Goal 5: 1. EU Programmes likely to be relevant for libraries (a selection)

Local Authorities – International Cooperation and Development

In the past two decades, the importance of Local Authorities (LAs) and Associations of Local Authorities (ALAs) in addressing the complexities of sustainable development and fighting poverty have been increasingly recognised, by both the EU and its partner countries. Indeed, as the public institutions closest to citizens, local authorities hold responsibility to execute a mandate to satisfy their constituencies’ needs, mainly through the provision of basic services. They have opportunities to mobilise their local communities, in most of the cases, while acting as catalysts for change.

https://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/sectors/human-rights-and-governance/local-authorities_en

New Cohesion policy (2021-2027) - also see the EBLIDA report

The European Structural and Investment Funds 2021-2027 report

 

A focus on five investment priorities, where the EU is best placed to deliver.

The main objectives driving EU investments in 2021-2027 are :

• Regional development investments will strongly focus on objectives 1 - to promote the development and adjustment of regions whose development is lagging behind - and 2 - covers regions struggling with structural difficulties and helps to reduce gaps in socio-economic development.

•  65% to 85% of ERDF and Cohesion Fund resources will be allocated to these priorities, depending on Member States’ relative wealth.

• Smarter Europe, through innovation, digitisation, economic transformation and support to small and medium-sized businesses.

• a Greener, carbon free Europe, implementing the Paris Agreement and investing in energy transition, renewables and the fight against climate change.

• a more Connected Europe, with strategic transport and digital networks.

• a more Social Europe, delivering on the European Pillar of Social Rights and supporting quality employment, education, skills, social inclusion and equal access to healthcare.

• a Europe closer to citizens, by supporting locally-led development strategies and sustainable urban development across the EU.

https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/en/2021_2027/

Fight against all discriminations – International cooperation and development

As part of its development cooperation, the EU supports the action of anti-discrimination movements, namely the ones focusing on the rights of women, children, LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex) people and other minorities. It also supports initiatives defending the rights of indigenous peoples. 

https://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/sectors/human-rights-and-governance/democracy-and-human-rights/anti-discrimination-movements-0_en

Rights at work

Every EU worker has certain minimum rights relating to:

• health and safety at work: general rights and obligations, workplaces, work equipment, specific risks and vulnerable workers
• equal opportunities for women and men: equal treatment at work, pregnancy, maternity leave, parental leave
• protection against discrimination based on sex, race, religion, age, disability and sexual orientation
• labour law: part-time work, fixed-term contracts, working hours, employment of young people, informing and consulting employees

https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?langId=en&catId=82

European Institute for Gender Equality

EIGE collects, analyses, processes and disseminates data and information on gender equality issues, whilst at the same time making them comparable, reliable and relevant for the users.

https://eige.europa.eu/about/our-work

Focused actions to combat violence against women

Violence against women is endemic in the European Union. Since the age of 15: a) one in three women has experienced sexual and/or physical violence; b) one in three has experienced psychologically abusive behaviour by an intimate partner; c) one in two (55%) have experienced sexual harassment.

https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/just/item-detail.cfm?item_id=37131

Sustainable and responsible supply chains - International cooperation and development

International manufacturing is increasingly organised in Global Value Chains (GVC). This means that when you buy a shirt in Europe, it may have been sewn in Cambodia, using cloth manufactured in China from cotton grown in Uzbekistan and coloured with dyes from India. As a result, individual choices made by consumers in Europe may have consequences that impact on the lives of workers and communities in multiple countries across the world.

https://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/sectors/economic-growth/private-sector-development/sustainable-and-responsible-supply-chains_en

Work-life balance

This initiative takes into account the developments in society over the past decade in order to enable parents and people with caring responsibilities to better balance their work and family lives and to encourage a better sharing of caring responsibilities between women and men. It is based on the results of the public consultation and two-stage social partner consultation, and the analysis of the accompanying impact assessment.

https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1311&langId=en

Urban development

For the preparation of an EU common position, European Council conclusions were adopted by the Foreign Affairs Council on 12 May 2016 on the European Union and its Member States' objectives and priorities for the Habitat III Conference. In its conclusions, the Council welcomes the Discussion Paper elaborated by the Commission and endorse the proposed four strings of action as priority areas for the New Urban Agenda, namely:

• Promoting the social dimension of sustainable urban development through inclusive and save cities in order to better fight against urban poverty and exclusion.
• Promoting green and resilient cities. Environmental sustainability is fundamental to ensuring the prosperity and well-being of all people within planetary boundaries.
• Promoting prosperous and innovative cities with a particular focus on growth and job creation.
• Promoting good urban governance by strengthening the capacity of the authorities at all levels of government in integrated planning and public finance management, by establishing adequate legal and policy frameworks, by fostering access to public and private investments by municipalities, and by fostering women empowerment in urban governance matters. 

https://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/sectors/infrastructure/urban-development_en

Single Market for Green Products Initiative (Eco.innovation)

A company wishing to market its product as environmentally friendly in several Member State markets faces a confusing range of choices of methods and initiatives. Sometimes they have to use different ones for different markets. This results in costs for companies and confusion for consumers.

The European Commission proposed the Product Environmental Footprint and Organisation Environmental Footprint methods as a common way of measuring environmental performance.

The approach was tested between 2013-2018 together with more than 280 volunteering companies and organisations. The results and reports of the pilot phase are available.

Based on the results of the testing, the European Commission is now exploring how to use the Product and Organisation Environmental Footprint methods in policies. The European Commission is launching a series of consultations on this subject.

https://ec.europa.eu/environment/eussd/smgp/

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