European Social Fund

The European Social Fund Unit

The European Social Fund Unit was established by the Ministry for the Family and Social Solidarity's current EU Affairs Directorate in June 2002, following the appointment of the Unit's first personnel responsible for the programming, management, monitoring and control of all aspects related to the ESF in Malta.

The ESF Unit falls under the direct responsibility of the Ministry for the Family and Social Solidarity's EU Affairs Directorate, formerly known as the Office of Review, which is the designated Intermediate Body responsible for the European Social Fund in Malta on behalf of the Managing Authority which is the Planning and Priorities Co-ordination Division within the Office of the Prime Minister.

Since its establishment in June 2002, the ESF Unit has been active on numerous fronts including the co-ordination and assessment of all programming requirements as well as all preparations for the successful implementation of the ESF's Measures proposed for co-financing by Malta as a Member State of the European Union.

The ESF Unit is also responsible for the ESF's Community Initiative Programme EQUAL and has set up a structure within its Unit to provide Technical Assistance for this Programme as well as to provide technical support to the Managing Authority, which is known as the EQUAL National Support Structure.

The Ministry's ESF Unit also benefits from a Consultative Working Group in order to ensure that all current ESF and EQUAL Programmes, Measures and Projects effectively support the national employment, inclusion and educational priorities of the country.

The Paying Authority for Malta's Structural Funds and Community Initiatives is the Ministry for Finance, while the Internal Audit and Investigations Directorate within the Office of the Prime Minister's Cabinet Secretariat is the designated Control body for all Structural Funds and Community Initiative operations in Malta.

The overall supervisory bodies for all Structural Funds and the EQUAL Community Initiative in Malta are known as the Monitoring Committee, and these includes Government, Social Partners, Civil Society, and the European Commission in an observer capacity, overseeing all ESF and EQUAL Programming Documents and Implementation Reports produced by Malta.