Next Annual Growth Survey needs to lift social priorities to the highest level

On October 15 2013, we will meet with Ms Catherine Day, Secretary General of the European Commission, to discuss our evaluation of the 2013 European Semester and our proposals for 2014 and onwards. We will call on her to ensure the well-being of all people through the Europe 2020 Strategy and its annual European Semester. In view of the meeting, we sent a letter to President Barosso on October 8.

In June, the Council concluded the European Semester 2013 by adopting Country-Specific Recommendations (CSRs). In November, the Commission will start the next annual cycle by presenting the new Annual Growth Survey (AGS) for 2014. This will set the course for the European Semester 2014 and chart the direction for EU and member states economic and social policies.

In view of this we call on the Comission to reaffirm the coherence of the Europe 2020 Strategy recalling that growth has to be inclusive along with being smart and sustainable. It should be ensured that economic and financial policies serve the well-being of people and not the other way around. Fundamental rights compliance is a prerequisite for this.

Economic and financial policies favouring budget cuts in the social field are continuing to damage the European welfare state. Repeatedly alarming evidence is reported by many, including the Commission in the latest Employment and Social Situation Quarterly Review: “Labour market and social conditions remain extremely challenging…The EU is struggling with high unemployment, low employment, rising poverty and social exclusion, and declining household incomes.” This reveals how the EU is far from achieving the Europe 2020 poverty and employment targets.

We therefore ask the Commission to:

  1. Prioritise the achievement of the Europe 2020 poverty, employment and education targets, and ensure macro-economic objectives do not prevent their realisation but enable them;
  2. Adapt the European Semester process to effectively deliver on the Europe 2020 headline targets;
  3. Commit to true social investment, which is underpinned by adequate social protection, to achieve sustainable and inclusive recovery and growth;
  4. Ensure the democratic principle of civil dialogue through meaningful and structured involvement of Civil Society Organisations in European governance and the European Semester process in particular.

We count on the Commission, and on President Barosso and Secretary General Catherine Day in particular, to take these messages into consideration and to include our proposals in the next European Semester, starting from the AGS for 2014.

Read Social Platform's full evaluation of the 2013 European Semester and proposals from 2014 onwards, as sent to the European Commission on October 8.

2013-10-14