Support for social protection reforms

Call for Proposals

The Call for Proposals VP/2014/006 “Support for social protection reforms” has been published by the European Commission in the framework of the Employment and Social Innovation Programme.

The European social model is characterized by large-scale, and in most cases publicly organized and financed social protection systems. These high levels of social protection spending are an integral part of the functioning of high-performance social market economies, where they help generate and maintain the human capital stock that feeds into labour supply. In the economic crisis they have contributed to the stabilization of the economy and prevented an even deeper recession by protecting millions of Europeans. At the same time, modern social policies promote the development of skills and competences that are key for future growth and competitiveness in an increasingly knowledge-based society. Today, social protection systems must help restore sustainable economic growth while also contributing to the consolidation of public finances and preparing for the impact of demographic ageing on social protection systems. Social spending has been a key element in consolidation efforts that were made necessary by the financial and economic crisis.

 

The European Programme for Employment and Social Innovation "EaSI" 2014-20201 is a European-level financing instrument managed directly by the European Commission to contribute to the implementation of the Europe 2020 strategy, by providing financial support for the Union's objectives in terms of promoting a high level of quality and sustainable employment, guaranteeing adequate and decent social protection, combating social exclusion and poverty and improving working conditions.

 

The general objective of the current “Support for social protection reforms” call for proposals, published by the European Commission, is to generate knowledge and evidence that help steer national reforms, either by facilitating the access to expertise from other Member States and/or international organisations, or by obtaining empirical evidence needed for international comparisons and mutual learning. The focus should be in particular on major challenges that have been, or might become, the subject of country-specific recommendations, as well as reforms that could strengthen the social investment dimension of social protection schemes.

 

Grants awarded under the current “Support for social protection reforms” call, published by the European Commission, will allow Member States to access experience and expertise from other countries and international organisations, or obtain empirical evidence needed for international comparisons and mutual learning. The specific objectives of the current “Support for social protection reforms” call for proposals are the following:

- the assessment of alternative strategies to reform social protection spending or financing arrangements, with a focus on the reforms' impacts on coverage, adequacy, public spending, distributive effects, and behavioral incentives;

- the exchange of good practices and lessons learnt from past reform experiences;

- the collection and analysis of data that can be used for international comparisons needed for mutual learning and evidence-based policy making.

 

The lead applicant and co-applicants to the current “Support for social protection reforms” call for proposals must, at the time of the submission of applications under this call, be properly constituted and registered legal persons established in:

- EU Member States.

- EFTA/EEA countries, in accordance with the EEA Agreement (Iceland)

- Candidate and potential candidate countries, in accordance with the general principles and the general terms and conditions laid down in the framework agreements concluded with them on their participation in Union programmes from 2015.

 

The total budget earmarked for the co-financing of the current “Support for social protection reforms” call for proposals, published by the European Commission, is estimated at EUR 2,500,000. The Commission reserves the right not to distribute all the funds available. EU financial aid granted will not exceed 80% of the total eligible costs of the action. The applicant has to guarantee the co-financing in cash of the remaining 20%; contribution in kind is not accepted as co-financing. The equivalent amount of not less than 20% of the total eligible cost must be covered from sources other than from European Union funds.

The deadline for submitting proposals in the framework of the current “Support for social protection reforms” call for proposals, published by the European Commission, is 30 October 2014.  

 

Further information on the current call for proposals is available on the European Commission’s web site at: http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=629&langId=en&callId=418&furtherCalls=yes.