Civil Society Organisations call for transparent and real participation in the European semester

At a public hearing in the European Parliament on May 14, an ad-hoc coalition of European Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) presented their alternative country-specific recommendations for 2013 in the areas of employment, poverty, education, tax, environmental change and gender equality. Together, they called for a more balanced social, sustainable and equality-based Economic and Monetary Union, Europe 2020 Strategy and effective multi-stakeholder engagement in the whole European Semester process. Social Platform is supporting this coalition.

As the EU enters its fifth year of crisis, the EU’s image is overwhelmingly identified by austerity, particularly in countries under the ‘Troika arrangements’. Steps are urgently needed to restore the balance between social and sustainable objectives and economic governance, if the EU is to revive trust in its Europe 2020 promises of a smart, sustainable and inclusive recovery based on democratic accountability and engagement.

The alternative recommendations of the CSO ad-hoc coalition, are taken up in the Joint Report on Strengthening the democratic legitimacy of the European Semester: Civil Society Alternative Proposals for CSRs for a smart, sustainable and inclusive recovery, 2013-14.

The Alliance is calling for:

  •     Confirmation that the CSRs are an instrument to deliver on all Europe 2020 targets with equal priority with macro-economic objectives.
  •     Increased transparency on the criteria and process used to develop CSRs including key social, sustainable and equality indicators in the Joint Assessment Frame.
  •     Effective ex-ante and ex post impact assessment to ensure macro-economic objectives/CSRs and budget proposals do not undermine social, environmental and equality objectives, but contribute to them.
  •     Meaningful and structural involvement of relevant stakeholders, including civil society organisations, at all levels in the European Semester processes, including the development of CSRs and of the National Reform Programmes (through the adoption of obligatory guidelines).

The hearing was co-hosted by MEPs Marije Cornelissen, Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance; Veronica Lope Fontagné, European People’s Party; Marian Harkin, ALDE; Sergio Gutiérrez Prieto, S&D.