A more social Europe (PO4)
Interact supports programmes who have adopted the Policy Objective 4: 'A more social Europe' to exchange on their experiences. The goal is to develop knowledge in order to support programming, project management, as well as the collection and communication of results and impact.
The Policy Objective benefits from Interact's past experience in running a thematic network on Inclusive Growth, which covered the issues tackled in PO4 under the specific objectives:
- Labour market and access to quality employment through developing social infrastructure and promoting social economy.
- Access to services in education, training and lifelong learning, including distance and online.
- Inclusion of marginalised communities, low income households and disadvantaged groups, including people with special needs, through integrated actions, including housing and social services.
- Integration of third country nationals, including migrants through integrated actions, including housing and social services.
- Access to healthcare.
- Role of culture and sustainable tourism in economic development, social inclusion and social innovation.
Who this network is for
The network is open to programme representatives involved in the management of projects under PO4. It also gathers thematic experts, European Commission representatives, stakeholders and other EU co-funding programmes that are interested in working on EU social policy.
What we are working on
The network will reconnect and relaunch at the Interreg Knowledge Fair in Riga, Latvia.
Following this relaunch, online and an in-person meeting will be planned for later in 2024.
During 2024, the network will also have a focus for post27 discussions on how Interreg contributes to the Union Social Policy
Contact
For more information please contact Mercedes Acitores.
Exchange Community
Interact offers an online space for those working with A more social Europe to share information and exchange. If you would like to learn more about this, please contact Mercedes Acitores.
If you are already a member of the Community, you can access it here.
Key resources and Publications
A More Social Europe? Interreg Makes It Happen!
Interreg's territorial cooperation aspect makes its contribution to EU social policy unique. It ensures that regions, cities, and local actors work together across borders to address social challenges in a way that national policies alone cannot. Interreg projects improve Access to Social Services by facilitating cross-border healthcare and supports education and training initiatives across regions. Boost Employment and Inclusion with projects that improve labour market integration and supports cross-border job mobility and recognition of professional qualifications. Interreg provides solutions to Demographic Challenges including cross-border elderly care and active ageing initiatives. Asi it helps mitigate rural depopulation by improving local economies and social infrastructure.
In short, Interreg acts as a bridge between regions, ensuring that social policies are more inclusive, innovative, and cooperative across Europe.
Interreg adds value to other funds (ERASMUS+, ESF+, COSME, YEI, HORIZON EUROPE, EU4HEALTH by introducing a territorial cooperation dimension, ensuring that social policies do not stop at national borders. It focuses on joint problem-solving, policy innovation, and cross-border integration, making EU social policy more effective, inclusive, and territorially balanced.
If you want to know more, go to these publications:
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
- Report | Youth & Employment Opportunities in EU Cooperation 2014-2020
- Projects Catalogue | Youth and Employment Opportunities in EU Cooperation 2014-2020
AGEING
- Full Report | Healthy and Active Ageing in Interreg (2014-2020)
- Project Fiches| Healthy and Active Ageing in Interreg (2014-2020)
SKILLS
HEALTHCARE
- Report |Access to Healthcare in European Territorial Cooperation programmes
- Publication | Interreg supports healthcare: How we responded to COVID-19