Eurodiaconia and Mr. Hugues Bayet MEP are pleased to invite you to a breakfast discussion in the European Parliament titled “Balancing economic and social policies – Taking stock of the 2018 European Semester cycle and launching the 2019 European Semester.”
In 2018, Eurodiaconia has welcomed the increased focus on social challenges in the European Semester outputs, which can be seen as the first impacts of the European Pillar of Social Rights on the Semester. The proclamation of the Pillar provides a unique opportunity to enhance the social analysis within the European Semester and achieve a better balance between economic and social reforms.
The 2018 Country Reports stress the importance of investments in improving social safety nets and social infrastructure, including social housing. Although there is still some way to go, the last two years mark a shift in perception from social expenditure as a burden towards considering them as investments, which help to build more resilient economies. Similarly, this year’s CSRs covered more social issues, and all Member States but one received at least one recommendation on a social challenge.
These are welcomed evolutions, but expectations are high for the coming cycle which should confirm them and prove that the Semester can effectively play the expected crucial role of implementation monitoring framework for the Social Pillar. The priorities which will be put forward in the upcoming Annual Growth Survey will consequently be very telling. This meeting is the occasion to start the debate around what these priorities should be, in light of the current political, economic, and social situation in Europe today, marked by debates around the next Multiannual Financial Framework and the upcoming European elections.
For further details or requests about this event, please get in touch with our Economic and Social Policy Officer Laure Drege at laure.drege@eurodiaconia.org.
For more information about the conference, please have a look at the conference invitation & programme.
Please register for our breakfast meeting.