The EESC welcomes the European Semester Autumn Package published today by the European Commission

The EESC welcomes the European Semester Autumn Package published today by the European Commission. The Committee will provide its input to the EU institutions by an opinion to be adopted in February 2022, ahead of the Spring European Council.

The European Semester is a central management tool to support EU's recovery, resilience and twin transitions. All relevant stakeholders must be involved in a meaningful way to enhance national ownership of the Recovery and Resilience plans. The fund absorption capacity in some Member States and linking investments to necessary reforms will be crucial success factors. I am satisfied about the integration of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) into the European Semester cycle and I call for the future Country Specific Recommendations to include the issue of the involvement of organised civil society in the implementation of the national RRF plans, declared Christa Schweng, president of the European Economic and Social Committee.

Against the backdrop of developments in the world around us, a stronger and more united EU is more necessary than ever. We will contribute to creating this through a broad civil society dialogue throughout Europe, creating consensus and finding common ground, said Mr. Palmieri, president of EESC section dealing with economy and cohesion.

Europe reacted swiftly to the COVID-crisis, and is currently stimulating the economy – in particular in those parts of the EU that have been hit the hardest – in a sustainable and inclusive way. The EESC, as representatives of organised civil society of Europe, has supported this initiative from the beginning, believing that only through meaningful involvement of organised civil society this massive project will become a success.

"We need to ensure an inclusive and balanced recovery throughout Europe while laying down a path towards a resilient, environmentally sustainable and digital future", EESC president Schweng said.

Against this background, EESC conducts broad consultations in all Member States to make sure that the money is well spent: to the benefit of all European citizens. It also plans to adopt a resolution on the involvement of organised civil society in the implementation and monitoring of the national RRF plans, to be adopted in May 2022.