Euroopa poolaasta

This page is also available in:

  • Reference number
    45/2023

    The Recovery and Resilience Facility has increased the capacity for social investment in the EU. However, National Recovery and Resilience Plans, funded by the facility, are still plagued by shortcomings such as uneven investing in social programmes in different Member States, insufficient consultation with social partners and a gender dimension that is too weak

  • Reference number
    21/2023

    In an opinion debated and adopted in plenary, the European Economic and Social Committee renewed its request for reform of the European Semester. The opinion, which draws on a recent consultation undertaken in 23 different Member States, calls for an EU regulation to make civil society involvement in the cycle mandatory. 

    • The EESC states that existing systems of indicators must be reviewed, complemented and made consistent with each other;
    • believes that the Country-Specific Recommendations (CSRs), one of the main instruments of the Semester, should cover a period of three years, with annual evaluations and reviews;
    • proposes that the social partners and civil society organisations be involved through a structured formal consultation procedure, which should take place in a specific body to which such functions are legally attributed;

    ...

  • In an opinion adopted on 23 February, the EESC commented on the Commission's Communication on the 2023 Annual Sustainable Growth Survey, which outlines the economic and employment policy priorities for the EU for the coming 12 to 18 months.

  • Reference number
    28/2022

    A resilient, sustainable and inclusive Europe is only possible if organised civil society is systematically involved in both national recovery plans and the Commission's new REPowerEU strategy. During its annual conference in June, the European Semester Group (ESG) renewed its call for a regulation or directive to ensure civil society participation, and proposed a permanent and common investment financing mechanism to enhance crisis preparedness and response capacity.

  • In its resolution on the involvement of organised civil society in the implementation and monitoring of the National Recovery and Resilience Plans (NRRPs) the European Economic and Social Committee calls for clear rules to effectively involve social partners and civil society organisations in the Member states' strategies to bring the economy back on track.

  • In an opinion adopted at its plenary session on 23 February, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) welcomed the communication of the European Commission (EC) on this year's Annual Sustainable Growth Survey, outlining the priorities and guiding principles for the 2022 European Semester cycle. The Committee applauded the unprecedented actions of solidarity taken by the EU in dealing with the COVID-19 crisis. The impact on economic activity, however, has been significant, and the level of uncertainty in Europe continues to rise.

    • European Green Deal must lead to more economic prosperity and convergence
    • Sustainable growth must be a top priority
    • Measures to close the investment gap are essential
  • The EESC draws forward-looking conclusions from the 2019 Semester and the Committee's civil society consultations in the Member States

  • The European Union should grasp the opportunity of the new political mandate and financial period to improve its economic policy coordination and governance. The European Semester should become the most important element of economic policy coordination and a multi-level and multi-actor governance approach should be implemented, says the European Economic and Social Committee. It suggests that an EESC competence centre for exchange of information could be established to address implementation concerns in relation to a future EU strategy.