5. calls for a substantial increase in the ESF budget to EUR 110 billion (2025 constant prices) in

order to achieve the objectives of the European Pillar of Social Rights, guaranteeing a strong and

visible allocation for the ESF, and underlines the importance of prioritising investments in social

inclusion, combating child poverty in all Member States (with greater efforts where child poverty

exceeds the EU average), supporting young NEETs, where appropriate, and tackling material

deprivation;

6. calls for maintaining support for transnational cooperation, in particular to promote mutual

learning, the transfer of good practices and the scaling up of innovative solutions with European

added value;

7. estimates that 94.6 million people – 21.4% of the EU population – were living in households at

risk of poverty or social exclusion, with rates of 24.8% in the EU-27, proving that the EU is not

on track to meet the objective of reducing this number by at least 15 million people by 2030;

8. points out that one in four people under the age of 18 in the EU is at risk of poverty or exclusion,

and 48% of single mothers and 32% of single fathers also suffer this risk, and that therefore the

ESF should intensify its priority actions on children, single-parent households and women. It

should become the spearhead of the future European anti-poverty strategy, in line with the

principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights and advancing the social targets set for 2030 at

the 2021 Porto Social Summit, as well as the UN Sustainable Development Goals, with which the

European Commission has explicitly aligned itself in its political guidelines for the 2024-2029

term of office;

9. reiterates that reprogramming during the 2021-2027 period and any extension into the 2028-2034

period must not undermine the ESF’s social mission. Any flexibility should preserve its capacity

to reduce inequalities, address poverty and support training, education, culture, quality jobs,

access to housing and active social inclusion, avoiding the recurring use of the ESF as an

instrument for emergencies (which require their own specific instruments), as this would

undermine its predictability and structural impact;

10. stresses that implementing the ‘right to stay’ in practice would require safeguarding access to

essential services (housing, care and healthcare, affordable transport, connectivity), and specific

COR-2026-00373-00-01-PAC-TRA (EN) 17/22

affordable housing and homelessness metrics in line with those set out in the TFEU; calls for

attention to be given to areas suffering structural disadvantages (depopulation, islands), in a

manner consistent with principles 3 and 20 of the European Social Pillar and Articles 34(3), 35

and 36 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights, measuring results with indicators at least at NUTS 3

level where local administrative unit (LAU) level is not feasible, using the urban-rural

classification of Regulation (EU) 2017/2391;

11. underlines that national and ethnic minority communities living in mountain, rural and peripheral

areas face a specific combination of social risks that is not adequately captured by existing ESF

categories; calls on the Commission and Member States to ensure that ESF-funded services –

including employment support, skills training, healthcare, care services and social inclusion

measures – are accessible in minority languages where this is necessary to guarantee equal and

effective access; stresses that cultural and linguistic identity is a protective factor against social

exclusion and depopulation and should therefore be supported as an integral part of place-based

territorial development strategies financed by the ESF;

12. stresses that energy poverty in mountain and rural areas represents a specific form of social

deprivation that is structurally different from urban energy poverty: harsh climatic conditions

requiring significantly higher heating expenditure, limited access to district heating or renewable

energy networks, and low incomes combine to produce a disproportionate energy cost burden for

households; calls for the ESF to explicitly recognise energy poverty alleviation in structurally

disadvantaged regions as an eligible and prioritised intervention area under social inclusion

objectives, including through support for energy efficiency retrofitting combined with social

support services for the most deprived households, in coordination with the ERDF and the Just

Transition Fund;

13. calls for the ESF to specifically address the risk of demographic collapse in small-settlement

structures (villages and hamlets with fewer than 500 inhabitants) in mountain, rural and peripheral

areas, where the combination of outmigration of young people, ageing populations, school and

service closures, and lack of economic opportunities creates self-reinforcing depopulation spirals;

urges that ESF-supported territorial strategies for such areas include dedicated youth retention

measures – including quality apprenticeships, local employment pathways, entrepreneurship

support and access to digital skills – as well as measures to attract and retain healthcare and care

workers; stresses that the preservation of settled communities in these territories is a precondition

for maintaining biodiversity, cultural heritage and the territorial cohesion of the Union as a whole;

14. welcomes the introduction of Article 5 on supporting the demographic transition, which positions

the ESF as a key instrument for addressing place-based demographic changes and ensuring the

right to stay, taking up the CoR’s successful proposal for 2021-20271, but notes that it must be

aligned with the definitions contained in the demographic toolbox and the Ninth Cohesion Report2

1

COTER-VI/046.

2 Ninth Report on Economic, Social and Territorial Cohesion, 2024, European Commission, Directorate-General for Regional and

Urban Policy, p. xxiii, https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/sources/reports/cohesion9/9CR_Report_FINAL.pdf. Demographic change in Europe: a toolbox for action (COM(2023) 577 final), 2023, European Commission, Publications Office of

the European Union, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52023DC0577.

COR-2026-00373-00-01-PAC-TRA (EN) 18/22

for policies on ageing, depopulation and labour market transformation that require sustained

investments in care, skills, talent attraction and community-based services;

15. believes, therefore, that the European Social Fund is a fundamental tool for creating catalogues

of essential services in each Member State to cover each State’s entire geographical area, as

already identified by the Commission3 and by the CoR4 itself;

16. calls for a stronger place-based approach: maintaining and enhancing community-led local

development (CLLD) and integrated territorial investment (ITI) tools; linking allocations to the

proportion of the population experiencing social exclusion; and prioritising vulnerable areas

(depopulated rural areas, intermediary cities and strained metropolitan areas in the case of

housing), particularly by taking into account services leaving the areas and intra-regional

inequalities as central allocation criteria5;

17. notes with concern that one in four children in the EU are at risk of poverty or social exclusion,

confirming that the target of reducing the number of poor children by 5 million by 2030 is not

progressing as planned, and that the youth unemployment rate is nearing 15%, proving the need

to reinforce the Child Guarantee and the Youth Guarantee with dedicated budgets, place-based

indicators and the involvement of specialised civil society organisations;

18. points out that 80% of long-term care in the EU is provided by informal carers, the majority of

whom are women, and that the growing demand for care due to ageing requires structural

investments; therefore reiterates that the ESF must contribute to rolling out the European care

strategy, ensuring fair working conditions and supporting and enhancing quality community-

based services;

19. believes that the EU is far from achieving its objective to end homelessness by 2030, given that

affordable housing is disappearing in most Member States;

20. welcomes the announced European Affordable Housing Plan and backs plans for the ESF to

support measures related to decent, affordable and sustainable access to housing (including

‘housing first’), especially for families, young people and vulnerable communities, supporting the

ERDF and the EIB in order to expand the supply of social housing;

21. stresses the need to expand the role of the ESF in access to affordable housing, including in efforts

to prevent homelessness, in the ‘housing first’ approach and in supporting integrated social

inclusion services;

The impact of demographic change – in a changing environment (SWD(2023) 21 final), 2023, Commission staff working document, European Commission, p. 8, https://commission.europa.eu/system/files/2023-

01/the_impact_of_demographic_change_in_a_changing_environment_2023.PDF. 3

Report on access to essential services in the EU, 2024, European Commission, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2767/447353.

4 COTER-VII/022.

5 Analysis of EU policies around rural innovation, RURACTIVE, https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15227863.

COR-2026-00373-00-01-PAC-TRA (EN) 19/22

22. calls for measures on addressing energy poverty, the cost of living and affordable transport

(transport poverty) to be systematically integrated, with synergies with the Social Climate Fund

and national housing and energy policies, as well as those to address transport poverty;

23. recommends a roadmap for quality jobs linked to the ESF that is based on education and adequate

training, promoting fair and decent wages; reducing in-work poverty; ensuring occupational

health and safety, with a ‘zero deaths’ objective; upholding the right to disconnect; ensuring

gender equality; and eliminating unfair contracts; and that promotes decent work and addresses

in-work poverty and the just transition to stable employment in the green, digital and care sectors,

while enabling access to culture as a fundamental basis for citizenship building;

24. advocates the strategic role of the social economy and integration enterprises as partners of the

ESF in creating quality employment, boosting social innovation and supporting inclusive green

and digital transitions, including support for local and cooperative models, micro-

entrepreneurship and the provision of community-based services6;

25. points out that 42% of the EU population lacks basic digital skills and that more than 50 million

workers need training to achieve the EU’s annual learning participation target, according to the

Letta and Draghi reports; therefore calls for the ESF to step up support for vocational training,

retraining and lifelong and dynamic learning, especially in sectors impacted by the digital and

green transitions;

26. proposes improving implementation through real simplification without additional requirements

(goldplating) at national level (simplified cost options, digitalisation with guaranteed offline

access), reduced burdens for self-employed people and SMEs and NGOs, financial predictability

that avoids using the ESF as an instrument for emergencies, and through clear language, fewer

acronyms, and guidance for beneficiaries; stresses the need to ensure coherence and

complementarity with national recovery and resilience plans;

27. believes that simplification efforts cannot justify recentralisation or reduced

transparency/democratic controls, nor can it weaken dialogue with the social partners and civil

society, as all simplification efforts should primarily benefit the end beneficiaries, not the central

administration;

28. reiterates the need to ensure that civil society has real access to funding through adequate calls,

proportionate co-financing and capacity building;

29. advocates efforts to ensure that links to the European Semester and the Social Convergence

Framework serve to strengthen – not weaken – social objectives (quality employment, access to

essential services, reduction in poverty), integrating more social indicators (as has been done with

6

Existing policy and governance frameworks for smart community-led innovation, 2025, FUTURAL,

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15517550.

COR-2026-00373-00-01-PAC-TRA (EN) 20/22

the monitoring framework on access to care7) in the new MFF performance framework, without

substituting social objectives for competitiveness metrics, and ensuring measurable social results;

30. calls for an ESF specific indicator framework, with common result and implementation indicators

disaggregated by sex, age and geographical area that allow the fund’s social impact to be clearly

measured and that ensures its traceability;

31. supports the inclusion of cross-cutting social conditionalities so that all policies and budget

headings automatically contribute to the objectives of the European Pillar of Social Rights and

social mobility;

32. calls for the ESF to be monitored and evaluated, with data disaggregated by sex, age and

geographical area, with measures to empower women that go beyond mere participation statistics

(businesses created, leadership, access to services), and quality standards for deinstitutionalisation

and community-based services, where adequate and comparable indicators and variables are

essential;

33. calls for efforts to ensure that support for strategic capacities (for example in defence,

cybersecurity, STEP) does not crowd out ESF social investment or change where these are

concentrated; calls for effective social conditionality and strict respect for the rule of law; stresses

that comparable indicators and variables are essential and should be integrated into the

performance framework in order to ensure consistent monitoring and an effective evaluation of

results;

34. calls for efforts to promote a multi-fund approach between the ESF and the ERDF and ensure

complementarity with other programmes;

35. calls for communication to be improved through clear language, and for all available means to be

used to reach beneficiaries;

36. calls on the EU legislator to continue to give visibility to the ESF in the MFF budget

nomenclature, giving it a clear ‘social label’, avoiding uncertainties about minimum social

spending and ensuring the traceability of resources.

Brussels,

7

Monitoring Framework for the Council Recommendation on Access to Affordable High-Quality Long-Term Care, 2025, European

Commission.

COR-2026-00373-00-01-PAC-TRA (EN) 21/22

III. PROCEDURE

Title European Social Fund 2028-2034

Reference document COM(2025) 558

Legal basis Mandatory, Article 307, first paragraph, TFEU

Procedural basis Rule 41(a) of the Rules of Procedure

Date of Council/EP referral/Date of

Commission letter

COM(2025) 558: Council (18/9/25), Parliament (12/11/25),

Commission (17/7/25)

Date of President’s/Bureau decision 13/10/2025

Commission responsible SEDEC-VIII – 8th term of office – Commission for Social

Policy, Education, Employment, Research and Culture

(SEDEC)

Rapporteur Tom Jungen (LU/PES)

Discussed in commission

Date adopted by commission 24/4/2026

Result of the vote in commission

(majority/unanimity)

majority

Date adopted in plenary 1-2/7/2026

Previous Committee opinions • European Social Fund Plus

• Mid-term revision of the ESF preparing the post-2020

proposal

• Proposal for a regulation on the European Social Fund

(ESF)

Subsidiarity reference

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