European Anti-Poverty Network: EAPN releases its full assessment of the European Commission’s Country-Specific Recommendations 2015
On May 15 the Commission adopted their proposals for Country-Specific Recommendations (CSRs). The European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN) responded with an immediate press release calling on Commission to issue poverty recommendations not only in six but in all member states. This paper sets out the main messages and main recommendations from a more detailed assessment of the CSRs, with regards to their delivery on the Europe 2020 strategy targets on poverty reduction, employment and education. A detailed country-by-country analysis is annexed.
Key recommendations
- Rebalance the European Semester, with Europe 2020’s vision of smart, sustainable and inclusive growth and targets at its heart.
- Move from austerity to social investment, backing quality social protection and services, with inclusive taxation.
- Give CSRs on poverty to all member states, and require integrated anti-poverty strategies drawing on 20% of ESF.
- Invest in quality job creation, supporting positive activation within active inclusion.
Main messages
- Sidelining inclusive growth and Europe 2020 endangers social and sustainable vision.
- Austerity continues to undermine investment with few signs of social investment.
- Decline in Poverty CSRs, despite increasing poverty, with no integrated strategy.
- Employment by negative activation, not quality jobs and personalised active inclusion.
Open the Assessment here.
Open the country-by-country detailed annex here.
