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Thematic approach
European Commission, in agreement with the European Parliament, Member States and social partners established nine themes within the first call for proposals. Eight of those themes belong to four pillars of the European Employment Strategy (employment capacity, entrepreneurship, adaptive capacity of companies and employees, and equal opportunities). The ninth theme includes specific needs of asylum seekers. Generally, the objective of the thematic approach is to search for new manner of solving problems common for different types of discrimination and inequality, instead of focusing on individual social groups.
Nine priority themes within the EQUAL programme:
- Theme A: Facilitating access and return to the labour market for those who have difficulty in being integrated or reintegrated into a labour market which must be open to all.
- Theme B: Combating racism and xenophobia in relation to the labour market.
- Theme C: Opening up the business creation process to all by providing the tools required for settling up in business and for the identification and exploitation of new possibilities for creating employment in urban and rural areas.
- Theme D: Strengthening the social economy (the third sector), in particular services of interest to the community, with focus on improving the quality of jobs.
- Theme E: Promoting life long learning and inclusive work practices which encourage the recruitment and retention of those suffering from discrimination and inequality in connection with the labour market.
- Theme F: Supporting the adaptability of firms and employees to structural economic change and the use of information technology and other new technologies.
- Theme G: Reconciling family and professional life, as well as the reintegration of men and women who have left the labour market, by developing more flexible and effective forms of work organisation and support services.
- Theme H: Reduction gender gaps and supporting job desegregation.
- Theme I: Supporting social and vocational integration of asylum-seekers.
Every Member State selects those themes in which it expects innovative solutions and co-operation with other Member States to bring best results. Every Member State is obliged to plan at least activities within Theme I Supporting social and vocational integration of asylum-seekers.
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