24 September 2014
E-007117-14
Question for written answer
to the Commission
Rule 130
Alfred Sant (S&D)

Question:

Could the Commission please provide annual data regarding the funds — from all relevant sources — in the EU budget for the years 2011 to 2013 that were directly related to the Europe 2020 target of reducing the number of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion, in terms of commitments or allocations from the budget, and in terms of actual disbursement?

What was the commitment or allocation set in the 2014 budget to cover this target?

Answer:

31 October 2014

Answer given by Mr Andor on behalf of the Commission

Up to the end of 2012, 12.9 billion Euro were invested in social inclusion measures, and further 10.3 billion Euro have been committed to these.

In respect of the programming period 2014-2020, it was agreed for the first time in the context of cohesion policy and with a view to ensure sufficient resources for social inclusion that each Member State has to earmark at least 20% of its ESF allocation for social inclusion. There are specific indicators that will allow the explicit monitoring of these spending.

Although the operational programmes are still being negotiated between the Commission and the Member States, it appears that the latter have provisionally allocated over the whole period EUR 20.9 billion of the ESF for promoting social inclusion, combating poverty and any discrimination (i.e. beyond the mandatory 20% threshold — which represents approximately EUR 17 billion);

In addition, as from 2014 the new Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD) shall contribute to achieving the specific objective of alleviating the worst forms of poverty, by providing non-financial assistance to the most deprived persons by food and/or basic material assistance, and social inclusion activities aiming at the social integration of the most deprived persons. The EU Budget 2014 assigns to FEAD EUR 501 million (in current prices) in commitment appropriations.

Member States are also invited to use the European Regional Development Fund to invest in education, social, health and housing infrastructure in order to improve social inclusion in the 2014-2020 period.

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