1. Getting involved in the European Semester
General Assembly, Siegen, 29 March 2014
Thomas Bignal
Policy & Communications Officer
#SiegenConf

2. Europe 2020
10-year strategy
Aim: “Smart, Sustainable and Inclusive Growth”
Five headline targets touching areas related to:
Employment
Research & Development
Energy & Environment
Education
Poverty

3. European Semester
Monitor Progress & Involvement of MS in implementing this strategy
Annual cycle of macro-economic, budgetary and structural policy coordination
Conflicting objectives?
Thematic Coordination (in areas such as employment, social inclusion, education, etc), supported by 7 EU Flagship Initiatives
Macroeconomic & Fiscal surveillance under the Stability & Growth Pact

4. Why does it matter?
In Austria, the European Semester is influencing policies on
Employment for PwD,
Independent Living.
In Finland, the European Semester is influencing policies on
The efficiency of service provision,
Delivering productivity gains and cost savings in the provisions of public services (aka. Austerity!).
In Italy, the European Semester is influencing policies on
The rationalisation of expense for social and health services (again, austerity),
Introducing competition measures in the services sector.

5. Key Documents
November: Annual Growth Survey (AGS) & Staff Working Document
April: National Reform Programmes (NRPs)
June: Country-Specific Recommendations (CSRs) & National Social Reports (NSRs)
Important to remember “multi-annual coordination” nature of these documents

6. Annual Growth Survey Published each November
Sets out EU priorities for the coming year to boost growth and job creation
Comes with a Staff Working Document with an overview of progress in implementing previous CSRs by each MS.

7. National Reform Programmes
MS submit in April :
National Reform Programmes (NRPs), detailing
how 2020 targets are being reached
What national policies will be implemented
How EU guidance has been taken into account (previous CSRs & AGS’)
Each NRP should build on the previous, and it is increasingly important to give emphasis on implementation of the CSRs

8. Country-Specific Recommendations
Recommendations by EC made each June for each MS involved in Semester
Countries under the Troika do not receive CSRs.
Based on a review of MS’ economic and social performance in previous year and delivery of priorities set out in AGS, adapted to each MS.

9. Engaging in the European Semester at National Level
1. Identify who is responsible for the European Semester in your country:
National Reform Programmes: Usually Economy or Finance Ministry, Prime Minister’s Office
2. Ask to be invited to participate in the stakeholder engagement:
Write to relevant contacts in December/January of each year:
Ask process on how to be invited as one of the stakeholders & form of engagement
Important to insist on Government’s responsibility to ensure meaningful consultation
Important to create long-lasting dialogue each year

10. Engaging in the European Semester at National Level
3. Brief members/partners and build a common position:
Develop common position
Organise capacity building sessions to analyse current social situation and build consensus on main policy changes you think are necessary
4. Making your input - Developing key messages:
Compare country’s draft NRP with what you consider as key requirements. Important to also take into account previous European Semester documents.
Key to prepare key messages before having received draft text or being offered to provide input (December-January)

11. Engaging in the European Semester at National Level
5. Review your country’s CSRs:
Propose new alternative CSRs, which can be supported through the EASPD secretariat, which should be ready by mid-February.
Proposals should be sent to Government, at the same time as comments on NRP.
Important to share with EASPD.
6. Disseminating your message & promoting public debate:
Important to spread your message with the public through engagement with:
Press
Politicians,
Other NGOs
Social Media

12. Your Timeline
November 2014: Identify who to contact in national ministry & ask to participate in stakeholder engagement
November 2014 – January 2015: Brief members, develop key messages and provide input to draft NRP
January – Mid-February 2015: Draft alternative CSRs and send to EASPD
End February 2015: EASPD to send alternative CSRs to the European Commission.
March – April/June 2015: Wait for response in NRPs and CSRs.
Start all over again the following year.

13. Example of Austria
NRP (2011): Measures implemented to improve labour market opportunities for persons with a handicap
NRP (2012): Continuation of successful strategy that comprehensively pursues the principle of active inclusion is to be continued in 2012 (…) and now with even more priority, the labour market needs of health-impaired persons and disabled persons
NRP (2013): the National Action Plan on Disability was adopted in July Perspectives of civil society, esp. those of organisations of PwD (…) were broadly discussed and incorporated into the measures in a participatory process
CSR (2012): Continue to implement measures to improve educational outcomes, esp. of disadvantaged young people
CSR (2013): Develop a financially sustainable model for the provision of long term care and put a stronger focus on prevention, rehabilitation and independent living.

14. Example of Finland
NRP (2011): The inclusion of the hard-to-employ and the disabled in working life will be supported with a permanent wage subsidy
CSR (2011): Take further measures to achieve productivity gains and cost savings in public service provision, including structural changes, in order to respond to the challenges arising from the population ageing.
CSR (2012): Same as Continue to take measures to increase the efficiency of municipal service provision, incl. increasing, where appropriate, the share of services subject to competitive bidding, and to ensure competition neutrality between private and public undertakings
NRP (2013): Social and health care services will be arranged mainly applying a model in which certain municipalities bear primary responsibility. (…) A new system of central government transfers to local government and legislation reforming the structure of social and health care services are due to come into force at the beginning of 2015.
CSR (2013): Ensure effective implementation of the ongoing administrative reforms concerning the municipal structure, in order to deliver productivity gains and cost savings in the provision of public services, including social and healthcare services.

15. Example of Italy
NRP (2011): In recent years governance of the health sector has progressively improved. In particular, virtuous cycles have been introduced that lead structurally to a containment and a rationalisation of expense, by means of financing on the basis of standard cost of services.
CSR (2012): Implement the adopted liberalisation and simplification measures in the services sector
CSR (2013): Remove remaining restrictions in professional services and foster market access for instance in the provision of local public services where the use of public procurement should be advanced (instead of direct concessions)

16. Next few years …
Provide first input by EASPD and members in to European Semester by 2015.
Continue to support and empower members in this process over the next few years
Continue to work with other European NGOs in Brussels to develop common opinions

17. Any questions?
Here’s your moment !!!