In September and October 2022, Equinet hosted a series of five mini workshops on EU Fundings focusing on how Equality Bodies can ensure compliance of EU funds with enabling conditions, funding instruments for specific groups and on how can equality bodies apply for EU funds.
Objective
These short events built the capacity of equality bodies on EU funds and how to engage effectively with them. The mini-workshops were aimed at staff members of equality bodies working or likely to work on EU funds monitoring. During these events we:
- Recalled why monitoring EU Funds is essential for ensuring equality in Europe and protecting vulnerable groups from discrimination
- Fostered and developed knowledge on EU Funds, on how to monitor them and on how to engage with them from the standpoint of equality bodies and from an equality perspective.
More concretely, we looked at the following five areas:
- EU Funds 101 –The goal of this workshop was to present the basic principles, policies and actors involved in EU funds monitoring (ESIF and regulations, horizontal principles, enabling conditions, Monitoring Committees, etc.).
- Why monitor EU funds? – The goal of this workshop was to explain why closely monitoring the use of EU funds with an equality perspective is essential. It focuses on the issue of misuse of EU funds and its impact on vulnerable groups in particular. Speaker
- Case study: Ireland – The goal of this workshop was to zoom in a practice of interest from an equality body regarding EU funds monitoring. IHREC presented their innovative approaches to monitoring EU funds, including their guidelines and reporting arrangements.
- Case study: Croatia – The goal of this workshop was to zoom in a practice of interest from an equality body regarding EU funds monitoring. The Croatian Ombud presented their work on the issue, focusing on their training program on equality for civil servants involved in dealing with EU funds.
- How can equality bodies get involved? – The goal of this workshop was to conclude the series of mini-workshops by reflecting on actions and avenues of engagement on monitoring EU funds for equality bodies.
European Structural & Investment Funds: Realing a potential for change
As a culmination of the work on EU funding, Equinet has just published a perspective: “Equality Bodies and the European Structural and Investment Funds Realising a Potential for Change” . This publication was drafted with the valuable contributions of the Policy Formation Working Group as well as the participants to the EU Fundings mini workshops, and it draws from the experience of Equality Bodies in engaging with the ESIFs. It particularly report examples from five Equality Bodies.
These funds hold great potential to progress the mandate of Equality Bodies. Member States are required to adopt a partnership approach in relation to ESIF, including a partnership with Equality Bodies. ESIFs can impact social and economic development, and for this reason the contribution of Equality Bodies is essential for guaranteeing equality and human rights. Furthermore, The purpose of the ESIF includes a concern to progress an inclusive and social Europe through the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights (Social Europe).
The perspective aims at supporting Equality Bodies in effectively engaging with the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the ESIFs, in order to unlock the full potential of these funds for equality in Europe.