European Thematic Groups
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Transnational co-operation is also taking place between national networks of DPs through thematic networks at European level, known as European Thematic Groups (ETGs).
What do ETGs do?
European Thematic Groups are the main mechanism by which outcomes from Equal Development Partnerships in each member state are shared across all the participating countries.
How do ETGs work?
Each ETG is led by the Equal Managing Authorities of two EU Member States (see table below), who are supported by the European Commission and a group of experts. Together, this group is known as the Steering Group.
The Steering Group is responsible for the overall strategy of the ETG, which it delivers in co-operation with the Equal Managing Authorities of all participating countries (EU members, accession states, etc.) through a further group, known as the Liaison Group.
The Liaison Group’s tasks vary across ETGs, but they are broadly responsible for identifying DPs and experts within their national programmes which can contribute to the ETG. Appropriate DPs and experts are then nominated to join Working Groups which undertake the tasks set out in the ETG’s strategy.
How many ETGs are there?
There are five ETGs, bringing together DPs along the following the themes:
- employability
- entrepreneurship
- adaptability
- equal opportunities
- asylum seekers
The table below shows more details, including which GB themes are covered by which ETG.
| ETG | Lead member states | Covers GB themes |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Employability | UK and Denmark | A and B |
| 2. Entrepreneurship | Germany and Flemish-speaking Belgium | C and D |
| 3. Adaptability | Ireland and France | E and F |
| 4. Equal opportunities | Spain and Italy | G* and H |
| 5. Asylum seekers | Sweden and the Netherlands | I |
* UK is not participating in theme G (which focuses on work-life balance issues), although a number of DPs from other themes cover this area.
How do I find out more about European Thematic Groups?
The European Commission’s Equal Web site contains comprehensive information on each ETG. As a starting point, information on the overall work and role of The European Thematic Groups is available on the Commission’s site.
From there, you can also link to a sub-section on each individual ETG, which provides a short overview of activities that have taken place so far. The Commission has also developed an Extranet for the Equal programme to promote communication and networking. Each ETG has a separate area and you can download most documents produced from the library section. Links to the central library section and also the document sites for each individual ETG are provided below:
