EU2020 and Social Pillar

The “Europe 2020 strategy” is the EU’s growth strategy for this decade. Launched in 2010, it aims to achieve “smart, sustainable and inclusive growth” through the achievement of 5 overarching targets:

• Employment:
  75% of the 20-64 year-olds to be employed
• R&D / innovation:
  3% of the EU’s GDP (public and private combined) to be invested in R&D/innovation
• Climate change / energy:
  Greenhouse gas emissions 20% (or even 30%, if the conditions are right) lower than 1990
  20% of energy from renewables
  20% increase in energy efficiency
• Education:
  Reducing school drop-out rates below 10%
  At least 40% of 30-34–year-olds completing third level education
• Poverty / social exclusion:
  at least 20 million fewer people in or at risk of poverty and social exclusion

Eurodiaconia is particularly interested by the “inclusive growth” objective as well as the stakeholders involvement in the process. In these times of economic and financial crisis, austerity programs and budget restraints, the challenge to find the balance between financial, economic and social policy has pushed many Member States to forget the social inclusion dimension of Europe, and the requirement to involve stakeholders in policy making.
Eurodiaconia is following the implementation of the Europe 2020 strategy through the European Union’s seven “flagship initiatives” (“new engines to boost growth and jobs”), and working for a stronger engagement of diaconal actors in the overall process of the European semester.
The European Semester is a European process for coordination of the national budgetary and economic policies. It is also the framework for Member States to reach the Europe 2020 objectives. It is an annual cycle of political activities which primarily involves the European Commission and EU Member State governments, but it also relies on the participation of other actors: EU institutional bodies such as the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers, international NGO platforms and networks, and local grassroots organisations. It is part of the European Union’s economic governance framework. For more information on what is the European Semester, why it is relevant for diaconal organisations and how to be involved, please see Eurodiaconia toolkit here.

To know more about Eurodiaconia’s work on Europe 2020, please contact Clotilde at  clotilde.clark-foulquier@eurodiaconia.org