Reform and investment proposals and their implementation in the Member States (2023-2024 European Semester cycle)

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    During the 2023-2024 European Semester cycle, the ECO section of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) consulted social partners and civil society organisations (CSOs) in 26 Member States. The aim was to encourage reflection and formulation of recommendations on reform and investment proposals and their implementation. The resulting opinion focuses on Country Specific Recommendations (CSRs), Recovery and Resilience Plans (RRPs), and ongoing review of EU economic governance rules.  It recognises that integrating CSRs into RRPs has raised awareness and improved implementation. It also emphasises performance-based RRPs and stronger national ownership should become the key elements in the implementation of the revised EU economic governance framework and the European Semester process. Additionally, it advocates for three conditions to enhance flexibility: sufficient national fiscal space, optimal EU fund use, and strong national ownership. This opinion will be discussed and potentially adopted by the entire EESC during its April 2024 plenary session.

    Key points

    In the opinion, the ECO section

    • affirms that the incorporation of the CSRs in the RRPs has increased the awareness of the CSRs and improved their implementation ratio. Though a lot remains to be done to fully achieve the plans;

    • stresses that the new flexibility in the revised EU economic governance framework and the medium to long-term perspective of national fiscal-structural plans could better promote necessary reforms and investments. This relies on three conditions: ensuring enough national fiscal space for adequate investment, including social investment, maximising the utilisation of all available EU funds, and strengthening the process to fully realise planned national ownership;

    • advocates for stronger national ownership by a closer involvement of national parliaments, regional and local authorities, social partners and civil society, and for clearer provisions in EU and national procedures for implementing the new economic governance framework. It calls for a formal, permanent, and structured consultation process where national governments collaborate closely with authorities at all levels, alongside trade unions, employers, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders, throughout the entire cycle of the political process;

    …

    Additional information

    - EESC section: Economic and Monetary Union and Economic and Social Cohesion (ECO)

    - Opinion type: Own-initiative opinion

    - Rapporteurs: Javier DOZ ORRIT (Workers - GR II/Spain), Luca JAHIER (Civil Society Organisations - GR III/Italy), Gonçalo LOBO XAVIER (Employers - GR I/Portugal)

    - Reference: ECO/631-EESC

    - Date of adoption by section: 10/04/2024

    - Date of adoption in plenary: 24-25/04/2024

    Contact

    Thomas KERSTEN

    Press Officer

    Tel.: +32 (0) 2 546 8931

    Email: thomas.kersten@eesc.europa.eu

     

    Colombe GREGOIRE

    Policy Officer

    Tel.: +32 (0) 2 546 9286

    Email: eco@eesc.europa.eu