The Key messages of this response are:
- Establish clear Commission guidelines on how Structural Funds should deliver on the poverty-reduction target through integrated and socially inclusive approaches, (particularly through Active Inclusion) for ESF, ERDF and other Cohesion Funds.
- Strengthen the partnership principle at all stages of the Structural Funds’ process (both for partnership contracts and Operation Programmes) and make these Funds accessible for small NGOs (with tailor-made grants and technical-assistance schemes).
- Ensure a proper monitoring process of effective use of Funds in Europe 2020, in both National Reform Programmes and National Social Reports.
- Give equal relevance to each Europe 2020 headline targets in all Structural Funds.
- Solidarity with poorer regions, not double penalty! – NO to macro-economic conditionality, but favour social conditionality and incentive mechanisms.
- Develop asocial-inclusion mainstreaming clause and a social evaluation system based on hard and soft social indicators.