ocp192_en

ANNEXΡar /ΡageMoU4.6.2MoU4.6.3MoU4.6.4MoU4.6.5MEFP(12)Action Deadline Comments Statuscommunity work program that targets about 50,000individuals from jobless households, for which we areseeking dedicated financing from EU structural funds.Finally, we plan to increase the number of entrants intoapprenticeship and vocational training programs, whileseeking to strengthen the quality of such education throughcurricula improvements and ensuring better coordinationbetween businesses and the apprenticeship professionalschools.The Government will produce a Green Paper on socialprotection and policy with a view to increase theeffectiveness of income support programmes.The Government will launch a means-tested incomesupport scheme (minimum guaranteed income scheme)that targets the poor, including the long-term unemployed,to mitigate poverty and prevent the deterioration of skillsand human capital (pilot phase by January 2014 at thelatest and national roll-out by 2015). The pilot phase willenable the development and testing of targetingmechanisms, registration procedures and benefits platform,delivery channels and payment systems with adequatecontrol procedures. The pilot programme will includesome activation of beneficiaries; and there will be phasedintegration of other benefits and social services. TheGovernment will also consider further enhancing supportto the long-term unemployed and other specific categoriesof workers without entitlement to unemployment insuranceby putting in place an unemployment assistance schemetargeted to the poor; like for the income support scheme itshould be means tested and promoting the activation ofbeneficiaries and the integration of other benefits andsocial services.A specific position paper on the means-tested minimumguaranteed income scheme shall be prepared. The paperwill set out the timetable and roadmap for the national rollout,identify pilot geographical areas and targetedpopulation, present budgetary provisions and describe theinstitutional framework including registry. It will makeinitial proposals for mutual responsibilities, and means ofactivation of beneficiaries, describe how this scheme willinteract and integrate with other labour market policies andsocial transfers, and propose specific monitoring andevaluation mechanisms. The position paper will identifygeneral principles that will ensure transparent andequitable selection of partners for complementary servicesamong state and local agencies, local communityorganisations, NGOs, and private partners. The (eventual)integration of the minimum guaranteed income schemeand of the unemployment assistance scheme with existingcash transfers, labour activation services, and other socialservices is important to ensure adequate support for theneedy, and move them closer to work and will also bediscussed in the position paper. The early preparation willfacilitate a front-loading of the new initiatives should thefiscal space be found within the existing overall budgetenvelopes.To provide health insurance access to uninsured citizens,the Government prepares an action plan in cooperationwith foreign experts (to be finalized in the second half of2013), and work with the aim of extending theprogramme’s coverage to more beneficiaries and includemore healthcare services.We will start making payments in July on the new childbenefit law. Preparations are underway for implementingthe income-tested program that targets long-termunemployed (to start no later than 2014). We are alsoundertaking a wide-ranging review of the effectiveness ofour income support programs in targeting the truly needy.To that end, with assistance from the World Bank, weintend to launch as a high priority a pilot means-testedincome support program (minimum guaranteed income) byJanuary 2014, and aim to roll it out nationally by 2015.Further, we seek to fill any other gaps in our social safetynets that become apparent, within the overall existingbudget envelope.5 Creating favourable conditions for economic activitySeptember2013January 2014July 2013January 2014July 2013launched for 10.000, 27.948, 7.400 & 4.413beneficiaries respectively.The Green Paper has been presented and submittedto EC/ECB/IMF. Α Steering Committee has beenestablished under S.G. of M.o.L. EC/ECB/IMF arenot satisfied with the result mainly because of lackof costing of the whole project. M.o.L. contactedprof. Amitsis in order to add quantitive data to thestudy and present it to EC/ECB/IMF.In order for the pilot program to begin this year, aMinisterial Decree is necessary to define all theissues, like the selected areas, the selection criteria,the payment institutions etc. There is a delay inimplementing the project and it will not start earlierthan July 2014.There is programming at new MoU with analyticalmilestones.The Positon Paper has been delivered by WorldBank and adopted by the Ministry. The contractbetween the two sides has been signed.The action plan will be part of the final report that isprepared with the collaboration of WHO and isexpected to be finalised in March, when the data forthe number of uninsured citizens will be available byMoLabour. Draft analysis was sent to theEC/ECB/IMF at 6/2/2014. New deadline:March2014First payments were made to the beneficiaries of thenew child law at Wednesday 24th of July2013.About the income-tested program, the WorldBank prepared the relevant position paper with ownresources. An agreement has been signed withMinistry of Labour.N/ANotObserved.Observed.NotObserved.Observed.107