EQUAL Community Initiative

The European Commission has closed the EQUAL Community Initiative Programme (EQUAL PIW) and set 11 July 2011 as the starting date for the three-year period during which all documents relating to the implementation of projects under this initiative must be kept (in accordance with Article 38(6) of Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June 1999 laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds).

Under the EQUAL Community Initiative Programme, 287 projects were implemented, totaling €138.8 million, representing 103.6% of the entire Program allocation. Of the five thematic areas in which EQUAL Community Initiative Programme projects were implemented, only Theme I, "Support for the social and professional integration of persons seeking refugee status," did not fully utilize the available allocation. However, in the remaining Themes, spending exceeded available funds, with Theme D, "Strengthening the national social economy (third sector), particularly services for local communities, and improving the quality of jobs," and Theme F, "Supporting the adaptability of enterprises and employees to structural changes in the economy and the use of information technology and other new technologies," achieving a higher than average utilization rate for the entire Program.

Under the funding agreement, the Development Partnerships (DPs) transferred the results developed during the implementation of the projects to the Managing Authority (MA) of the EQUAL PIW (Equal Partnerships). Based on the agreement, the Development Partnerships (DPs) transferred the property rights to the products developed during the implementation of the EQUAL PIW to the EQUAL PIW (Equal Partnerships). To disseminate project results, a Results Database was created, containing the most important information regarding validated solutions developed by the DPs.