119 million. This is the total budget for the 2021–2027 ERDF-ESF program. «Under this programming period, the global grant is being phased out. The Territorial Collectivity of Martinique is becoming the managing authority for the ESF+ on the topic of inclusion,» states the website L’Europe s’engage en Martinique.
The CTM held its first meeting on the European Social Fund plan for the 2021–2027 period, focused on the coordination and implementation of the fund. «It’s not so much about spending the funds effectively, but rather about ensuring the proper implementation of the programs we have,» explained the chair of the executive board. The local authority therefore reviewed the 2014–2020 plan and then looked ahead to the next one, for 2021–2027, which Serge Letchimy described as «funds that are complex to manage» from an administrative standpoint. The CTM is also taking a tougher stance, announcing that response times, follow-up deadlines, and processing times will be shortened.
«The European Social Fund+ operates within the framework of economic, social, and territorial cohesion policy. Its purpose is to help people find better-quality jobs and to offer more equitable career opportunities to all citizens of the European Union,» states the Ministry of Labor.
Management is now fully digital. Project leaders will now be required to use the Synergie management software, a tool designed for managing European funds. No more paper. All communication between project leaders and CTM managers will take place through the platform.
Human Development and a Peaceful Region
The CTM has two priorities regarding the ESF+. The first is to make human capital a driver of development, and the second is to make Martinique a more peaceful place. As of March 10 of this year, the CTM had received 56 applications. Many of these focus on active inclusion (39%). The local government has developed an action plan to avoid automatic decommitments—that is, the European Commission’s cancellation of a portion of the program’s available funds. In particular, the review departments have been strengthened. A certification department has been established for the 2021–2027 program. Another new development is a support network to assist very small businesses in preparing their applications. «No project leader will be able to claim that they didn’t receive information, since they can find it both by visiting the local authority and by reaching out to the network of stakeholders for assistance with preparing applications,» explained a CTM spokesperson.
Laurianne Nomel
