The European Social Fund (ESF) is the financial instrument through which the European Union promotes access, reintegration, growth and mobility in the labour market, with particular attention to the social inclusion of people with disabilities, belonging to ethnic minorities, migrants, disadvantaged, unemployed, unemployed and less qualified.

The ESF supports workers, women workers, social players and businesses in tackling cultural, industrial and productive change by broadening employment opportunities, while at the same time combating poverty, providing opportunities for better work-life balance and promoting respect for equal opportunities and the reduction of gender inequality.

The European Social Fund in the Operational Programme of the Puglia Region 2014-2020 supports the following Actions:

8.1 Interventions for immigrants  
8.2 Interventions for the unemployed
8.3 Measures for the long-term unemployed  
8.4 Interventions aimed at improving the position in the Youth LM 
8.5 Interventions to promote apprenticeships  
8.6 Interventions for women in conciliation
8.7 Interventions for women in employment
8.8 Systemic actions for female employment  
8.9 Adaptability measures  
8.10 Measures to strengthen public and private ICCs  
8.11 Interventions aimed at creating networks that strengthen employment services, increasing the ability to intercept the needs of the territory 

9.1 Experimental actions against poverty  
9.2 Training actions aimed at reducing the digital divide for disadvantaged people  
9.3 Measures for social innovation 
9.4 Responsibility interventions aimed at social and working inclusion 
9.5 Measures to combat discrimination  
9.6 Measures to strengthen social enterprises
9.7 Interventions aimed at increasing and improving the quality of social, health and educational services
9.8 Training of caregivers
9.9 Measures to combat housing problems  

10.1 Action against early school leaving - VET training pathways
10.2 Measures to strengthen basic skills
10.3 Actions to facilitate the transition between education and the labour market
10.4 Measures to promote research and higher education
10.5 Continuing education measures
10.6 Ongoing and/or specialist and professional training
10.7 System actions

11.1 Increase of transparency and interoperability and access to data
11.2 Qualification and empowerment of institutions, operators and stakeholders
11.3 Improving the efficiency and quality of the judicial system's performance
11.4 Increase in the levels of integrity and legality in the action of the PA, also for the fight against undeclared work
11.5 Measures to improve the capacity to implement and manage the OP

The public budget allocated to the European Social Fund for the Regional Operational Programme 2014-2020 in Puglia is 1,544,818,898 euros.