SEMESTER ALLIANCE ISSUES ITS JOINT POSITION ON COUNTRY-SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS 2015
17/12/2015 – Ahead of the EU Council endorsement of the 2015 Country-Specific Recommendations, the EU Semester Alliance addressed 7 key messages on the political substance and the democratic governance of the CSR process to Heads of State and top EU officials. In their response, the European Commission, the European Council and the European Parliament reiterated their commitment to strengthening civil dialogue and promoting inclusive and sustainable growth. Will this engagement be enough to change social realities on the ground for the better?
The EU has so far failed in implementing its legal obligations – as enshrined in the Treaties and the European Charter of Fundamental Rights – to ensure people’s right to live in dignity.
The pressure on public budgets through the European Semester is increasing the risk of human rights violations for many population groups.
Refocusing the Semester through a limited number of CSRs to only cover key priority issues is detrimental to the development of policies that will address the persistent social inequalities within and among Member States.
There is still much room for improvement in the key areas addressed by the EU Semester Alliance’s original letter, as indicated by the street light approach in this publication :
- Social and sustainable macro-economic policies
- Adequate social protection to fight poverty and social exclusion
- Quality Employment
- Promoting Inclusive Education
- Promoting Gender Equality
- Investing in resource efficiency and tackling climate change
- Participative Governance
Open the Semester Alliance joint position on CSRs 2015 here
