Semestre européen

Le Comité économique et social européen (CESE), à la demande de la présidence belge du Conseil de l’UE, a présenté une série de recommandations cruciales visant à renforcer la cohésion sociale, à gérer l’endettement et à donner la priorité aux investissements dans la santé et l’emploi partout en Europe. Le CESE s’est déclaré préoccupé par le fait que des budgets trop serrés pourraient ralentir les progrès dans la lutte contre la pauvreté et le changement climatique.

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;

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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.

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.

Dans sa résolution sur la participation de la société civile organisée à la mise en œuvre et au suivi des plans nationaux pour la reprise et la résilience (PNRR), le Comité économique et social européen (CESE) plaide pour l’instauration de règles claires afin d’associer efficacement les partenaires sociaux et les organisations de la société civile aux stratégies des États membres destinées à remettre l’économie sur les rails.

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.