ERIC ED437508: Special Preparatory Programme for the European Social Fund. A Composite Report on the Study Visits--Phase I.

266 Pages·1999·3.8 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
ED 437 508
CE 079 575
TITLE
Special Preparatory Programme for the European Social Fund.
A Composite Report on the Study Visits--Phase I.
INSTITUTION
European Training Foundation, Turin (Italy).
PUB DATE
1999-00-00
NOTE
269p.
AVAILABLE FROM
For full text: http//
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Research (143)
PUB TYPE
Reports
EDRS PRICE
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DESCRIPTORS
Articulation (Education); Case Studies; Conferences;
Educational Administration; Educational Change; Educational
Finance; Educational Planning; Educational Policy; Field
Studies; Foreign Countries; Government School Relationship;
International Cooperation; *International Educational
Exchange; *International Programs; Partnerships in
Education; Policy Formation; Postsecondary Education;
Program Implementation; Secondary Education; *Strategic
Planning; Trend Analysis; *Vocational Education
*Europe (East Central); *European Union; Impact Studies
IDENTIFIERS
ABSTRACT
This document reports on phase 1 of the Special Preparatory
Programme for the European Social Fund (SPP-ESF), which was undertaken to
gather information on the transfer and exchange of experiences from the
European Union (EU) to the 10 accession countries of Central and Eastern
Europe. The 2 chapters constituting the first 15% of the report examine the
SPP-ESF study visits to 11 Eastern European countries and the Brussels SPP
follow-up conference that reviewed the latest developments in Structural Fund
reform, the European Employment Strategy and the influence these are having
on the European Commission's pre-accession strategy. Among the topics
discussed are the following: study methodology; criteria for selecting study
countries; case study findings; and conference logistics, contents, agenda,
and the evaluation questionnaire survey. The remaining 85% of the document
consists of reports on the EU countries visited (Denmark, Finland, France,
Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the
United Kingdom) and reports on the state of readiness in 10 candidate country
administrations for future access to the European Social Fund (Bulgaria, the
Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, the
Slovak Republic, and Slovenia). Lists of abbreviations and participants in
the study visits and Brussels conference are appended.
(MN)
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
I
1
a
gig
Special Preparatory
Programme for the
European Social Fund
A Composite Report
on the Study Visits -
Phase 1
U S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Off e of Educational Research and Improvement
E
CATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION
CENTER (ERIC)
This document has been reproduced as
received from the person or organization
originating it
Minor changes have been made to
improve reproduction quality
Points of view or opinions stated in this
document do not necessarily represent
official OERI position or policy
PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND
DISSEMINATE THIS MAT flIAL HAS
BEEN GRAN
BY
European Training Foundation
THE EDUCATIONAL
OURCES
INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)
BEST COPY HAMM
Special Preparatory Programme
for the
European Social Fund
A COMPOSITE REPORT
ON THE STUDY VISITS
PHASE I
3
Special Preparatory Programme for the European Social Fund - Composite Report: Study visits
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART A - OVERALL CONCLUSIONS
The SPP-ESF study visits to the EU
2
A.1
Foreword
2
A.1.1
Background to the study visit programme
3
A.1.2
Methodology/choice of countries
3
A.1.3
Summary of the EU case studies
4
A.1.4
7
Conclusions
A.1.5
Brussels SPP follow-up conference
A.2
Conference logistics
19
A.2.1
Conference contents
19
A.2.2
Bilateral meeting DG V - Candidate countries
21
A.2.3
Conference agenda
22
A.2.4
Conference evaluation questionnaire survey
25
A.2.5
PART B - SELECTED TEXTS
Reports on study visits to the European Union
B.1.
Denmark
36
13.1.1
Finland
41
B.1.2
France
49
B.1.3
Germany
55
13.1.4
Ireland
61
B.1.5
Italy
82
B.1.6
The Netherlands
89
B.1.7
Portugal
96
B.1.8
Spain
108
B.1.9
124
Sweden
B.1.10
United Kingdom
134
B.1.11
iii
4
Reports on the state of readiness in candidate country
B.2.
administrations for future access to the ESF
163
Bulgaria
B.2.1
177
Czech Republic
B.2.2
188
Estonia
B.2.3
196
Hungary
B.2.4
202
Latvia
B.2.5
213
Lithuania
B.2.6
Poland
225
B.2.7
Romania
230
B.2.8
245
Slovak Republic
B.2.9
254
Slovenia
B.2.10
ANNEXES
Abbreviations used in the text
List of participants in study visits and at the Brussels conference
Special Preparatory Programme for the European Social Fund - Composite Report: Study visits
PART A
OVERALL CONCLUSIONS
The SPP-ESF Study visits to the EU
A.1
A.1.1 Foreword
The organisation of study visits to the European Union for candidate country officials participating
in the SPP/ESF programme was the result of intensive cooperation between European Training
Foundation programme managers and their counterparts in the European Union. We would like to
thank all those involved in making this programme a real success. At the follow-up conference in
Brussels, the candidate countries were unanimous in emphasising the key value-added that these
exchanges have had in helping them prepare for accession. They expressed the wish that study visits
of this kind be continued.
The SPP-ESF Study Visits Programme
European Training
Foundation Programme
Dates
Visiting Countries
Host Country
Manager responsible
Henrik Faudel
Lithuania and Slovenia
24-28 May
Denmark
Gerard Mayen
12-16 April
Hungary
France
Hanna Autere
16-24 April
Bulgaria
Finland
Evelyn Viertel
Czech Republic, Estonia
5-11 April
Germany
and Poland
Brian Tisdall
Czech Republic and
13- 19 March
Ireland
Slovak Republic
Brian Tisdall
Hungary
22-28 May
Ireland
Brian Tisdall
Lithuania
26-30 July
Ireland
Milena Corradini
Romania
3-7 May
Italy
Hanna Autere
25-28 May
Latvia
Netherlands
Maria Victoria de Yturriaga
Bulgaria and Czech
1-3 February
Portugall
Republic
Milena Corradini
Estonia, Romania and
12-16 April
Portugal
Slovenia
Maria Victoria de Yturriaga
Bulgaria and Poland
22-26 March
Spain
Roberto Daneo
Slovak Republic
19-23 April
Sweden
Steve Pope
19-23 April
Latvia
U.K
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BEST COPY AVAILABLE
Special Preparatory Programme for the European Social Fund - Composite Report: Study visits
Background to the study visit programme
A.1.2
Following the successful organisation of introductory seminars in Sofia, Prague, Warsaw and Lisbon
during January 1999, the Special Preparatory Programme for the European Social Fund (SPP-ESF)
switched to a new phase which focused on the transfer and exchange of experiences from the
European Union to the ten accession countries of Central and Eastern Europe.
The European Training Foundation was requested by the European Commission to manage this
multi-national Phare programme in November 1998. The budget for the programme is 2.1 million
Euros and the implementation period is 1998-2000. The overall objective of the SPP-ESF is to support
institution-building in the ten Phare candidate countries and to support preparations for accession,
particularly as far as administering the ESF is concerned.
A preliminary report on the conclusions of the first four introductory seminars was produced in June
1999 and can be obtained from the Foundation s Information Department. The present report covers
the activities implemented, under the SPP-ESF horizontal programme, between February and July
1999 and summarises the conclusions of the study visits and the Brussels conference.
The terms of reference of the SPP-ESF programme require three officials from each candidate
country to participate in one-week study visits to two EU Member States (including one Member
State with an Objective 1 status). The purpose of these visits is to allow officials, in particular from
education and labour ministries/agencies in the partner countries, to get some practical insight into
how different EU administrations have successfully designed and implemented ESF employment
and training activities.
The interest displayed by the partner countries in the study visits was so great, that, in several
instances, additional officials participated in the visits at the expense of their own administrations.
In the end, a total of fourteen study visits were organised to eleven European Union countries over a
period of six months. At the end of the study visits cycle, participants were invited to a wrap-up
seminar hosted by DG V in Brussels (June 1999). The conclusions of this conference are also included
in the present report.
A.1.3 Methodology/choice of countries
The choice of study visit destinations was the result of intensive discussions between DG V, the
European Training Foundation, EU Member States and the partner countries. An effort was made to
cover as many Member States, particularly Objective 1 countries, as possible and the overall
response from the EU ESF coordination missions contacted was excellent. Unfortunately, not all
countries could be visited and, for this reason, the national experiences of those who were not were
presented during the introductory seminars held in the partner countries, Lisbon and Brussels.
The partner countries chose the EU Member States to be visited on the basis of various
considerations: size of country; Structural Funds eligibility (Objectives 1,2 etc), the administrative
model chosen by the country (centralised versus decentralised), level of experience in Structural
Funds administration (experienced administrations versus recent EU members), results of
Structural Funds/ESF implementation etc. The emphasis on these factors meant that there was a
This study visit was organised for five officials from Bulgaria and the Czech Republic and followed on from the Lisbon
1
conference which was organised with the support of the European Training Foundation. This visit was financed by the
participants with the generous and effective support of the IEFP (Institituto do Emprego e Forma ao Profissional)
3
particularly relevant to a
very high demand to visit two countries whose experience was seen as
number of partner countries, Portugal and Ireland. On the other hand, it was clear that partner
countries would like to learn from and about the experience of as many Member States as possible
and feedback was very positive for all the countries visited.
A.1.4 Summary of the EU case studies
Denmark
Denmark has no Objective 1 regions and has one of the lowest unemployment rates in Europe (6%).
Lithuanian visitors to Denmark were interested in seeing how this small EU country uses the
relatively small amount of Structural Funds/ESF funding, which it receives, efficiently. Visiting
officials saw how a "regional social fund plan", which will translate into actual projects, is based on
by social
an analysis of labour market needs. They were also made aware of the essential role played
partners in all phases of ESF implementation and were introduced to two innovative initiatives:
OPUS (software which is being developed to ease the burden of work of administrators in the public
service and in the projects) and a six-week modular training programme to train "European
Programme Managers".
Finland
Today, Finland has one of the highest rates of unemployment in the EU. In one of its Objective 6
regions (North Karelia), unemployment reached a peak 24% in 1994. Partly for this reason, 33.8% of
all Structural Fund aid to Finland goes to the ESF. Bulgarian visitors to Finland had the opportunity
to visit North Karelia whose problems are similar to those of an Objective 1 region. (Indeed, in the
next programming period, the regions will fall into this category.) The Bulgarian delegation was
very interested to learn how the Finnish administration had prepared itself to enter the Union. It was
also able to witness preparations for the first Finnish Presidency of the Union. Finnish officials had
four important pieces of advice for their visitors:
the need for Ministries of Education and Labour to work in very close cooperation;
i)
the importance of developing good regional structures for Structural Fund administration;
ii)
iii) the importance of linking ESF and national policies while maintaining a separate lists of
priorities for each; and
iv) the need to coordinate the activities and funding of different EU programmes.
France
Hungarian visitors to Paris and Nord Pas de Calais (an Objective 1 region) were given the chance to
analyse the complexity of ESF management, particularly the cultural differences between various
stakeholders (national and regional administrative cultures versus the private sector culture of
promoters). Participants learnt about the experience of RACINE in managing and implementing the
ESF and were warned of the dangers of excessive bureaucracy. Visitors were particularly interested
in studying the well-developed links between initial and continuing vocational education and
training systems in France and identified a number of implications that the introduction of the ESF
would have in their countries. These included the need to develop an adapted national legal system
and to ensure that civil servants and promoters are well trained for the job. It would also require the
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Special Preparatory Programme for the European Social Fund - Composite Report: Study visits
introduction of effective information and assistance systems, rigorous auditing and control and
analytical accountancy systems.
Germany
Since 1990, the German labour market has undergone fundamental changes as a result of
reunification. In the last decade, the ESF has served to mitigate the effects of rising unemployment
levels and to strengthen solidarity among the German regions. Most ESF support to Germany goes
Berlin had an
to the new Lander. Officials from the Czech Republic, Estonia and Poland visiting
interesting overview of the challenges and difficulties faced by the former GDR in the period
following reunification and its incorporation into the European Union. During the study visit, which
also included visits to Bonn and Dtisseldorf, officials learnt about labour market and vocational
training policies at national and regional levels. A key lesson from the visit was that active labour
market policies go far beyond short-term training for the unemployed. Visiting officials were
particularly impressed with the way in which various actors are mobilised to take part in (and to
contribute in various ways, including co-funding, to) concerted actions aimed at using ESF support
to create new training places and jobs, provide assistance to individuals seeking further training and
to help disadvantaged people to integrate or re-integrate into the labour market and society.
Germany is also an interesting case study in that the ESF is used to finance measures that are not
covered by German legislation.
Ireland
Visiting delegates from the Czech Republic, Hungary Slovak Republic and Lithuania studied how
Ireland has built its ESF framework upon an already existing infrastructure. They were interested to
with excellent
see that Ireland has chosen to use public training providers to deliver ESF support
results. Visits to FAS were highly appreciated, particularly since the Hungarian continuing
vocational training system is based on the FAS model. Hungarian officials were able to verify for
themselves how the adult training centres have contributed to the recent success of the Irish
economy. As a result of the visit, the Hungarian delegation is going to suggest a stock-taking review
of the Hungarian education and training system to ascertain the changes that are required for
Hungary to take full advantage of the ESF. For their part, Czech and Slovak officials considered FAS
as a possible model for the development of their continuing vocational training capacity. The Irish
ESF Information Office, too, was considered a very interesting example of good practice, especially
in view of the fact that staff costs are covered up to 75% by the ESF.
Italy
Romanian delegates visiting Italy were interested in the institutional framework and the decision-
making process for the ESF and the Structural Funds and, in particular, in how national and regional
authorities work together in the development of plans on the use of the funds. It was also useful for
them to learn how the social partners are involved in all the processes and how direct action with
entrepreneurs can generate employment opportunities. Finally, visitors were impressed by the
efficient computerised system for monitoring and transmitting data on the ESF.
The Netherlands
The Netherlands was chosen by the Latvian delegation because of the generql success of its
economy, its system of vocational education and training and its similar geographical size. The
visitors were impressed by the degree of decentralisation in the Dutch system, where there are only a
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