Alternate Econ Min Papathanassis meets with EU’s Mario Nava over ECF+ implementation progress

Alternate National Economy & Finance Minister Nikos Papathanassis met with Director-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion Mario Nava in Athens on Thursday.

Nava and the delegation members were briefed on the implementation progress of the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), through which the European Union invests in human resources and supports the European pillar of social rights. They expressed their satisfaction over the results of the policy followed, while both sides agred to continue their close collaboration ahead of the revision of such programs and the planning of the new program period 2028-2035.

Several Greek officials also participated, as did Cristiana Costinescu, European Commission deputy head of Greece and Cyprus Unit.

Greece is committed to using these investments to achieve its 2030 targets under the European Pillar of Social Rights by raising the employment rate to 71.1%, adult participation in education to 40% and decreasing the number of people at risk of poverty and social exclusion by nearly 860 000. ESF+ is implemented in Greece via the national Human Resources and Social Cohesion Programme, as well as 3 sectoral and 13 regional programmes, comprising funding from both the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the ESF+.

The EU is expected to invest over 5.3 billion euros in ESF+ funds in Greece to promote employment, skills upgrading (including for the digital and green transitions), quality and inclusive education and training, as well as high-quality and accessible social inclusion services.