The ESF+ Committee focuses on issues relevant to the implementation of the ESF+ programmes. The Committee typically meets three times per year and is chaired by the European Commission.

Representation

Member States are represented as follows:

• One government representative and an alternate, including the ESF+ Head of Mission
• One representative of the workers' organisations and an alternate and
• One representative of the employers' organisations and an alternate

In addition, the Committee also includes one representative from each of the organisations representing workers' organisations and employers' organisations at Union level.

A list of members and alternates of the ESF+ committee is available for download

Depending on the topics to be discussed, the Committee may invite other stakeholders to attend Committee meetings. This may include the acceding, candidate or potential candidate countries, the European Investment Bank and the European Investment Fund and relevant civil society organizations.

Tasks and responsibilities

The Committee is consulted on issues having an impact on:

• The implementation of strategies at Union level relevant to the ESF+
• The planned use of technical assistance relevant to ESF+ support under shared management.

In addition, the Committee may deliver opinions on:

• Questions related to the ESF+ contribution to the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights;
• Issues concerning the Common Provisions Regulations relevant for the ESF+
• Other questions related to the ESF+ Regulation.

Specific groups

The Committee should in addition establish working groups for each strand of the ESF+ in order to provide an adequate forum to discuss implementation of the ESF+. Under Article 163 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and Article 40 of ESF+ Regulation, two working groups were established to handle technical aspects of ESF+ programmes implementation.

The ESF+ Technical Working Group for the shared management strand (ESF+ Technical Working Group)

The ESF+ Technical Working Group is composed of the European Commission, the government representatives in charge of the ESF+ under shared management and EU-level social partners. It normally meets 5 times per year and discusses the technical aspects of the implementation of the ESF+ programmes under shared management.

Topics for discussion traditionally include reporting by the European Commission on the state of play of:

• financial implementation
• progress in programming or amending ESF+ programs by Member States closure aspects of past periods
• simplified cost options (SCOs)
• any other topic which has an impact in the programmes implementation.

Contact: EMPL-ESF-COMMITTEE@ec.europa.eu

A list of members of the ESF+ Technical Working Group is available for download

The Employment and Social Innovation Technical Working Group (EaSI Technical Working Group)

The EaSI Technical Working Group (EaSI TWG) is composed of the European Commission and government representatives of the Member States. The EaSI TWG discusses the implementation aspects of the employment and social innovation strand under direct management, including its annual work programme. It ensures a substantive consultation of the work programme with stakeholders – including with representatives of civil society.

Contact: EMPL-EaSI@ec.europa.eu

A list of members and alternates of the EaSI Technical Working Group is available for download in the 'Related documents' section below.