Special Report No. 12/2001 concerning certain structural measures to improve the employment situation: the impact of ERDF aid on employment and ESF measures to combat long-term unemployment, together with the Commission’s replies

Summary:

Increasing employment is one of the central objectives of the European Union. The Court analysed the roles played by the European Social Fund (ESF) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) in the European Employment Strategy. The Court also examined to what extent employment was taken into account when developing evaluation methodology and during the implementation of the measures for the planning period 1994 to 1999, and, more specifically, in the context of the implementation of measures in support of productive investment co-financed by the ERDF. In addition, the Court's audit focused on the implementation of Community measures to help the long-term unemployed.