Assessing ESF structural reforms

The overall aim of the study is to expand knowledge on the causal mechanisms and necessary conditions for the successful structural change in the main areas of intervention of the European Social Fund (ESF+): employment, skills, and social inclusion. The results of the study are expected to feed into policy discussions as to how the European Commission can better support member states in implementing social rights measures, as well as country-specific recommendations and other EU employment and social policies.

In particular, the study will cover structural reforms started and finalised between 2014 and 2022 within the 27 EU member states.

As for the main themes, the research will examine structural reforms in three of the key areas supported by ESF+: employment, skills, modernisation of education and training systems, and social inclusion.

Based on the technical specifications, reforms affecting only indirectly these policy areas have to be considered outside the scope of the study. Examples of such reforms include those which do not primarily aim to intervene on the level of employment, namely: changes in the level of fiscal support to the economy; changes in research and innovation policies; shifts in product market regulatory regimes.

However, measures such as restructuring of public employment service (PES), changes in the level of unemployment benefits or expenditure on active labour market policies will be part of the study, as they do address the labour market directly.

Fondazione Giacomo Brodolini will lead Task 2, which will consist in the identification of relevant reforms to be studied in depth through 10 case studies. In order to conduct them, FGB will also be responsible for the coordination of national experts. 

Project deliverables

Inception report, interim report, final report including 10 case studies.