1. power player or lame duck? The eu’s role in shaping social policy

2. structure Tour de table Social Europe? A state of play
EU tools: the European Semester & the European Pillar of Social Rights
Case study: Austria
Group work
7/13/2019
M&E Network meeting: Diaconia as a bedrock for social cohesion

3. Social Europe? a state of play
Principle of subsidiarity
‘Soft power’ (appeal) vs. ‘hard power’ (coercion)
Influencing social policies through:
i) EU Funding instruments
ii) Exchange of practices (OMC)
iii) Non-binding Recommendations
Subsidiarity is a principle of social organization that originated in the Roman Catholic Church. In its most basic formulation, it holds that social and political issues should be dealt with at the most immediate (or local) level that is consistent with their resolution. The Oxford English Dictionary defines subsidiarity as, "the principle that a central authority should have a subsidiary function, performing only those tasks which cannot be performed at a more local level
7/13/2019
M&E Network meeting: Diaconia as a bedrock for social cohesion

4. Charting the future of (social) europe
EU role fixed by treaties, BUT: interpretive leeway & treaty change possible
2017: reflection process on future of (Social) Europe:
i) White Paper on the future of Europe
ii) 5 ‘Reflection papers’ on core topics, including social dimension
Rationale:
’’Many Europeans consider the Union as either too distant or too interfering in their day-to-day lives. Others question its added value and ask how Europe improves their standard of living’’
Aftermath of financial crisis
Increasing influx of migrants
Disconnect with citizens
BREXIT
7/13/2019
M&E Network meeting: Diaconia as a bedrock for social cohesion

5. Reflection paper on the social dimension of europe
Only free movement
Those who want to do more, do more
Deepening the social dimension together
No EU funding for social investment
‘Social Europe a la carte’
Deepen cooperation on common challenges
No exchange of practices on employment & social protection
Easier to build political concensus
Binding targets & benchmarks
Increase of social divergence
Less transparency of decision-making
More difficult to build political consensus
Less EU regulation, ‘cutting of red tape’
Politically unfeasible?
7/13/2019
M&E Network meeting: Diaconia as a bedrock for social cohesion

6. part ii: a closer look at eu tools

7. Europe 2020 10-year strategy for Europe's development until 2020
Stimulate ‘’smart, sustainable and inclusive growth’’
5 headline targets, including:
Reduction of Poverty and social exclusion: ‘’Reduce the number of persons at risk of poverty by at least 20 million’’
 High-level political commitment to fight poverty
To understand the european semester
7/13/2019

8. The european semester Key instrument to realise Europe2020
Operationalisation:
Annual cycle
of political activities:
Annual Growth Survey
Country Reports
National Reform Programmes
Country-Specific Recommendations
So what is the connection?
7/13/2019

9. National Reform Programmes Country-Specific Recommendations
Annual Growth Survey
Country Reports
National Reform Programmes
Country-Specific Recommendations
Description
Commission instructs Member States on social & economic priorities
Commission analyses key economic and social trends in Member States
Member States respond to the AGS & Country Report by outlining concrete policies
Commission makes policy recommendations to Member States
Political Importance
High
Medium
Space for diaconal involvement
Low
Low/Medium
7/13/2019
M&E Network meeting: Diaconia as a bedrock for social cohesion

10. European pillar of social rights
Key social initiative of the Juncker Commission:
Aim:
Promoting ‘’upward social convergence’’ between EU Member States (reduce national differences)
Improve labour market access & social protection systems across Europe
Three chapters:
1) Equal opportunities & access to employment
2) Fair working conditions
3) Social protection and inclusion
European semester is barosso commission
Juncker commission launched new initiative
7/13/2019

11. European pillar of social rights
10 principles for improved social protection and inclusion:
Minimum income
Healthcare
Old-age income & pensions
Social protection
Long-term care
Inclusion of persons with disabilities
Housing & assistance for the homeless
Adequate childcare
Unemployment benefits
Access to essential services
Eu2020 continues to exist, but no delivery on its targets.. Time for reboost under new Juncker commission
7/13/2019

12. Social scoreboard
Public support / Social protection and inclusion
Impact of public policies on reducing poverty
11.Impact of social transfers (other than pensions) on poverty reduction
(Difference, among total population, between the share of people at risk of poverty rate before and after social transfers, by gender)
Eurostat
General government expenditure by function
(General government expenditure as % of GDP, by function (social protection, health and education))
Aggregate replacement ratio for pensions
(Ratio of the median individual gross pensions of age category relative to the median individual gross earning of age category)
Early childhood care
12.Children aged less than 3 years in formal childcare
(Children in formal childcare (proportion of children in same age group - age 0 – 3))
Healthcare
13.Self-reported unmet need for medical care (EU SILC)
(% of total population who reported unmet need for medical care, by gender)
Healthy life years (at the age of 65)
Out-of-pocket expenditure on health care
Digital access
14.Individuals’ level of digital skills
(Share of population with basic overall digital skills or above basic overall digital skills by gender)
Connectivity dimension of the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI): Fixed broadband take up (33%), mobile Broadband take up (22%), speed (33%), and affordability (11%)
Digital Scoreboard 
7/13/2019
M&E Network meeting: Diaconia as a bedrock for social cohesion

13. 1) EU commitment to improving social protection across MS
Opportunities:
1) EU commitment to improving social protection across MS
2) Promising list of principles
3) Monitoring & omplementation through European Semester & Social Scoreboard
Obstacles:
1) Applies primarily to Eurozone  two-track Europe?
2) Prioritisation of social partners  limited role for civil society?
3) Not binding: ‘’principles’’, not rights
7/13/2019

14. Group work
1) Do you consider the Semester and the EPSR to be relevant advocacy tools for your organisation? Why/why not?
2) What is needed for a better link between strategies on EU and national level?
3) How can Eurodiaconia support your engagement with the Semester and the EPSR?
7/13/2019
M&E Network meeting: Diaconia as a bedrock for social cohesion

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7/13/2019