The Social Investment Package presented by Lieve Fransen (EU Commission, Director, Europe 2020 Social Policies) received a positive wecome, as it demonstrates a recognition from the Commission as a whole of the need to invest in social as a basis for recovery, considering the nordic model as a reference. Though key questions where raised, notably on the consistency between such an approach based on quality and the austerity imposed althrough the EU, and the compatibility between the promotion of conditionality and targetted approach with it comes to social protection and the need for a universal system. But most imp, the issue of implementation was picked up as central, since such a ‘package’ is not binding. The Commission called for a wide partnership with all relevant actors. Bruno Pallier, researcher, challenged this approach: “We needed a binding pact” he said. He insisted that the Commission should take stronger initiatives for implementing the SIP including mainstreaming the Social Investment approach in all policies, reform the OMC and promote the withdrawal of the cost of social investment -such as child care- from the calculation of the 3% of maximum public deficit edicted by the Stability and Growth Pact.
Detailed information on the event including a postcast can be found here.