31.7.93 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 193/39 COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) No 2084/93 of 20 July 1993 amending Regulation (EEC) No 4255/88 .layiﬁg down provisions for implementing " Regulation (EEC) (No 2052/88 as regards the European Social Fund THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Articles 126 and 127 thereof, Having reagrd to the proposal from the Commission (?), Having regard to. the opinion of the European Parliament (3), Having regard to the opinion of the Ecoriomic and Social Committee (3), Whereas Regulation (EEC) No 2081/93 (*) amended Regulation (EEC) No 2052/88 of 24 June 1988 on the tasks of the Structural Funds and their effectiveness and on coordination of their activities between themselves and with the operations of the European Investment Bank ‘and the other existing financial instruments (); whereas Regulation (EEC) No 2082/93 () amended Regulation (EEC) No 4253/88 laying down provisions for implementing Regulation (EEC) No 2052/88 as regards coordination of the activities of the different structural funds, on -the one hand, between themselves -and with the operations of the European Investment Bank and the other existing financial instruments (), on the other; whereas it is necessary also to amend Regulation (EEC) No 4255/88 (%); Whereas it is necessary to extend the scope of the European Social Fund (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Fund’), in particular following the redefinition of Objectives 3 and 4, as well as the definition of a new Objective 4; whereas it is necessary to take account explicitly of persons exposed to. exclusion from the labour market and to render more flexible the eligibility criteria for categories that are already eligible; Whereas, owing to the seriousness of the unemployment situation, Community action in connection with Objectives 3 and 4 will relate predominantly to Objective 3 ‘combating long term unemployment and facilitating (*) OJ No C 131, 11. 5. 1993, p. 10. (2) Opinion dehvered on 14 July 1993 (not yet publlshed inthe Official Journal). () O] No C 201, 26. 7. 1993, p. 52. (*) See page 5 of this Official Journal. (°) OJ No L 185, 15. 7. 1988, p. 9. (%) See page 20 of this Official Journal. () OJ No L 374, 31. 12. 1988, p. 1. (% O] No L 374, 31. 12. 1988, p. 21. the integration into working life of young people and of persons exposed to exclusion from the labour market’ and whereas this will be reflected in the financial breakdown between Objectives 3 and 4; Whereas, given the limited funding available, combating long-term unemployment and facilitating the integration of young people into working life remain priorities under Objective 3; Whereas it is necessary to redefine eligible actions in order to increase the effectiveness of the implementation of policy aims in the context of all Objectives under which the Fund takes action and to provide for a widening of that action, especially employment aids, which may, for example, take the form of aids for geographical mobility, recruitment and the creation of self-employed activities; Whereas it is appropriate that the actions taken by the Fund under the different Objectives form a coherent approach so as to improve the workings of the labour market and to develop human resources; whereas the Member States and the Commission should ensure that the principle of equal opportunities for men and women is respected in the implementation of the actions financed by the Fund in the context of all the objectives; Whereas it is necessary to ensure that Objective 4 strengthens employment and job qualifications through anticipation, counselling, networking and training operations throughout the Community and that it must therefore be horizontal, covering the economy as a whole, without -a priori reference to specific industries or sectors, be aimed at workers of either sex in employment, particularly those threatened with unemployment, and not at undertakings, and at improving their qualifications and employment opportumtles, be targeted as far as the type of operations is concerned, with due regard to the rules of competition, and complement, not replace, efforts that firms undertake themselves; Whereas it is necessary to ensure that operations under Objective 4 address the underlying causes of problems relating to industrial adaptation, including services, and do not deal with symptoms relating to the short-term market; whereas such operations should meet the general needs of workers of either sex resulting from industrial change and changes in production systems identified or predicted and are not designed to benefit a single firm or’ a particular industry; whereas particular attention should be devoted to small and medium-sized enterprises and special attention be devoted to enhancing access to training;