Romania ranks last on absorption of money from the European Social Fund ESF, with a 26 percent rate, which is less than half of the EU average, according to recent data from the European Commission.

Between 2007 and 2013, Romania was allotted EUR 3.68 billion from the ESF, but it only managed to absorb 26 percent of it. Neighbor Bulgaria has a 46 percent absorption rate on this program, Hungary, 34 percent, and Poland, 62 percent of their allotted sums. The best absorption rates were recorded in Latvia, 83 percent, and Portugal, 76 percent, followed by Austria, 75 percent, and Estonia, 72 percent.

In Romania, the European Social Fund fuels the Sectoral Program for Human Resources Development POSDRU via the Labor Ministry, as well as the Operational Program for Administrative Capacity Development, PODCA, via the Regional Development and Public Administration Fund.

Throughout the EU, the fund has some EUR 75.6 billion, out of which the European Commission had paid some 54 percent to member states to far.

editor@romania-insider.com