European Social Fund

Malta's Objective One ESF Programme 2004-2006

With Objective One Funds, the European Social Fund supports those regions whose per capita GDP is less than 75% of the European Community Average.

Malta whose per capita GDP is around 69% of the European Community Average is eligible under Objective One.

For the period 2004-2006, Malta and the EU have provided some € 12.6m for the European Social Fund, used to support the labour market demands in Malta. To achieve this aim, a wide variety of projects are to be implemented, with the protection of those sectors of people threatened by unemployment having top priority. A well-founded training contributes to achieving this goal as well as assisting an individual's job hunt and re-entry into working life. Moreover, the funds and the training assistance facilitate the creation and advancement of the small and medium-sized enterprises in Malta, increasing Malta's competitiveness in the longer term. Gozo will also benefit from specific European Social Fund support, focusing on the sister island's particular needs to safeguard and create employment, with special attention also given to employment in the traditional crafts and tourism sectors.

Also within the framework of Objective One, particular attention is paid to equal opportunities for women and men as well as to the consideration of people with disabilities in labour market policy measures.

In Malta, during the current programming period 2004-2006, the European Social Fund will co-finance projects pertaining to the following Measures of Malta's Single Programming Document 2004-2006 :

Measure 2.1 - Employability and Adaptability

Under this Measure, the specific ESF Actions focus on the promotion of active labour market policies aimed at helping those at risk of unemployment, and to help people not to fall into long-term unemployment, while assisting the potential workforce in better adapting to change.

Measure 2.2 - Gender Equality

Under this Measure, the specific ESF Actions focus on the provision of specific positive actions for correcting imbalances in the equality of opportunity for women and men.

Measure 2.3 - Lifelong Learning and Social Inclusion

Under this Measure, the specific ESF Actions focus on the development of a skilled workforce that can move with the changing world of work by improving training and certification systems, while focusing on the special needs of groups and individuals facing special difficulties through an appropriate mix of preventive and active policies for helping them into the job market.

Measure 4.2: Gozo's Human Resources

Under this Measure, the specific ESF projects focus on the promotion of active labour market policies aimed at helping those at risk of unemployment in Gozo, and to help Gozitan unemployed not to fall into long-term unemployment, while assisting the Gozitan workforce in better adapting to change as well as encouraging entrepreneurship.

Measure 5.2: ESF Technical Assistance

Under this Measure, the specific ESF activities aim to obtain a capacity for the successful administration of the preparatory, monitoring, evaluation, and checking measures necessary for the implementation of the European Social Fund, including studies; measures; exchange of experience; installation, operation and interconnection of computerised systems of management, monitoring and evaluation; and improvements in evaluation methods.