The Commission has allocated a total of €285 million to the European Social Fund (ESF) Operational Programs (OPs) of France, Germany and Romania as recovery support for cohesion and territories of Europe (REACT-EU). The additional resources will help unemployed people find new jobs, strengthen education, employment and healthcare systems and help accelerate recovery from the pandemic crisis.

France will receive €24 million in additional funding for its overseas department of Guyana.  France’s funds will target pupils at risk of dropping out of school via, for instance, tailor-made intensive support programs, dual training in companies and vocational schools. The additional resources will also support unemployed people and those furthest from the labor market through social inclusion measures, and help workers acquire the skills needed in a changing world of work.

In Germany, the ESF OP in Baden-Württemberg is receiving an additional €27 million to support more than 16,000 people particularly affected by the pandemic. The new funds will train people in need to be able to access digital tools and services. Specific initiatives will also support the socio-economic empowerment of women, particularly individuals from a migrant background. Long-term unemployed people will also benefit from the support of the public employment service to help them find a new job. The new funds will also support vocational training for workers under partial unemployment schemes, as well as tailor-made training for cultural professionals.

For its part, Romania receives an additional 234 million euros for its ‘Human Capital’ OP. The new funds will provide tuition for 168,000 disadvantaged students to make up for lost school hours during the pandemic. In addition, the new funds will support new jobs by encouraging employers to hire people who have lost their jobs during the pandemic – and supporting 295 new social enterprises for people from vulnerable groups. The additional funding will also support bonuses for 97,000 healthcare workers on the frontlines of the pandemic.

REACT-EU is part of NextGenerationEU and provides €50.6 billion (in current prices) in the years 2021 and 2022 of additional funds to cohesion policy programs for the period 2014-2020.