News

Today [21 November 2019] we published a report looking at how to socialise the European Semester process.

The aim of this report is to highlight the need to improve the social priorities in the European Semester and therefore support the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights (Social Pillar), a commitment made by EU leaders in 2017 to deliver new and more effective social rights for citizens. The report gives our perspective on the 2019 Semester process and makes recommendations for the upcoming 2020 cycle and possible future reforms of the Semester process, with regards to improving the balance of its thematic priorities and its design.

In our analysis of the 2019 process and recommendations for the 2020 cycle, we follow the structure of the so-called virtuous triangle of boosting investment, structural reforms and responsible fiscal policies.

 In the conclusions, we contextualise the reforms of the European Semester process that we believe are necessary and link them to the objectives of the future European Commission and highlight how this is a very opportune moment for reforms of the process.

Background

The Semester process provides a framework for the coordination of economic and social policies across the EU. While it was conceived as a purely macroeconomic process, social priorities were progressively added in the last few years. However, imbalances between macroeconomic and social priorities remain.

Social Platform is convinced that the full implementation of the Social Pillar can only be achieved through legislation, socio-economic governance – including the Semester process – funding and civil dialogue.  More information can be found in our position paper “Building Social Europe. A comprehensive implementation plan for an effective European Pillar of Social Rights”.