PROGRESS (2007-2013) - Programme for Employment and Social Solidarity

PROGRESS is the Community Programme for employment and social solidarity which will run from 2007 until 2013. The programme replaces the former Community programmes covering anti-discrimination, gender equality, the fight against social exclusion and employment incentive measures which provide financial support to the EU's Social Policy Agenda. This single programme complements the European Social Fund as well as the financial support provided for social dialogue, free movement of workers and social studies.

The programme is divided into five sections:
1. Employment: to support the implementation of the European Employment Strategy (EES);
2. Social protection and social inclusion: to support the implementation of the open method of coordination (OMC) in the field of social protection and inclusion;
3. Working conditions: to support the improvement of the working environment and working conditions, including health and safety at work and reconciling work and family life;
4. Antidiscrimination and diversity: to support the effective implementation of the principle of non-discrimination and promote its mainstreaming in all Community policies;
5. Gender equality: to support the effective implementation of the principle of gender equality and promote gender mainstreaming in all Community policies.

Eligible applicants for the PROGRESS programme:
- social partners, public authorities, international organisations, non-profit making organisations, profit-making organisations, research centres, institutes and universities, and civil society organisations;
- countries eligible to participate are the 28 EU Member States, the EFTA-EEA countries (Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway), and the candidate and potential candidate countries participating in PROGRESS (the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey).

Open calls:

Call for Proposals VP/2013/010: Delivering on skills for growth and jobs
The aim is to encourage new forms of collaboration through partnerships between public and private actors on the labour market (such as public and private employment services, companies including SME’s, chambers of commerce, training and education providers, social partners, labour market intelligence entities) to address persistent skills shortages and mismatches to help fill the gap between labour supply and demand in the EU.

The call is divided into four type of actions:
- to strengthen joint initiatives aimed at anticipating "green" skills needs in three sectors: construction, recycling and electricity, gas , steam and air conditioning supply
- to identify good practices and innovative approaches with special emphasis on the employment potential of ICT
- to identify good practices and innovative approaches with particular emphasis on the personal and home care
- to support the consolidation of the "European Sector Skills Councils"

Some of the options to be envisaged could cover:
- implementation and delivery of placement and job insertion initiatives,
- labour market intelligence gathering,
- training measures,
- establishment of networks and the development and exchange of best practice through targeted events.

Deadline: 15 January 2014.

Related link:
http://www.eurodesk.eu