The deadline for tabling amendments on the draft report on European Social Fund has been fixed on 16 May. Rapporteure: Elisabeth Morin-Chartier (EPP-FR). This proposal contains some important advances which could effectively help European people adapt to changes in the jobs market through co-financing of training projects and employment aid programmes. The adoption will take place on 10 July 2012.

On 23rd April EMPL Members debated the draft report of Danuta Jazlowiecka (PPE - PL) which addresses new social risks resulting from the economic crisis, by identifying EU-level policy recommendations on fostering social investments in the context of current austerity measures. The Rapporteure stressed that any future policy action aimed at mitigating the effects of the crisis must be aligned with the Union's long-term economic and social goals. Social investments aimed at the adaptation of workers' skills such as investments in human capital, labour productivity, education, lifetime employment or sustainable social security systems are considered crucial, especially in the context of restructuring of economies involving changing career patterns and working conditions.

The Rapporteure calls on Member States to consider signing to a ‘Social Investment Pact’, a reinforced control mechanism for improving efforts to meet EU 2020 employment, social and education targets, and calls on the Commission to introduce the evaluation of employment, social and education goals in the European Semester 2013.

Members welcomed the initiative of promoting social investments and the monitoring of the EU2020 targets implementation. Amendments are expected to be tabled in particular on the issues of the proposed modernization of the European Social Model and the proposed increase in retirement age. Members also sought clarification regarding certain terms used in the report, such as the exact definition of social investments as well as the possible form and content of the proposed Pact.