2024 Work Programme for EaSI
The 2024 Work programme for Employment and Social Innovation
At the beginning of this year, the European Commission published the 2024 work programme for the Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI) strand of the European Social Fund (ESF+). This work programme sets out the most important actions that will be undertaken under EaSI for 2024 and allocates a budget of €127 million to promote social inclusion within the EU.
The EaSI strand is an important part of the ESF+, dedicated to enhancing employment opportunities, fostering social inclusion, combating poverty, and improving working conditions across the EU. The 2024 programme underlines the Commission's commitment to creating a socially inclusive EU, paving the way for a future that is both more sustainable and equitable, in line with the European Pillar of Social Rights.
The key initiatives for 2024 under the EaSI strand are as follows:
- Social investment market and microfinance ecosystem: €20 million is dedicated to enhancing the social investment market and microfinance ecosystem through improved collaboration between the EaSI strand and InvestEU. This will provide much-needed support to microfinance institutions, microenterprises, and social enterprises, and will facilitate the funding of projects that are typically considered too risky.
- Advancing social innovation and impact accountability: With €4.5 million, this focuses on refining social impact measurement to better inform sustainable investments, an essential part of the Commission's sustainable finance package.
- Fair transition towards climate neutrality: €800,000 has been allocated to support the goal of reaching climate neutrality by 2050 through initiatives such as the implementation and monitoring the Fair Transition Recommendation and establishment a fair transition observatory.
For more information on potential funding opportunities under the EaSI strand, you may contact SEM as the national contact point on easi.sem@gov.mt or on 2779 7300.