Recovery will only succeed if European civil society is systematically involved

The EESC has adopted a new resolution on the involvement of organised civil society in the implementation and monitoring of the National Recovery and Resilience Plans (NRRPs). A recent consultation shows that, contrary to regulation, organised civil society is not involved enough in these plans.

The Committee calls for clear rules to effectively remedy this, and bring the economy back on track. During the adoption debate, EESC President Christa Schweng pointed out that involving organised civil society in the reforms set up in the NRRPs, is a must for improving the quality, transparency and the implementation of new policies. Gonçalo Lobo Xavier, European Semester Group vice-president, shared some of the key findings of the consultation.

"The final content of the NRRPs is generally assessed positively by organised civil society. However, the social dimension is often underdeveloped", he pointed out. ESG president, Javier Doz Orrit, presented the main recommendations. He also called on the Member States "to urgently comply with the rules laid down in the Recovery and Resilience Facility", and the European Commission and Parliament to enforce this. ESG vice-president, Luca Jahier, shared some good practices, and said that "the lack of effective and quality participation of organised civil society in the economic governance of the EU will not be resolved until there is a reform of the European Semester".

Valdis Dombrovskis, Executive Vice President of the European Commission, who also took part in the debate, highlighted the impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on the global economic recovery and the EU, and what is needed to absorb it and move on. (tk)