On 27 November 2015, the EU Alliance for a democratic, social and sustainable European Semester (EU Semester Alliance) will hold a stakeholder meeting in dialogue with key representatives from the European Commission and the Council of Ministers who are engaged in the Semester process: Michele Calandrino, Policy Officer from Directorate D, Policy Coordination 1: Europe 2020, European Semester and Economic Governance, in DG Secretariat General and Muriel Rabau, SPC member for Belgium and Vice Chair of the SPC Bureau. The purpose of the meeting is to establish a regular dialogue between the EU institutions and representatives of the 16 member organizations of the Alliance (see below) with key officials on the occasion of the launch of the Annual Growth Survey 2016.
The roundtable exchange will discuss the 2016 European Semester , including a first reaction to the new Annual Growth Survey based on the Alliances’s joint letter to President Juncker, as well as recent changes in the Semester process including the mid-term review of Europe 2020. This will be set more broadly within the context of the way forward for progressing on a more democratic, social and sustainable Europe. A key concern for the Alliance will be how to increase the opportunities for civil society and trade unions to engage with and influence the Semester, at national and EU level, particularly in the light of the 5 Presidents Report.
For more information contact: Sian Jones, EAPN Policy Coordinator (sian.jones@eapn.eu)
FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE EU SEMESTER ALLIANCE
The EU Semester Alliance is a broad coalition bringing together 16 major European civil-society organisations and trade unions, representing thousands of member organisations on the ground at European, national and local levels in the European Union. The current members are: Age Platform, Caritas Europa, CESI, EAPN, EASPD, EDF, EEB, EPSU, Eurochild, Eurodiaconia, EWL, FEANTSA, GBE, FEBA, Housing Europe, PICUM, with support from ETUC and Social Platform. The ‘EU Semester Alliance’ aims to support progress towards a more democratic, social and sustainable Europe 2020 Strategy, through strengthening civil dialogue engagement in the European Semester at national and EU levels.1. During 2014, the Commission funded the Alliance as a pilot alliance project under a specific funding call for pilot alliances, including the setting up of 3 pilot national alliances in Ireland, Denmark and Bulgaria. Last year the EU Semester Alliance published a report with EU level recommendations and made alternative proposals to the CSRs, also organizing events in the European Parliament and EESC, as well as developing capacity building sessions and a tool kit aimed at national members. Despite lack of funding for the Semester Alliance to produce elaborate outputs, there is still strong interest from Alliance partners to work together to continue advocating for a stronger social and sustainable dimension in the Semester. Visit our website and follow us on twitter #semesteralliance.