The Operational Programme "Employment Austria 2014 to 2020" of the European Social Fund

The accompanying evaluation of the European Social Fund (ESF) in Austria covers all thematic priorities of the programme with the exception of the new priority axis REACT-EU: Employment, Poverty Reduction and Education. Special attention is paid to the transition region Burgenland. The cross-cutting objectives of gender mainstreaming and equality as well as disability mainstreaming and accessibility are also examined. This report contains the updated analyses and assessments of the conception and implementation of the programme. However, the main focus is placed on impact aspects, with the spectrum of investigation ranging from qualitative approaches to counterfactual impact analyses. Overall, the findings show the positive effects of the ESF in many ways, such as the effects on educational participation or employment integration of those supported or the development and implementation of innovative approaches. At the same time, there are also indications of challenges and potential for improvement in order to further strengthen the performance of the ESF in the future.