The Key Messages from the assessment of the 2013 Country-Specific Recommendations are:
- Negative CSRs still overwhelmingly outweigh the more positive social ones.
- CSRs are being implemented, but more attention is paid to macroeconomic CSRs, and by countries who have higher deficits.
- Austerity continues as the dominant strategy, although some positive developments are noted on some national anti-poverty strategies, social investment and youth guarantee.
- Individual positive recommendations are undermined by lack of overarching, integrated anti-poverty strategy and adequate funding support.
- Civil society is not meaningfully involved in the CSRs or the European Semester process, undermining credibility, democratic legitimacy and effectiveness of policy solutions.
12 Priority Areas for CSRs to Reduce Poverty
- Ensure coherent economic and social policy: preventing austerity penalizing the poor.
- Require a comprehensive long-term strategy to fight poverty with effective targets.
- Tackle inequality, including through tax justice.
- Guarantee Adequate Income Support across the life cycle, for all groups.
- Promote quality of work and employment, through decent jobs and inclusive labour markets.
- Mainstream integrated Active Inclusion into all areas.
- Promote an inclusive education system, tackling segregation and ensuring equal access for all.
- Implement Youth Guarantee and support Youth Inclusion, beyond employment.
- Tackle Homelessness and promote social housing.
- Ensure equal access to health to reduce rising unmet health needs
- Require meaningful participation and stakeholder involvement, including civil society
- Support effective use of EU Funds for Poverty Reduction through partnership approaches involving civil society
See EAPN’s Assessment and Proposals for the CSRs 2014 ‘Getting Progress on Poverty and Participation‘
See also the Annex with full fiches per country