European Job Challenge
The European Commission has launched a competition designed to highlight the achievements of projects co-financed by the Community's Structural Funds in creating jobs. The competition was launched by Mrs. Monika Wulf-Mathies, Commissioner responsible for regional policy, on 11 June 1997. It is aimed at regions or areas which have qualified for assistance under Objective 2 of the Structural Funds (declining industrial areas in need of reconversion). All projects supported since 1989 by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) or the European Social Fund (ESF) are eligible to be entered in the challenge. The Commission has estimated that over 650,000 durable jobs will have been created by structural Funds projects in the period 1993 to 1999. In total, in the ten years from 1989 to 1999 over ECU 20 billion will have been invested in Objective 2 areas in all Member States except Ireland, Greece and Portugal. The challenge aims to find the most successful projects in terms of their creation of lasting, worthwhile jobs. The most successful projects will be included in a compilation of success stories, and project managers will be able to visit other Objective 2 areas to outline their projects' approach and share their experiences.