The Human Resources Development Component aims to support candidate countries in policy development, as well as in the preparation for the implementation and management of Community cohesion policy, in particular in terms of their preparation for the European Social Fund (ESF). It is in line with the European Employment Strategy and the revised Lisbon Strategy and takes into account the Community objectives in the fields of employment, social inclusion, education and training, gender equality.
The priorities of Component 4 for Human Resources Development are in line with the ESF Regulation for 2007-2013:
Increasing the adaptability of workers and enterprises, in particular lifelong learning, promoting entrepreneurship and support services in the context of restructuring. Increasing access to employment, preventing unemployment, in particular by encouraging the modernisation of labour market institutions, implementing active and preventive policies and actions to increase the participation of women. Strengthening the social inclusion of people from vulnerable groups and combating all forms of discrimination in the labour market. Promoting partnerships and creating networks in the field of employment and social inclusion. Expanding and improving investment in human capital, in particular by encouraging reforms in the education and training systems. Strengthening the institutional capacity and efficiency of public administration and public services, social partners and relevant non-governmental organisations in the employment and social fields.
The priorities are also in line with the objectives of the Lisbon Strategy: accelerating economic growth, encouraging innovation and creating more and better jobs.
Component 4 focuses on three priority areas: employment, education and training and social inclusion
The aim is to attract and retain more people in employment, modernise the social protection system, increase investment in human capital in order to achieve higher growth, create better jobs and increase national competitiveness at international level.
The priority axes and measures are as follows:
Priority Axis 1: Employment: attracting and retaining more people in employment with:
Measure 1.1. Further development of the Employment Agency and improvement of employment conditions,
Measure 1.2. Supporting the implementation of the Employment Strategy and the National Employment Action Plan,
Measure 1.3. Integrating young unemployed people, women and long-term unemployed people into the labor market,
Measure 1.4. Reducing the shadow economy by finding ways to legalize it;
Priority Axis 2: Education and Training - investing in human capital through better education and skills with:
Measure 2.1. Modernizing education and training systems,
Measure 2.2. Enabling access to quality education for ethnic communities and
Measure 2.3. Developing adult education and lifelong learning.
Priority axis 3: Social inclusion - promoting a labor market open to all with:
Measure 3.1. Supporting the process of social inclusion of vulnerable groups of the population and isolated areas,
Measure 3.2. Integration of minorities and
Measure 3.3. Strengthening relevant stakeholders.
Priority axis 4: Technical assistance aims at a more successful implementation of the planned activities and achievement of the desired and planned goals, efficient monitoring, evaluation, administration of projects and information. And the funds that will be used for technical assistance to all institutions involved in this process have already been planned. At the same time, this assistance aims at training and preparing our national institutions to use the funds that will be available to our country through the European Social Fund more efficiently.