Sourcebook on sound planning of ESF programmes

Summary:

At the eve of a new financing round of the Structural Funds, it was essential to reflect on the planning process for the future European Social Fund (ESF) programmes, notably on the basis of the lessons learned from the EQUAL Community Initiative. The seminar on “sound programming of the new European Social Fund programmes” brought together politicians and managers to
clarify the programming process, to learn about specific methods and tools for sound planning and to share experience from across the whole of Europe.

This report was drafted as a result of an ESF seminar which was held in Vilnius on 17-18 November 2005. It aims at providing more than a factual account of the seminar. Therefore, it is written as a sourcebook, drawing upon many sources of good practice, from inside but also outside the EU. It is hoped that this can be a "living document" that can continually be updated with new tools and experiences. It is in full accordance with other Commission guidance but it is less focussed on what should be present in programming documents and more on how programmers can draw up quality programming documents.

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