L 347470 Official Journal of the European Union 20.12.2013 REGULATION (EU) No 1304/2013 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 17 December 2013 on the European Social Fund and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 1081/2006 THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 164 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, After transmission of the draft legislative act to the national parliaments, Having regard to the opinions of the European Economic and Social Committee ('), Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions (%), Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure, Whereas: (1) ) Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council () establishes the framework for action by the European Social Fund (ESF), the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the Cohesion Fund, the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and lays down, in particular, the thematic objectives, the principles and the rules concerning programming, monitoring and evaluation, management and control. It is therefore necessary to specify the mission and scope of the ESF, together with the related investment priorities addressing the thematic objectives, and to lay down specific provisions concerning the type of activities that may be financed by the ESF. The ESF should improve employment opportunities, strengthen social inclusion, fight poverty, promote () O] C 143, 22.5.2012, p. 82 and O] C 271, 19.9.2013, p. 101. () O] C 225, 27.7.2012, p. 127. (®) Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 laying down common provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the Cohesion Fund, the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and laying down general provisions on the European Regional Devel- opment Fund, the European Social Fund, the Cohesion Fund and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006 (See page 320 of this Official Journal). education, skills and life-long learning and develop active, comprehensive and sustainable inclusion policies in accordance with the tasks entrusted to the ESF by Article 162 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), and thereby contribute to economic, social and territorial cohesion in accordance with Article 174 TFEU. In accordance with Article 9 TFEU, the ESF should take into account requirements linked to the promotion of a high level of employment, the guarantee of adequate social protection, the fight against social exclusion, and a high level of education, training and protection of human health. The European Council of 17 June 2010 called for all common policies, including cohesion policy, to support the Europe 2020 Strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth (the 'Europe 2020 strategy'). In order to ensure the full alignment of the ESF with the objectives of this strategy, particularly as regards employment, education, training and the fight against social exclusion, poverty and discrimination, the ESF should support Member States, taking account of the relevant Integrated Guidelines and relevant country- specific recommendations adopted in accordance with Article 121(2) and Article 148(4) TFEU and, where appropriate, at national level, the national reform programmes underpinned by national employment strat- egies, national social reports, national Roma integration strategies and national disability strategies. The ESF should also contribute to relevant aspects of the imple- mentation of the flagship initiatives, in particular the "Agenda for New Skills and Jobs", the "Youth on the Move", and the "European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion". It should also support relevant activities in the initiatives on the "Digital Agenda" and "Innovation Union". The Union is confronted with structural challenges arising from economic globalisation, technological change and an increasingly ageing workforce and growing skills and labour shortages in some sectors and regions. They have been compounded by the recent economic and financial crisis, which has resulted in increased levels of unemployment, hitting in particular young people and other disadvantaged people, such as migrants and minorities. The ESF should aim to promote employment, improve access to the labour market, paying particular attention to those who are furthest from the labour market and support voluntary labour mobility. The ESF should also support active and healthy ageing, including through innovative forms of work organisation, promoting