Some European programmes that can be mobilised for the SSE

May 2024

The main European programmes for developing the SSE

The ESF+ EaSI strand

The aim of the programme for employment and social innovation (EaSI) is to support through a social experimentation approach :

• the modernisation of protection systems for workers and vulnerable people ;

• access to employment and geographical mobility for workers;

• the development of microfinance targeted at disadvantaged groups and the emergence (and consolidation) of ecosystems of support and investment in social enterprises.

The programme also measures the impact of the initiatives financed to encourage the spin-off of solutions found in other areas and other sectors.

Implemented by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (DG Employment), the Easi programme has a budget of €762 million for 2021-2027.

In France, the FAIR organisation has been selected by the European Commission to be the « French National Contact Point for the EaSI programme ». It is responsible for informing stakeholders about the objectives and funding procedures of this fund via a dedicated portal.

The European Skills Centre for Social Innovation

With a budget of €197 million, the Social Innovation strand of ESF+ includes several multi-country projects across the EU. This initiative aims to design, reproduce and develop innovative solutions. It has also led to the creation of a European Competence Centre for Social Innovation, which collects, evaluates, develops, validates and disseminates tools and methods adapted to social innovation. The initiative offers opportunities for mutual learning, capacity building and networking for ESF+ managing authorities and other stakeholders.

This European cooperation is pursued through regular working and exchange spaces, led by the European Centre of Competence for Social Innovation, supported by the Lithuanian organisation ESFA (European Social Fund Agency). Avise is the National Centre of Competence for Social Innovation in France and develops consortium projects.

Erasmus+ programme

Erasmus+ is the European programme for training, education, youth and sport. It enables all learners, those undergoing training or retraining, education and training professionals as well as institutions and structures to take part in European projects by developing partnerships or learning mobility in Europe and around the world. The programme is aimed at individuals and universities, as well as local businesses and any public or private organisation active in the field of social action and the social economy.

Erasmus + has a budget of over 26 billion euros for the 2021-2027 programme, including 295 million euros for France in 2023.

For France, the programme is managed by two different agencies:

• Erasmus+ France, based in Bordeaux, manages the Education & Training strands of the programme (95% of Erasmus+ funds managed nationally);

• the Civic Service Agency, based in Paris, is responsible for implementing the Youth & Sport and European Solidarity Corps strands.

Other European programmes

Several European programmes offer calls for projects that fund and contribute to the development of the SSE in Europe.

Responding to these European Commission calls for projects generally involves a partnership of organisations from several countries (consortium of at least three countries). Co-financing rates for these projects can reach up to 90% of the total cost of the project.

Single Market Programme (SMP)

The Single Market Programme is a new feature of the 2021-2027 programming period following the Covid-19 pandemic, which demonstrated that the single market can become more effective in many areas to make EU economies more resilient.

With a budget of €4.2 billion, the single market programme brings together six former programmes from the 2014-2020 period, including the COSME programme for the competitiveness of SMEs and businesses. Its aim is to remove obstacles in the internal market in order to improve consumer protection and stimulate business development, with a view to ensuring economic recovery within the European Union. In particular, it benefits SMEs and social entrepreneurs.

The programme has six main objectives:

• to make the internal market more efficient, particularly in the light of the digital transformation ;

• to strengthen the competitiveness and sustainability of SMEs by providing financial, administrative, technological and entrepreneurial support;

• ensuring the efficient functioning of the internal market through standardisation processes;

• promote the interests of consumers and ensure a high level of consumer protection and product safety by fostering cooperation between national authorities;

• contribute to a high level of health and food safety for humans, animals and plants;

• to develop, produce, disseminate and communicate high-quality European statistics.

The programme operates on the basis of calls for tender issued by the European Commission’s DG Grow, and is implemented by the Executive Agency for SMEs (EASME).

Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs

The Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs programme, funded by COSME, enables future European entrepreneurs to acquire the skills needed to set up and/or run a small business in Europe. New entrepreneurs are offered the opportunity to acquire or exchange entrepreneurial knowledge and ideas with an experienced entrepreneur, with whom they will stay for a period of between 1 and 6 months. The stay is partly funded by the European Commission.

Local contact points used to providing assistance to businesses act as the European Commission’s intermediary in the territories (e.g. chambers of commerce, business start-up centres, incubators, etc.).

Horizon Europe

Horizon Europe is the European Union’s framework programme for research and innovation. It follows on from the Horizon 2020 programme for the period 2021-2027. The main objectives of the programme are to

• strengthen the EU’s scientific and technological foundations ;

• boost its competitiveness, including that of its industry;

• to implement the EU’s strategic political priorities;

• contribute to meeting global challenges, including sustainable development objectives.

The programme has a budget of around €95.5 billion for 2021-2027 to fund actions under one of its four pillars:

• excellent science ;

• global issues and European industrial competitiveness;

• a more innovative Europe;

• strengthening research in Europe.

InvestEU

The InvestEU programme builds on the former Investment Plan for Europe and brings together under a single structure the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSi) and 13 other EU financial instruments from the 2014-2020 programming period.

The InvestEU programme aims to give an additional boost to sustainable investment, innovation, social inclusion and job creation in Europe. It aims to raise €372 billion in investment by 2027. Through this, the programme aims to mobilise private funding for social enterprises. This sum is backed by a €26.2 billion EU budget guarantee, which should leverage public and private investment.

The implementation of InvestEU relies mainly on the European Investment Bank (EIB) and its subsidiary the European Investment Fund (EIF), but also on other financial partners of the programme. These are organisations that operate on a more or less large scale, such as the Council of Europe Bank (CEB), but also the Banque des Territoires - Groupe Caisse des Dépôts, whose action only concerns France, and its subsidiary Bpifrance dedicated to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs and ETIs).

LIFE

The LIFE programme provides financial support to organisations working on environmental issues and climate action. The main objective of the programme is to support the implementation, updating and development of EU environmental and climate policy and legislation, by financing projects with European added value in this field. As such, it supports the transition in Europe from a linear economic model to a circular economy.

For the period 2021-2027, the LIFE programme has a budget of €5.4 billion at European level, divided into4 sub-programmes:

• nature and biodiversity ;

• circular economy and quality of life

• climate change mitigation and adaptation ;

• transition to clean energy.

Calls for proposals are issued by the European Commission or the Executive Agency for SMEs (EASME). The financing instruments are managed by the European Bank.

Sources