European Social Fund Agency participated in the annual meeting of neighboring countries for the organizations implementing ESF
The annual ESF-3B meeting with the organizations implementing ESF programme in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia this year took place on September 27-28 in Latvia, Kuldīga. ESF meetings are organized every year on a rotating basis between Baltic sea countries. The events are dedicated to sharing the practice and the latest information on the progress of the ESF programme among Baltic countries and to strengthen the transnational cooperation among them. Usually in those meetings the ESF organisations from the 3 Baltic countries participated, but this year we had a pleasure to welcome the colleagues from Sweden ESF for the first time.
The meeting discussed the progress of the implementation of the 2014-2020 and 2021-2027 European Union (hereinafter - EU) funds programming period and the various challenges that have affected the implementation of the projects. Solutions for organization remote work were also discussed, including the monitoring of EU fund projects. Lithuanian progress in this area, as well as the new role of Agency acting as a European Competence Centre for Social Innovation were presented by the representatives of European Social Fund Agency.
The working groups looked for the best solutions for possible simplifications in project administration and inspection methods. In order to provide an opportunity to get acquainted with the results of EU fund investments, colleagues from neighbouring countries visited the premises of the Kuldīga Needle Factory. Factory was renovated with the support of EU funds, and a new cultural space has been created in Latvia since the Academy of Arts of Latvia with the support of the ESF has been developed.
It is planned that next year, the meeting of the European Social Fund implementing organizations from the neighbouring Baltic sea countries will be held in Estonia.
