At a Public Hearing on 14 May in the European Parliament, European Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) joined forces in an ad-hoc coalition to present country-specific recommendations for 2013 in the areas of employment, poverty, education, tax, environmental change and gender equality. Together, they call for a more balanced social, sustainable and equality-based Economic and Monetary Union, Europe 2020 Strategy and effective multi-stakeholder engagement in the whole European Semester process.
Co-hosted by : Marije Cornelissen, Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance; Veronica Lope Fontagné, European People’s Party; Marian Harkin, ALDE; Sergio Gutiérrez Prieto, S&D and Civil Society ad-hoc coalition: EAPN, EWL, Green Budget Europe, Eurodiaconia, EASPD, Eurochild, Caritas Europa
Europe 2020 and the European Semester are now in the third year, and continue to have an increasing role in shaping socio-economic and environmental policies at national level. Driven by economic governance to keep public deficits at bay, the Europe 2020 goals and targets for a smart, sustainable and inclusive recovery urgently require transparent processes to give a voice to Civil Society organisations (CSO)].
It is legitimate to ask how far Member States are engaging national stakeholders in the National Reform Programmes (NRPs) and responding to the country-specific-recommendations (CSRs).
Civil society’s assessment of participation and their proposals for CSRs are a crucial part of this process in order to strengthen the democratic legitimacy of the European Semester and delivery on the Europe 2020 goals, particularly those relating to: lifting at least 20 million people out of poverty, achieving a 75% employment rate for women and men,10% school dropout and 20% increase in energy efficiency.
Useful documents:
- REPORT OF THE MEETING
- The ad-hoc coalition has produced a JOINT REPORT: Strengthening the democratic legitimacy of the European Semester: Civil Society Alternative Proposals for CSRs for a smart, sustainable and inclusive recovery, 2013-14.
It includes the key messages of the ad-hoc coalition and compiles alternative country-specific recommendations from the social, environmental and equality perspective from the member organisations of the coalition. Links to the individual CSOs and their respective CSRs are also included.
- EAPN Assessment and Alternative Proposals for Country-Specific Recommendations (2013) with detailed country fiches.
Presentations:
- Opening of the hearing by MEP Marije Cornelissen, Democratising the European Semester
- Green Civil Society Organisations, by Constanze Adolf, Green Budget Europe
- The Ad Hoc Coalition, by Sian Jones, EAPN
- Good practice of social/civil engagement, by Elke Vandermeerschen, Belgian Anti-Poverty Network
Press release of the Coalition on the day:
Event and related issues on Twitter #csr2020
