[{"bbox": [82, 104, 1147, 346], "category": "Text", "text": "The action will continue to support the implementation of the PNED. This policy is aligned with the Peace Agreements and the National Development Plan \"Plan Nacional de Desarrollo K'atun: Nuestra Guatemala 2032\", the Government's General Policy 2020-2024 and other relevant public policies such as the National Entrepreneurship Policy, the National Youth Policy, the National Policy for MSMEs development and the National Competitiveness Policy. Furthermore, it is in line with the New European Consensus on Development (2017), which reiterates the European Union's commitment to poverty reduction and inclusive and sustainable growth with regard to Agenda 2030, with a strong emphasis on human development and employment policies to achieve this objective. The Consensus stresses four key themes of intervention, two of which (people and prosperity), are directly linked to employment promotion efforts."}, {"bbox": [82, 369, 1147, 637], "category": "Text", "text": "It is also relevant for the Agenda 2030. It contributes primarily to the progressive achievement of SDG Goal(s) N° 8: \"Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all\", Goal N° 4 \"Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all\", N° 1 \"End poverty in all its forms everywhere\" and N° 5 \"Gender equality\". Furthermore, by targeting underserved populations, such as indigenous people, women, the young and persons with disabilities and paying special attention to the inclusion of the poorest, this action will also contribute to the achievement of SDG N° 10 \"Reduce inequality within and among countries\". Particularly target 10.1 \"Progressively achieve and sustain income growth of the bottom 40 per cent of the population at a rate higher than the national average\". In addition, it is in line with Title VIII of Part IV of the EU-Central America Association Agreement, which deals with Trade and Sustainable Development (TSD)."}, {"bbox": [82, 660, 1147, 1300], "category": "Text", "text": "Since the proposed action is a top-up to the ongoing \"Support to Decent Employment in Guatemala Programme\" (LA/2019/040-889), it has basically the same objectives and results (outputs). In the framework of result (R3) of the Decent Employment Programme, the Call for Proposals Ref. EuropeAid/169954/DD/ACT/Multi was launched in Q4. 2020 for awarding grant contracts with the objective of fostering the creation of decent jobs. This by either: (i) promoting entrepreneurial ventures (that generate new enterprises and self-employment opportunities); and/or (ii) enhancing productivity through the promotion of innovation in expanding MSMEs. By March 2021, the 1st stage of the evaluation process (concept notes) had concluded. Out of 37 project proposals that were evaluated, 11 were selected to continue to the 2nd stage of the evaluation (full proposals). These high quality projects propose innovative methodologies to foster the creation of decent jobs, addressing inclusion and economic recovery (post the COVID-19 pandemic). In particular, targeting indigenous people, women, the young, returning migrants and persons with disabilities and paying special attention to the inclusion of the poorest. Namely, the proposed €15 million top-up includes €4.695 million¹⁰ to extend the available resources for this call, allowing doubling the number of projects that can be awarded a grant contract (from an estimated 3 projects to 6 or 7). Specifically, the additional funds of the proposed action will enable signing grant contracts with the consortia led by entrepreneurship development organisations, business membership organisations (BMOs) or NGOs, whose proposals were included in the reserve list as the result of the final evaluation (of full proposals) of the aforementioned Call for Proposals. Thus, maximising its impact in terms of its contribution to the generation of decent employment opportunities, especially for the aforementioned groups of the population. The other €10.305 million of the proposed top-up would be used to extend certain key activities¹¹ foreseen in results 1 and 2 of the Decent Employment Programme (i.e., the institutional framework for the implementation of the National Policy for Decent Employment has been strengthened; and employability of targeted beneficiaries has been improved, respectively). As well as supporting indicatively some activities under result 3 related to public business development services, business acceleration in MSMEs and innovation for the creation of decent jobs, in particular in the green/circular economy; the technical assistance contract and contingencies."}, {"bbox": [82, 1323, 1147, 1485], "category": "Text", "text": "Therefore, the proposed action will finance more grants to promote entrepreneurship and innovation to create decent jobs in key sectors for the post-pandemic economic recovery, prioritising inclusive and environmentally sustainable projects. It will also further social dialogue and the respect for labour rights by supporting Guatemala to fulfil its commitments in the roadmap on Freedom of Association and Collective bargaining (ILO's Conventions 87 ad 98) and comply with labour provisions under the Trade and Sustainable Development title of the EU-Central America Association Agreement."}, {"bbox": [82, 1509, 1147, 1564], "category": "Text", "text": "The transformational impact of this action for Guatemala is that by continuing to foster decent work opportunities, the gradual formalisation of the economy will be promoted, triggering positive effects on social dialogue and workers'"}, {"bbox": [72, 1614, 958, 1641], "category": "Footnote", "text": "¹⁰ The approved AAP 2021 for Guatemala included an indicative amount of € 4.5 million for this purpose."}, {"bbox": [72, 1638, 688, 1664], "category": "Footnote", "text": "¹¹ The approved AAP 2021 included indicative activities to be supported."}, {"bbox": [1051, 1663, 1158, 1687], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 8 of 35"}]