The EU will invest EUR 7.3 billion ESF+ funds in Romania to improve access to employment, especially youth employment, quality and inclusive education, new skills and training, promote social inclusion and increase access to healthcare.  

ESF+ will help modernise the Romanian public employment service,  increasing both accessibility and effectiveness.. The funds will support the creation of a dynamic labour market for all, with a focus on vulnerable groups. The funds will also support projects developing social entrepreneurship and promote capacity building for social partners and civil society organisations.  

The ESF+ in Romania will fund projects improving access to early childhood education and care, and reducing early school leaving. A focus on enhancing labour-market relevance of vocational education and training (VET), as well as higher education and adult education, will ensure young people, people at work and the unemployed are prepared for their future roles.  

The ESF+ in Romania will fund projects combatting child poverty and addressing material derivation. Funds will improve access to and quality of social services, and develop integrated social, educational and health services in rural communities. The funds will in addition support ongoing strategic reforms, including the deinstitutionalisation of children and of adults with disabilities, and assist with measures in support of the most vulnerable. 

ESF+ activities will help improve access to and quality of health services in Romania. The interventions will target vulnerable groups, focusing on reducing inequalities, whilst also improving the effectiveness and resilience of the healthcare system. 

ESF+ investments will enable Romania to achieve its 2030 social targets of raising the employment rate to 74.7%, adult participation in education and training to 17.4% and reducing the number of people at risk of poverty and social exclusion by over 2.5 million. 

Romania implements ESF+ through four national programmes, comprising  investments from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and complemented by a programme of the Just Transition Fund (JTF).