Source: https://www.scribd.com/document/299960199/Gearing-EU-Governance-Towards-Future-Growth-1
Timestamp: 2019-04-25 13:59:44
Document Index: 230602599

Matched Legal Cases: ['sui generis', 'Art. 4', 'Art 148', 'art 40', 'Art. 6', 'Art. 4', 'Art.23', 'Art 5', 'Art 148', 'Art 5', 'Art 148', 'Art. 121']

Gearing EU Governance Towards Future Growth (1) | Governance | European Union
Gearing EU Governance Towards Future Growth (1)
Gearing EU Governance
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Questions of governance in a differentiated EU
Europe 2020 and the socio-ecological transition: fit for purpose?
Europe 2020 in the new economic governance architecture
Annex 1	22
Annex 2	24
The paper asseses the new regime of EU economic governance in the light of the muchneeded transition towards more sustainable and socially cohesive growth models. It looks
first at the processes and instruments underpinning the Europe 2020 Strategy and finds
that Europe 2020, albeit carefully balanced, suffers from the same ‘capability-expectations’
gap as the Lisbon Strategy did. Despite increasing support from the EU budget, national
governments only hold the key of delivery. More worringly, a legal analysis of the European
Semester and insights from EU practitioners provide some evidence for tensions between
the stability rationale prevailing in the Eurozone and Europe 2020’s upward objectives. In
addition, the collective outcome of fiscal consolidation and structural reforms tends to be
overlooked. The paper concludes that some governance improvements might be necessary
to shield Europe 2020 objectives from stability considerations in the Euro Area. It also calls
for a greater differentiation between countries according to their position. Finally, it suggests
ways of improving the political ownership of EU governance.
Renaud Thillaye is researcher at Policy Network. The author is very grateful to Olaf Cramme,
Mathilda Heyman, Roger Liddle, Seamus Nevin for their support and advice, as well as to the
WWWforEurope partners involved in the reviewing process.
This paper is an adapted version of a publication submitted to inform the ‘WWWforEurope’
project, a four year research initiative led by the Austrian Institute of Economic Research
(WIFO) with the objective to identify the conditions for a successful socio-ecological
transition in line with the Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth.
The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Commission’s
Seventh Framework Programme FP7/2007-2013 under grant agreement no. 290647. For
more information on this project, visit www.foreurope.eu
Gearing EU Governance towards Future Growth |
More attention should be focused on how reformed economic governance performs since the scope for further major institutional shifts seems rather limited. The far-reaching changes in economic governance undergone in the last three years aimed precisely at tackling these weaknesses and at making a coordinated move towards more resilient growth models. The second section assesses the goals. To put it bluntly. commitments and processes to live successfully together in the 21st century? Under which conditions. 3 | Gearing EU Governance towards Future Growth | Renaud Thillaye | March 2013 www. As Aiginger et al. • Economies driven by innovation and strong human capital. although for disparate reasons that can hardly be reconciled. A lot of people have been calling for yet another grand bargain. have been distracting attention from the real challenges. policy network paper Introduction An alternative view is to consider that both sides. At a time when the EU’s legitimacy and that of public institutions in general have reached record low levels. deep disagreements and divergent visions of what the EU should be about have surfaced again.without hampering diversity. With the European Semester. a long-term vision for Europe should encompass: • A higher quality of life and social inclusion for its citizens. If anything. despite their respective rationales. For others. • An ecologically sustainable and financially more stable production model. if any.policy-network. • Reduced welfare gaps across countries and individuals . This paper asks whether Europe 2020 and the European Semester represent a qualitative difference from past EU economic governance. and the results this combination produces (3). this is a repatriation moment and a time to recover national sovereignty. A third section examines the way in which Europe 2020 cohabits with other frameworks of surveillance within the European Semester. This paper assesses in three sections the opportunities and challenges raised by the new EU governance system in the quest for long-term growth. they also have to make resolute moves towards more sustainable growth models. do EU member states need this web of rules.Under the shadow of the euro area debt crisis and the poor economic climate prevailing in Europe. the EU has engaged in much closer monitoring of national policies beyond a simple regime of nominal rules and remote sanctions. A greater sense of prioritisation has also characterised the launch of the Europe 2020 Strategy and the debate about the Multiannual Financial Framework 2014-2020. Institutional innovation took place at a sustained pace. and resolutely envisage the future together. (2012) put it. For some. identifying its untapped potential and trying hard to improve its flaws and unnecessary costs. When debating the means of EU governance.net . can they reap the benefits from EU economic governance? This paper rests on the assumption that European economies do not only need stabilisation. • A stronger European voice in world markets and institutions. there is a strong case for analysing the impact of EU governance. the crisis demonstrated that many growth models in Europe were unfit for a globalised age and that markets should not be given too much leeway in destabilising a highly interdependent region such as the EU. this is a federalist moment for a core of EU countries. bearing in mind the limits encountered by the Lisbon Strategy during the last decade (2). policymakers should not lose sight of the ends. who should commit to greater sovereignty transfers and resource-pooling at Community level. the processes and the financial instruments underpinning the Europe 2020 Strategy. It begins with a brief analysis of ‘governance’ used in an EU context and the questions raised by the EU’s institutional innovations (1).
nor a state-like political system. the concept of governance has been applied for two decades to understand better the nature of the EU. and about the feedback loops between national policy-making and collective outcomes. the launch of Economic and Monetary Union and the involvement of the EU in a much greater number of policy areas has not signalled an emerging European state. 2007). and to look at the actual effectiveness and the accountability of new governing patterns. both in Brussels and in national capitals. if not detrimental. 554) may not have disappeared. This understanding encompasses all forms of social interaction and can apply to the governing patterns of non-state actors from the local to the global level. the incorporation of Europe 2020 into the European Semester has had mixed. For the ‘multi-level governance’ theorists. less vertical form of government. the new architecture should be seized as an opportunity for a more intense and far-sighted discussion going beyond procedural monitoring. that guide and restrain the collective activities of a group’. various definitions have been given and different uses have been made depending on the context. notes that governance is ‘subject-less’: instead of an accountable government.policy-network. the paper argues that EU economic governance balances various objectives rather well on paper. In political science. It is a sui generis polity based on non-hierarchical decision-making (negotiation and deliberation rather than voting). In the wake of its popularisation by the World Bank in 1989. 2000). EU innovative governance In European studies. More debate is necessary about the impact of EU short-term adjustment guidelines on national growth potentials. Instead of representing a threat to long term objectives. the deepening of the Single Market.net . the EU is neither an intergovernmental organisation. The Europe 2020 Strategy sets the right long term vision for all. namely the importance of private actors and relevant networks in the making of public policies.This approach suggests that governance equates to a less state-centric. it leaves us with various actors and processes which are difficult to hold accountable. Questions of governance in a differentiated EU How to understand governance? Analysing of the promises and limits of EU policy-making today can gain from an insight into the existing literature about the concept of governance. both formal and informal. This represents as much a policy as a political challenge. and how it has been applied to the EU. ‘actual power relations and dependencies’ (p. although there should be no illusion about national governments’ responsibility for implementing it. effects so far. A broader and more widespread definition is proposed by Keohane and Nye (2000) for which governance represents ‘the processes and institutions. and that it is better equipped today to bring about policy shifts in the member states. governance may lack the underpinning of a public debate or discourse. and the use of soft-law instruments (Peters and Pierre. for instance. 4 | Gearing EU Governance towards Future Growth | Renaud Thillaye | March 2013 www. Contrary to what was expected. Offe (2009). the involvement of various public and private actors at different levels.policy network paper Overall. Moreover. Analyses of governance have raised a number of questions for social students and practitioners in public institutions. by avoiding open political conflict and enabling technocratic bodies to design optimal solutions. the term ‘governance’ has been used to describe the changing patterns of government. However.. The optimistic view about governance suggests that it increases the ‘problem-solving capacity’ of public actors. Moreover. 1. Jachtenfuchs. These observations lead to set the positive and supposedly neutral assumptions about governance aside. limited spending capacity and a focus on regulatory policies (Marks et al. 1996.
Hence EU economic governance is characterised by different perimeters and policy frameworks. the consistency of which can be questioned. If the EU can tax and spend. mutual recognition. therefore. Börzel (2007) finds for instance 10 modes of governance interacting with each other. The literature on governance and the development of new modes of governance in the EU. Rittberger. EU treaties only partially recognise this diversity: articles 3 to 6 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) establish a distinction between ‘exclusive’. the EU has. such as supranational centralization. EMU and the quest for a new growth model The notion of economic governance. ‘shared’. command and control. 2002). This diagnosis is not shared by all. The Europe 2020 Strategy is a growth strategy for the 27 EU member states. approaches and is limiting the problem-solving capacity of the should it really be involved and limit state without replacing it (Scharpf. outcomes (Tömmel and Verdun. If the EU can tax and spend. supranational joint decision-making. It rests on the assumption that the EU’s legitimacy depends to a large extend on the first two dimensions (‘outputoriented legitimacy’) since there is no prospect of the EU political system getting closer to that of a democratic nation-state (Scharpf. delegated self-regulation and private interest government (Euro area voluntary agreements).net . command this confirms that the EU is biased towards ‘market-making’ and control. It includes the institutions and processes designed to govern the Economic and Monetary Union. A whole spectrum of ‘innovative modes of governance’ are today in use in the EU (Tömmel and Verdun. and sometimes so many policy areas? unexpected. raise three main interrelated questions: • What is the actual policy direction of EU multi-level governance? • How great is the effectiveness of its various policy-making procedures? What are their direct or indirect impacts on member states’ domestic policies? • Is the EU governance system democratically legitimate? This paper focuses on the first two and applies them to EU economic governance. Case-studies reveal that the intricate mix of soft member states’ room for manoeuvre in and hard law mechanisms brings about various. indeed. For some. reflects different realities. Procedures such as the Stability and Growth 5 | Gearing EU Governance towards Future Growth | Renaud Thillaye | March 2013 www. The added-value of the EU’s multi-level and multi-method governance is a matter of vivid debate in the academic and political spheres. it spells out a supply-side agenda which all member states are supposed to implement with the EU’s help. coordinated and optional competences. The consistency of the Lisbon agenda and the stabilisation rationale prevailing in the Euro Area was questioned during the last decade (for instance by Mabbett and Schelkle. 1999). but it cannot be restricted to them. intergovernmental cooperation. 2007).policy network paper Beyond traditional legislation and financing. in which member states divergences are high and the ‘hard-law’ Community method had come to a deadlock (Kohler-Koch. several modes of governance cut across a single competence. the Open Method of Coordination. In practice. should it really be involved and limit member states’ room for manoeuvre in so many policy areas? Political scientists generally observe that new modes of governance have been introduced precisely in these salient.policy-network. 2008). 2010). Moravcsik. Like its predecessor. albeit commonly used. the Lisbon Strategy. 2008). however. especially for Euro Area countries and for those which are committed to joining. 2006. only to a limited extent. only to a limited extent. Recent reforms of governance have made this question even more relevant. EU. developed an impressive set of decision-making and implementation procedures. ‘market-correcting’ policy areas.
it reflects the objectives enshrined in the EU Treaties. the two main sections of this paper examine: policy network paper Pact. the case for coordinated pension reforms is strong given the risk of fiscal unsustainability in one country spilling over into others. 2. Policy-makers based in Brussels also think that Europe 2020 makes EU institutions more mindful of the long term (Interviews. and the introduction of country-specific recommendations. which itself helps tackling poverty. namely the vision of a ‘social-market economy’ promoting the ‘well-being of its people’. after the 2005 mid-term review. hence also on the common monetary policy.EU economic governance. pursuing ‘economic. social and environmental objectives. in particular for EMU members and ‘pre-in’ countries. 1. in line with the socio-ecological transition. 6 | Gearing EU Governance towards Future Growth | Renaud Thillaye | March 2013 www. The focus on ‘growth and jobs’. and whether its processes and instruments ensure a higher rate of delivery than Lisbon. As Pisani-Ferry (2005. a loose regime of coordination and an impracticable sanction regime did not shield EMU from a financial ‘perfect storm’.1 Europe 2020’s toolbox for the ‘new growth’ agenda In 2010. On the other side. Europe 2020 and the socio-ecological transition: fit for purpose? 2. The targets constitute a significant yardstick to preventing national governments from sacrificing too much to short term politics (Atkinson. thus. 3 TEU). Policy direction: the philosophy of Europe 2020 Europe 2020 is built upon three pillars and five ‘headline targets’ which are. p. it risks setting ambitions too high if member states do not implement it individually and collectively as a matter of priority. 2012). As the Commission puts it (EC 2010b. the Lisbon Strategy lacked a convincing institutional underpinning. and its impact on the Europe 2020 agenda. The recent changes have been primarily designed for EMU members and ‘pre-in’ countries. p.policy-network. The direction in which Europe 2020 is pulling. did not prevent a poor and uneven record. 2). 2.’ Most Lisbon-type reforms of social protection. but that it does not represent a sea change in terms of governance. At first glance. Annex 2). Europe 2020 was signed off by a majority of right-wing governments. by and large. The functioning the European Semester. Likewise. working for the ‘sustainable development of Europe’. 8-9). social and territorial cohesion’ and fighting ‘social exclusion’ (Art. but left-wing and ecological forces can reclaim ownership. presents the picture of parallel and intense pressures on member states to address both short-term macroeconomic imbalances and long-term structural weaknesses. the three priorities are ‘mutually reinforcing’ and ‘offer a vision of Europe’s social market economy for the 21st century’: better education propels higher employment. investment in research and innovation increases the resilience of the economic system and is beneficial to employment in the long run. 8) puts it. Arguably. the Commission judged that the Lisbon Strategy had suffered from an ‘overly complex structure with multiple goals and actions and an unclear division of responsibilities and tasks’ (EC 2010a.net . ‘the rationale for undertaking reforms jointly is in fact very weak for the EU as a whole while it is stronger within the Eurozone. Once again. The ensuing analysis shows that the Europe 2020 Strategy strikes a good balance between economic. taxation and labour law impact on individual countries competitiveness. The past decade offers no successful template: on the one side. Against this background. p. the new Macroeconomic Imbalance Procedure and the Europe 2020 Strategy have been brought together into the European Semester. Questionable is whether this reinforced set of rules and procedures works effectively for the long term. the consistency of Europe 2020 targets appears consensual.
and call for more cooperative approaches allowing greater investment in education and training. He observes that Scandinavian countries are among the most open economies while at the same time performing the highest on social and environmental standards. 26-27). 17-18).75% OF THE POPULATION AGED 20-64 EMPLOYED 3% OF THE EU’S GDP INVESTED IN R&D policy network paper SMART LESS THAN 10% OF EARLY SCHOOL LEAVERS AND 40% OF THE YOUNGER GENERATION WITH A TERTIARY DEGREE 20/20/20 CLIMATE/ ENERGY TARGETS 20 MILLION LESS PEOPLE AT RISK OF POVERTY INCLUSIVE SUSTAINABLE Inevitably. some authors criticise this consensual approach. Hence. green technologies and infrastructure. it does not distinguish clearly what is left to competition from what requires public intervention. 7 | Gearing EU Governance towards Future Growth | Renaud Thillaye | March 2013 www. This view is largely shared by Wyplosz (2010). but they will probably not find any perfect solutions. These pitfalls require extra attention. The table in the annex (Annex 1) summarises the main elements of the seven flagship initiatives.net . Peña-Casas (2012. Institutional processes: a patchwork of legal bases and methods With Lisbon’s flaws in mind. For Daly (2012). Europe 2020 inevitably suffers from the limits inherent in political compromise. this notion does not result in a coherent social development strategy. In particular.policy-network. Finally. namely seven ‘flagship initiatives’. It suggested that Europe 2020 represented an improvement in two main ways: • By linking Community and national policies under a common thematic framework. 162) finds that cohesion and social inclusion are ‘reduced to a basic function: to equip individuals with the ability to anticipate and manage change’. the Commission dedicated a whole section to ‘governance’ in the Europe 2020 Communication. • We focus here on the first aspect and propose a critical overview of the 2020 pillars on account of the diverse modes of governance and legal imbalances cutting across them. p. Pro-market voices like Erixon (2010) think that any EU growth strategy should strictly focus on deepening the Single Market. according to whom competitive pressures from other EU member states and the rest of the world remain the most powerful drivers of reforms. 2009. It is largely up to political leaders and policy-makers to put more flesh on the broad socio-ecological direction suggested by the Europe 2020 Strategy. p. the EU’s raison d’être. economists sensitive to political ecology are concerned that the EU does not prioritise public goods relevant to ‘the well-being of populations’ (Fitoussi and Laurent. social policy experts criticise the ‘inclusive growth’ concept. At the other side of the spectrum. They warn against the dangers of peer-pressure and institutional Darwinism. p. • By placing the European Council in the driver’s seat and increasing ‘ex-ante’ coordination (EC 2010b.
member states are faced with the threat of policy warnings from the Commission. Contrary to the economic guidelines. In the communications detailing the ‘Innovation Union’ and ‘Digital agenda for Europe’ flagship initiatives. youth and sport’ as a field in which the EU can only carry out actions to support. Article 6 TFEU mentions ‘education. economic and education objectives do not rest on the same legal basis. the digital economy and youth.e. which is part of the Broad Guidelines of Economic Policy (BGEP) under Article 121 TFEU. Member states are urged to put in place ‘youth guarantees’ ensuring ‘that all young people are in a job. on the member states’ shoulders. 33-38). Country-specific recommendations are based on Guideline 9. Concretely. and the Commission merely plays the role of facilitator. further education or activation measures within four months of leaving school’ (EC 2010c. p. 11). However. As a consequence. which is part of the ‘Employment guidelines’ provided for by Article 148 TFEU. The responsibility to better integrate national systems rests.cannot really be enforced. to ‘set up the modernization agenda of higher education including by benchmarking university performance’. qualified majority voting applies. The relative failure of this approach during the last decade casts a long shadow on the capacity of the EU to reach its education targets. Sustainable growth This pillar includes the 20/20/20 energy targets and two flagship initiatives: ‘Resource efficient Europe’ and ‘An industrial policy for the globalisation era’. It includes two targets on research and innovation (R&I) and education. It also envisions ‘a systematic monitoring of the situation of young people not in employment. they cannot lead to any formal warning or sanctions. and three flagship initiatives on innovation. EU law takes precedence over national law. The Commission commits. the flagship initiative ‘Youth on the move’ consists mainly in non-binding recommendations to member states such as ensuring ‘efficient investment in education and training systems at all levels’ and ‘reducing early school leaving’ (EC 2010b. p. for instance. To top the EU’s action up. i. greater standardisation in cutting-edge sectors. The Open Method of Coordination applies and consists mainly of setting up benchmarks.R&I and the digital economy correspond to shared competences between the EU and member states as provided for by Article 4 TFEU. greater mobility of venture capital and better cross-border access to public procurement. the Community method. education or training’. identifying best practice and encouraging mutual learning. the Commission commits to make legislative proposals for an EU patent regime. the EU has only very limited clout. the Council can adopt recommendations on qualified majority voting. and member states cannot be bound by EU legislation. The 3% research spending target and the building of an integrated European Research Area – one of the main objectives of the ‘Innovation Union’ initiative . binding measures can be imposed on national governments throughout the ‘ordinary legislative procedure’. therefore. It is then up to national governments to seize these exchange opportunities within the Council. The overall conducive decision-making suffers a significant caveat.net . coordinate or supplement the actions of the Member States’. 8 | Gearing EU Governance towards Future Growth | Renaud Thillaye | March 2013 www.policy-network. In the TFEU. research is classified as a shared competence with important qualifications: the Union is merely invited to ‘define and implement programmes’. Country-specific recommendations covering these areas are based on Guideline 4. Regarding education. policy network paper Smart growth The ‘smart growth’ pillar looks to advancing the knowledge factor of European economies. vocational training. member states are expected to boost the effectiveness of their R&I systems and their capacity to leverage private funding.
2002). On the other side. in contrast. Inclusive growth The third and last pillar covers the employment and poverty targets. The EU looks well-equipped to such as the removal of environmentally harmful subsidies and foster environmental policies within the use of market-based instruments (such as taxation and the member states procurement) to foster change in production and consumption habits are left to member states’ responsibility. The EU can coordinate member states’ employment and social policies. peer review and best practice’. are urged to facilitate the restructuring of uncompetitive sectors. the sectors identified are mainly subject to enhanced dialogue and extra EU resources for research and innovation. but it cannot adopt legislation. the competence for industrial policy remains national (Articles 6 and 173 TFEU). p. such as a more integrated energy market. the ‘greening’ of the Common Agriculture Policy and the revision of the Energy taxation directive. the EU looks rather well-equipped to foster environmental policies within the member states. the EU’s exclusive competence for competition rules (Article 3 TFEU) and the strict supervision of state aid make it difficult for member states to adopt protective measures. environment and energy are submitted to the ordinary legislative procedure to the exception of fiscal matters. The ‘European Platform against poverty and social exclusion’ initiative must transform the open method of coordination on social exclusion and social protection into a ‘platform for cooperation. Policies pursued in these areas fall mainly under Article 5 TFEU. 4) suggests ‘bringing together a horizontal basis and sectoral application’. such as the Renewable Energy Directive (2009/28/EC) and the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS. the ETS lowers the cap on CO2 emissions by power plants and energy-intensive industries so as to reach a 21% reduction from the 2005 level by 2020. According to Articles 191 to 194 TFEU. This objective is central to the flagship initiative ‘Resource efficient Europe’. The ‘Agenda for new skills and jobs’ initiative mainly rests on non-binding roadmaps such as the Flexicurity Agenda initiated in 2008 and tools such as a ‘European Skills.policy network paper In the field of energy and environment. As has long been observed (Scharpf. the EU has had the capacity to pass legislation since the Single European Act. which contains other proposals. more precise commitments.net . Although Social Policy in the TFEU is based on a broad objective of upward harmonisation 9 | Gearing EU Governance towards Future Growth | Renaud Thillaye | March 2013 www. waste and transport). Decision 406/2009/EC provides for national reduction targets in other sectors (agriculture. Each year. Member states. Only the target of 20% more energy efficiency was not formally part of the climate-energy package. Nonetheless. 17). The Commission commits merely to ‘launching a consultation of European social partners on a European framework for restructuring’ (p. Industrial policy suffers from much greater legal asymmetry between market-making and marketcorrecting measures. housing. p. Two of the ‘20/20/20’ targets enshrined in Europe 2020 originate from the Climate energy package adopted by EU leaders in 2007-2009. 8 and 10 under Article 148 TFEU. The ‘Industrial Policy’ Communication (EC 2010d. Overall. Each one of them is underpinned by a flagship initiative. but there is no follow up in terms of warnings and sanctions. To complement the ETS. However. the EU cannot steer any sectoral development at EU level. Recommendations can be addressed to member states on the basis of Guidelines 7. the Union has little grasp of member states’ social policies. The method of setting long-term targets and leaving it to the member states to decide on how to reach them has proved rather consensual. Directive 2009/29/EC). Competences and Occupations framework’ (EC 2010b. Except taxation. Key legislation was already passed in 2010. As a result. 21-22). all of these measures would follow the ordinary legislative procedure and could lead to binding procedures.policy-network. On the one side.
EC 2012d. twothirds of the budget is redistributed as direct aid to farmers and structural funds. However. 6). Linkages between structural funding and the private sector have also been enhanced. ‘Financial Framework 2007-2013. social security for the unemployed. Yet. 10 | Gearing EU Governance towards Future Growth | Renaud Thillaye | March 2013 1European Commission. In this context. As Vandenbroucke (2012) argues. The 2014-2020 Multi-annual financial framework adopted by EU leaders in February 2013 follows the same logic. eu/budget/figures/fin_fwk0713/fwk0713_ en. The 20072013 budgetary commitments represented only 1. EU experts often insist on the regulatory nature of the EU and the limited. Under the Competitiveness and Innovation Programme (future Programme for the Competitiveness of enterprises and SMEs). which ‘account for a very significant proportion of public investment in Europe. 2). social and employment targets in 7). First.policy network paper of ‘living and working conditions’ (Article 151).php/ General_government_expenditure_statistics [accessed 15/02/2013] www. 2006). energy and broadband infrastructure.europa. The Connecting Europe Facility is allocated €29 billion to finance transport. p. the need to ‘take into account the diverse forms of national practices’ and to ‘maintain the competitiveness of the Union’ is a serious limitation. this option is not available anymore to most EU countries attached to the EMU regime. size of its budget. p. Article 152). http://ec.policy-network. Substantial efforts have been made over recent years to increase the ‘added value’ of EU money. A more nuanced assessment. The Council can vote by qualified majority when dealing with working conditions at the workplace. several financial instruments are dedicated to leveraging private investment such as the ‘SME Guarantee Facility’. while national public spending ranged from 35% to 57% of member states’ GDPs in 20112. Moreover.eurostat. a 140% boost from 2007-2013. development and innovation projects. 2).12% of the EU Gross National Income1. is necessary. the absence of a more stringent coordination mechanism for wage and social policies can be seen as a problem for the achievement of the social and employment targets in the Euro Area.000 loans between 2007 and 2011 (EC 2012g. This is true for structural funds. EC 2011e). Europe 2020 financial instruments: an increasing added value All these legislative and procedural tools are supported by the EU budget. research and innovation (Epha. making EU structural the Euro Area funds and the direct payments conditional to ‘green’ practices or investments. unanimity applies to issues related to labour law. and the rights of trade unions. which secured 190.cfm#cf07_13 [accessed 15/02/2013] 2 Eurostat. The Commission explicitly linked its proposals to the achievement of Europe 2020 targets (‘A budget for Europe 2020’.ec.net . it not symbolic. however. there has been an incremental shift of focus from redistribution to long term investment. The second development consists in the ever expanding use of the EU budget as a leveraging instrument. ‘General government expenditure statistics’ http://epp. According to the summit’s conclusions. Finally ‘climate action objectives will represent at least 20% of EU spending in the period 2014-2020’ (p. eu/statistics_explained/index. The union can adopt directives only when minimum requirements are necessary to the functioning of the Single Market (Article 4. but does not actively pursue upward harmonisation. p. Funding for The absence of a more stringent agriculture go down by 12% while credits for ‘growth and jobs’ coordination mechanism for wage rise by 38%. ‘the funding and social policies can be seen as a for Horizon 2020 and ERASMUS for all programmes will represent problem for the achievement of the a real growth compared to 2013 level’ (European Council 2013. the fears of social dumping expressed during the Rome treaty negotiations proved largely wrong as long as member states could compensate for a loss in competitiveness by bringing down their exchange rate. The bulk of the Social Policy title is that the EU ensures a baseline of social protection.more than half of it in several member states’ (up to 90% in Hungary.europa. The agreement reached in 2005 for the 2007-2013 budgetary framework marked already an important increase in credits for infrastructure. Other examples are the Risk Sharing Finance Facility and project bonds endowed with seed capital from the EU and European Investment Bank up and expected to leverage private investment for complex and long-term research.
2012). p.policy network paper For these reasons. A new regulation on standardisation was passed by late 2012. fared since 2010? Overall. with the aim of speeding up the use of standards in the services and digital sectors. Adopted legislation also tends to be watered down at implementation stage. European decision making is slow and fraught with limitations even in the Community field The same can be said of the attempt to use market-based instruments in the field of climate change. where the last two years’ limited legislative record contrasts with the ambitious rhetoric of the 2011 Single Market Act drawing on the Monti Report. an EU patent regime which will hardly remove regulatory differences between countries (Economist. the EU has been struggling to price carbon emissions in the production and consumption processes. The excess of credits available on the carbon market in a context of economic downturn has prompted the Commission to propose ‘back-loading’ allowances in order to push prices up. Other measures such as a European venture capital regime. This comes down to three main explanations. The limits of ‘soft law’ The EU’s record is difficult to evaluate in the fields of national competence. although the distribution of EU competences is. greater cross-border access to public procurement. On the other hand. The Commission finds for instance that member states have been slow to implement the Services Directive and the Second and Third Energy packages (EC 2011f.net . National interests and the narrow scope of ‘hard law’ European decision making is slow and fraught with limitations even in the Community field. Directive 2012/27/ EU on Energy Efficiency represented an important step since it completed the climate-energy legislative arsenal. especially social and employment policies. 9).policy-network. All these policy areas are subject to political salience at national level. The Emissions Trading Scheme is failing to incite industrial companies to invest in cleaner solutions. This has been visible on the economic front. Annex 1). 2012b).2 Learning from two years of implementation (2011-2012) How have Europe 2020’s policy and institutional diversity. not conducive to spending in areas such as education and social policy. with vested interests directly threatened by deeper European integration. It took three years of negotiation to adopt. implementation has been rather slow (see ‘progress so far’ in table. The adoption of the new Directive 2011 169/3 on Energy Taxation proposed by the Commission seems remote as well. The Employment and Social Affairs Council adopted in 2012 ‘social protection performance’ and ‘employment performance’ monitors 11 | Gearing EU Governance towards Future Growth | Renaud Thillaye | March 2013 www. and the financial instruments attached to it. The Community method is no open sesame to making legislative breakthroughs and accelerating the implementation of Europe 2020. 2. It also denounces national regulation of energy prices. 15-18). and a harmonised regime of electronic signatures have only made slow progress since 2011. The financial. on an enhanced cooperation basis. the EU budget’s role in implementing the Europe 2020 Strategy should not be underestimated. Yet this adjustment has met opposition from both the industrial sector and the centre-right group in the European Parliament (Euractiv 2012a). by nature. The launch of Europe 2020 was followed by a series of action plans such as the Council recommendation on policies against early leaving from education and training and the Communication on the modernisation of higher education. On the one hand. A central provision consisting in aligning the light tax regime of diesel fuels with the one of other combustibles has triggered similar opposition (Euractiv. p. The ‘State of the Single Market’ Report 2013 points to ‘unjustified double regulation’ and ‘entry barriers’ on the services sector of several member states (EC 2012l. digital and transport sectors are matters of concern as well.
The shadow of crisis in EMU The severe economic conditions that have affected European economies in 2011 and 2012 have crippled delivery. most member states are not on track of achieving their social and employment targets. A downward revision of the targets is not excluded in 2014 (Interviews. 2013). 2013). EU leaders had agreed to slash the Globalisation Adjustment Fund down from € 3. asks whether the EU is able to deal effectively with fiscal and competitiveness imbalances in a way which preserves human capital. Annex 5). A few days earlier. As a high-level Commission expert recognises it. namely low-profile dialogues between the Commission and member states. not so much for ‘mutual leaning’ purposes but rather to try to influence their peers (Interviews. therefore. there is a risk of moving backwards because of a lack investment in renewable energies and energy efficiency. In Spain. The risk of poverty and exclusion has increased Finally. 2012). Growing divergence is pitting resilient countries against countries faced with a high level of long term unemployment. and in enabling successfully the modernisation of strategic sectors. 2013).uk/democracylive/hi/ europe/newsid_9782000/9782595. 2012). Annex 2). 3 http://news. In February 2013.policy network paper (Council. for instance.co. however by accident. This highlighted the EU’s weakness in managing the consequences of its ‘hard law’ of competition. If growth comes back. progress has been made towards emissions’ and energy consumption’s targets. The absence of EU competence in the industrial field has also been deplored in several member states. As the Commission (EC. Countries like France and Germany are said to be much more active than Northern European countries. This led recently Commissioner Laszlo Andor to stress the need to ‘find better macroeconomic stabilisation mechanisms in EMU and to better coordinate better social and employment policies’. 2013) reported in January 2013.stm 12 | Gearing EU Governance towards Future Growth | Renaud Thillaye | March 2013 www. 2012d.5 to 1 billion in the 2014-2020 Financial Framework. maintains people out of poverty and advance a long term agenda altogether. Policymakers based in Brussels admit that member states engage in these exercises to very patchy degrees. Households’ incomes have declined in several countries in the last five years.bbc.3 The on-going debt and economic crisis. The ‘Cars 2020 strategy’ aims at establishing a level playing field for all car-makers. p. The risk of poverty and exclusion has increased. Several member states had been campaigning to hand back to the national level the responsibility of dealing with the social aspects of industrial change (Euractiv. Commissioner Tajani’s call for Arcelor Mittal to stop cutting jobs and to wait for a sectoral EU plan was met with disdain by the steel multinational (New York Times. This question is above all relevant for those countries in need of stabilisation. Low growth and high levels of debt have left several countries suffering from deflation and a lack of investment. experts acknowledge that Europe 2020 has been delayed. The next section examines how Europe 2020 has been connected to macroeconomic governance within the European Semester. education and employment are under risk. households’ incomes have declined in several countries in the last five years.policy-network. ‘public investment has contracted by €17bn’ since 2009 (Rubio-Ramirez. 12). has found with only limited answers in Brussels. Although EU leaders stated in March 2012 that the targets remained ‘fully relevant’ (European Council. Paradoxically. It asks whether EU governance offers any protective umbrella for countries urged to undertake market-based adjustments. but it does not propel concentration nor avoid takeovers by extra-EU companies (Financial Times. Only in this light is it possible to draw a more general assessment of EU economic governance. for instance. The car industry overcapacity crisis.net . and between member states themselves. the crisis has partially improved the EU’s energy records. Very large adjustment needs mean that national targets on R&I spending. Most of these communications and benchmarks are subject to the Open Method of Coordination.
it compares the Annual Growth Surveys’ content for 2011. The Commission’s line is precisely that they are mutually reinforcing. EU and member 13 | Gearing EU Governance towards Future Growth | Renaud Thillaye | March 2013 www. 3.e. It sets a cap of GDP 0. economic growth relied on credit. the ‘Euro Plus Pact’ adopted in March 2011 committed its 24 signatories to very precise policy reforms in salient areas such as wage-setting. The way they impact on the long-term agenda of structural reforms has been less a matter of discussion. Secondly.and the long-term agendas have been dealt with in parallel in the last two years (2011-2012) by looking. in application since January 2013). Countries deemed to experience ‘excessive imbalances’ face the threat of binding recommendations and sanctions. In the corrective phase. a case-study of three countries representative of different situations (Finland. it is artificial to disentangle the two agendas.The banking and sovereign debt crises that EU member states have experienced since 2007-2008 have prompted a series of institutional reforms aimed at preventing the same scenario from happening again. Coordination and Governance (TSCG. policy network paper 3. Less public spending should go hand in hand with more competition. the Commission can propose sanctions which the Council can only oppose respectively by a simple and reversed qualified majority. The TSCG provides a parallel surveillance venue on an intergovernmental basis. Under the revamped SGP. and not enough on productivity gains (EC 2010a. the recent governance changes reinforce EU surveillance over member states in two directions: fiscal stability and competitiveness. for which reversed qualified majority voting applies. 4). labour markets and pensions. deficit and debt reduction dynamics become prominent criteria in the decision to place a country under excessive deficit procedure. These developments have been widely described and commented from a macroeconomic point of view. It provides an assessment of how the short. In parallel. 2012 and 2013. Europe 2020 in the new economic governance architecture Certainly.6 TFEU provides for an annual ‘Alert Mechanism Report’ assessing member states’ macroeconomic robustness through a scoreboard of 11 indicators.policy-network. commitments and surveillance frameworks Schematically.and debt-driven consumption before the crisis. cycle-corrected). at legal overlaps between Europe 2020 and the new macroeconomic governance framework. In other words. The Commission was entrusted with monitoring its implementation. The report leads the Commission to proceed to ‘in-depth reviews’ in some member states. the fiscal and macroeconomic discipline required by EMU membership compels its members to enhance their long-term growth potential.net . The fiscal pillar includes the Stability and Growth Pact (SGP) and the Treaty on Stability. Signatories have to transpose this ‘debt brake’ into constitutional law or the equivalent lest they be sued by the Court of Justice. France and Italy) provides insights into country-specific recommendations and National Reform Programmes. At the beginning of 2013.5% for the public deficit in structural terms (i. This section challenges this reading by giving a detailed account of the European Semester. p. A ‘Macroeconomic Imbalance Procedure’ (MIP) based on Article 121.1 Locating Europe 2020 in post-crisis EU governance A new landscape of rules. In too many countries. The competitiveness pillar rests similarly on a Community and an intergovernmental leg. Finally. first. containing the cost of labour should be compensated by greater investment in research and innovation.
M. 2012). the SGP. Yet.Procedural integration: the European Semester of coordination Like Europe 2020. In the Alert Mechanism Report 2013. National Reform Programmes must also take the MIP guidelines into account.net . based on the Broad Guidelines of Economic Policy (Article 121 TFEU) and the Employment Guidelines (Article 148 TFEU).policy-network. Hence. 25). both closely connected to the Europe 2020 Strategy. IMF experts recently admitted that ‘forecasters significantly underestimated the increase in unemployment and the decline in domestic demand associated with fiscal consolidation’ (Blanchard and Leigh 2013. Potential clashes between Europe 2020 and other commitments There are several reasons to think that the European Semester represents as much an improvement as a threat for Europe 2020. Its release was moved to November in order to allow more time for debate in the Council and in the European Parliament. However. On the competitiveness side. p. As the Commission puts it. EU fiscal rules threaten Europe 2020’s targets in two potential ways. Whether governments can consolidate their financial situations and increase the growth potential is a matter of debate (Alesina and Giavazzi. the European Semester did not become reality in EU law before November 2011 (Regulation 1175/2011). the Strategy’s integration into the ES potentially means its submission to short-term and stabilisation rationales. For Armstrong (2012). Though already experimented in 2011. Failure to apply recommendations drawing on the Broad Guidelines can prompt a warning for any EU member state. Many think that it prefigures the ‘convergence and competitiveness agreements’ proposed recently by J. They are discussed and adopted by the European Council in July. which has risen in the last three decades. Annex 2). the Commission issues Country-specific recommendations. the MIP and the Euro Plus Pact impose on member states to report progress to the Commission. First. Barroso and H. 14 | Gearing EU Governance towards Future Growth | Renaud Thillaye | March 2013 www. country-specific recommendations have much more bite if they refer explicitly to the SGP and the MIP. Stability considerations are likely to take priority over Europe 2020 objectives when a country slides into an excessive deficit or imbalance situation. failure to apply recommendations under the SGP and the MIP can lead to sanctions for euro area countries. As a result. three different treaty bases are brought together into the European Semester. 2012j). Although unemployment and low skills are by far the greatest poverty factors. before the European Council endorses the Annual Growth Survey’s priorities in March. p.5). Annex 2). EU and permanent representations officials are generally convinced that the ES is a useful exercise in that respect (Interviews. means that working does not prevent people from slipping into poverty (OECD 2008). and their National Reform Programmes. the Commission recognised that ‘the on-going adjustment to imbalances is necessary but is costly in the short term and has resulted in higher unemployment’ (EC 2012i. In April. the wage-setting reforms and tax cuts on labour encouraged by the Euro Pact and the MIP possibly encroach on Europe 2020’s social objectives. the impact of fiscal consolidation undertaken in several countries at the same time is overlooked. policy network paper states officials continue to see it as a document of reference (Interviews. In May. Van Rompuy in their roadmaps to complete EMU. income inequality. they constrains public expenditure whereas lifting people up from low skills’ traps and improving ‘non-price’ competitiveness often require a high level of public spending. It starts with the Annual Growth Survey.5). Van Reenen. initially due in January. the European Semester synchronises the assessment of fiscal and structural policies in order to ‘bring the means and the aims together’ (EC 2010b. Secondly. which refer to fiscal obligations under the SGP (Article 126 TFEU). it continued to defend the pace of fiscal consolidation as a factor key to market confidence (EC. member states submit simultaneously their Stability or Convergence Programmes. The ‘European Semester of coordination’ was conceived to integrate these different frameworks and to allow a single set of consistent and visible recommendations. p. 2012.
5) Persistent implementation gap in application of EU legislation (p. Despite a very intensive debate in the academic and media sphere. This matter is little related to how a supportive environment at EU level could help. Overview of AGSs 2011. DG Employment and the Secretary General (Interviews. source EC 2010d. p. 3. Frontloading growth-enhancing measures AGS 2012 ‘The focus needs to be simultaneously on reform measures having a short term growth effect. The Alert Mechanism Report 2013 merely informs that ‘[in] parallel with the adjustment in Member States with large current account deficits. 13) Apprenticeships and traineeships for young people (p. the three Annual Growth Surveys all give priority to fiscal consolidation. the reform of its finance sector and to frontload structural reforms. the need to preserve growth-enhancing investment. 12). and the macroeconomic environment at aggregate level. such as a more active central bank or a more ambitious growth strategy. 2012k). 2012 and 2013 (Policy Network.’ ‘… particularly relevant for the euro area’ (p. 11) Tackling the ‘social consequences’ of the crisis (p. policy network paper Another route for boosting growth and employment in the entire Euro Area is often advocated. There is no other way to restore stability than to cut public spending. 2). and measures discussed to deepen EMU. National Reform Programmes and Country-Specific Recommendations have dealt so far with the social consequences of adjustment. 11) AGS 2013 ‘The short term challenge is to restore confidence and stabilise the economy […] while carrying out structural reforms […] for a sustainable job-rich recovery’ (p. 5) CO2 emission trading and green investments/jobs (p.3) Tackling tax evasion (p. Tackling unemployment and the social consequences of the crisis 5. and on the right growth model in the medium-term’ (p. Restoring normal lending to the economy 3. Modernising public administration Differentiated approach to consolidation (p. economic and social priorities for the coming year’ (EC. Macro-economic pre-requisites for growth 2.The next sub-section checks these critical assumptions by examining how Annual Growth Surveys. however. several observations can be drawn. the Commission does not question the positive aggregate impact of austerity policies. 6) ‘rapid country-wide roll-out of highspeed internet infrastructure (p. creating job opportunities 3. 1. As Hallerberg et al. (2012. 2011e. 42) remark.net . 15 | Gearing EU Governance towards Future Growth | Renaud Thillaye | March 2013 www.10) Promoting white jobs (health/social) (p. However.policy-network. The latter coordinates and synthesises them. the MIP does not convincingly compel them to support domestic demand or accept a greater rate of inflation at home. 3) 1. Administrative efficiency (p. 2012. Without strong leadership […] these different assessments may lead to ineffective or even non-operational compromises’. 3) Same priorities as 2012 Real estate and housing taxation should be reformed(p. 9) e-commerce directive (p. 5. 9) youth guarantees for young people (11) Annex on ‘growth-friendly tax policies’ From the table. It involves three main Commission directorates: DG ECFIN. mentions briefly two upcoming decisions with a potentially significant impact on Europe’s future: the MFF 2014-2020. Promoting growth and competitiveness for today and tomorrow 4. Pursuing differentiated growth-friendly fiscal consolidation 2. 2013 The Annual Growth Survey ‘sets out what the Commission believes should be the overall budgetary.3). First. the external balances of several Member States in surplus have been declining. p.2 Governance in practice: the European Semester since 2011 Comparative analysis of Annual Growth Surveys 2011. Mobilising labour markets. integrating policy recommendations means ‘involving different departments of the European Commission. AGS 2013. namely a symmetric adjustment process in countries enjoying a trade surplus and fiscal room for manoeuvre. albeit at a slower pace’ (EC 2012i. 2012e) General Rationale Priorities New issues or greater emphasis (2012 and 2013) AGS 2011 ‘Europe needs to accelerate the consolidation of its public finances. Annex 2). The former two provide input in the form of a Macroeconomic Report and an Employment Report. p.
policy network paper Secondly. AGS 2012 (EC 2012e. but not at all in 2013. AGS 2011 is said to be ‘anchored in the Europe 2020 Strategy’ (EC 2011a. Thirdly. 4) urges member states which are not in Excessive Deficit Procedure to let automatic stabilisers play their full counter-cyclical role. Fourthly. p. Yet. Europe 2020 seems to get a better treatment in 2012 and 2013. Yet. Finally. the Commission admits ‘clear signs of increases in the number of people at risk of income poverty’ (EC 2011f. these elements do not seem to translate into genuinely different recommendations. p.’ This approach. nevertheless. 4) puts it bluntly: ‘determined fiscal consolidation is a means to an end: it is essential to restoring macro-financial stability as a basis for growth and to securing the future of the European social model. AGS 2013 observes that the SGP allows for a certain degree of flexibility for countries faced with ‘worse-than-expected economic situation’ such as Spain and Portugal (EC 2012e. DG Employment’s interest for a proposal such as a Eurozone stabilisation fund safeguarding fiscal room for social investment strategies can be read in this light (Interviews. Annual Growth Surveys 2012 and 2013 mark a significant inflection from a relatively uniform approach to consolidation in 2011. 3). these elements do not seem to translate into genuinely different recommendations Overall. The support to ‘youth guarantees’– a proposal originated from left-wing governments and pressure groups – marks a symbolic shift. if not explicitly referred to. With record high levels of unemployment. more attention is paid to the macroeconomic conditions of consolidation. it is worth noticing that the Euro Plus Pact is mentioned six times in 2012. the Commission’s Annual Growth Surveys reveal a growing concern about the social impact of adjustment in the euro area and the need to preserve long-term investment. Many of these measures also reflect the MIP’s indicators. Europe 2020’s social objectives present an opportunity for the former to counter-balance the latter’s predominance. Annex 2). as well as financial support to active labour market policies. p. p. are given as much importance as economic objectives. The state of play might reflect the balance of administrative and political power in Brussels. which means protecting investment in education. Yet. a financial transaction tax and energy taxation. the quality of scientific evidence is key to influencing the framing of the Growth Surveys and Country-specific Recommendations. ‘competition’ between DG Employment and Social Affairs and DG Economic and Financial Affairs has increased since the setting-up of the European Semester. innovation and energy. p. Like for Europe 2020 in 2011. this can be explained by the political momentum of the agreement. versus two in 2012 and 2013. Annual Growth Survey 2012 (EC 2011f. nevertheless. casts a long shadow on the recommendations enshrined in the Annual Growth Surveys. The Commission advocates ‘differentiated growth friendly fiscal consolidation’. especially pension systems reforms. labour-market reforms. The Pact’s priorities. tax wedge on labour and wage setting systems. 10). Social and environmental flagship initiatives. there are 12 mentions of Europe 2020 in Annual Growth Survey 2011. This tension between economic and social bodies in the Commission is strikingly similar at the Council’s level. The conclusions of the Employment and Social 16 | Gearing EU Governance towards Future Growth | Renaud Thillaye | March 2013 www. seven Council formations held debates on the Annual Growth Survey between December 2011 and February 20124.policy-network. bears the risk of overlooking the need for social stabilisers in the short-term. 4).net . especially among young people. According to Commission officials. The Commission puts forward again proposals made in 2011 for a common corporate tax base. A sense of emergency is palpable in the social than in the environmental field. The Commission’s Annual Growth Surveys reveal a growing concern about the social impact of adjustment in the euro area and the need to preserve long-term investment. research. paradoxically. It also stresses the need to enhance the effectiveness of tax systems as a way to tackle fiscal imbalances and to re-orient the economy. In 2012. However.
Annex 2). ‘full utilisation of labour’ and ‘increasing competition’. the main priorities are ‘diversifying the production structure’.net . education. comprehensive income security and effective social and health services’ at the core of his objectives (Finland 2011. The Strategy is mentioned 18 times in 2011.policy-network. enhancing support to long-term unemployed and boosting competition on product and services markets. the Euro Plus Pact and the MIP are dedicated a significant share of the document. education and research also take a hit. the Government notes that the social partners also bear some responsibility in wage developments (Finland 2012. Country-specific Recommendations 2011 and 2012 The five EU recommendations were very similar in 2011 and 2012: Finland should focus on ensuring fiscal sustainability. In 2012.Implementation: National Reform Programmes and country-specific recommendations in policy network paper Affairs Council’s meetings (EPSCO) are said to receive more attention today than they did during the last decade (Interviews. increasing the public sector’s efficiency. a high employment rate. These elements reveal a growing concern against a Semester dominated by stability considerations. the government plans further consolidation.7% debt/GDP. and the recommendation is explicitly referred to the 17 | Gearing EU Governance towards Future Growth | Renaud Thillaye | March 2013 4 See Council’s website. Accent is put on boosting growth. France and Italy How do member states take ownership of the European Semester’s processes? What does the EU have to say to a ‘well-doing’ country such as Finland. http://www. Finland.1% deficit in 2011). EU recommendations to Finland in 2010 are listed at the end of the document and show that the National Reform Programme’s scope is however broader than Europe 2020’s objectives. Defence. Measures in favour of competitiveness consist mainly in shifting the tax basis from labour and corporate bases to capital income. central administration and local governments are the most affected budgets. 1. competition and jobs in the short term: on top of fiscal consolidation. A whole section is dedicated to ‘National targets and measures to achieve them’. mainly through spending cuts until 2015. and how are the social impact of the crisis and long-term objectives dealt with in France and Italy? FINLAND Finland ranks among the ‘good pupils’ of the Euro Area. the document answers the EU’s demand for greater productivity in the public sector. europa.consilium. 22). more action against long-term unemployment. Finland partly contests the Commission’s decision to carry out an in-depth review by arguing that its export base is ‘very cyclically sensitive’. it expressed concerns about the marginalisation of the social dimension in the European Semester and about issues such as pension systems. ESPCO called for instance in February 2012 to strike a balance between fiscal consolidation and social cohesion. but Finland already ranks among the best EU performers in this field. p. Finland remains under surveillance with 14 other member states in 2013. inheritance and fuels. Despite a very strong fiscal position (48. In addition. In October. wages policy and tax wedge on labour addressed by the Economic and Financial Affairs Council. ‘The European Semester in 2012’. In particular. which [were] not excessive but [needed] to be addressed’. Prime Minister Katainen stresses that ‘economic growth must be ecologically and socially sustainable’ and he places ‘the wellbeing of citizens. and greater competition in services. Improving external competitiveness was the real new item in 2012. In a foreword. National Reform Programmes 2011 and 2012 What is striking is the centrality of Europe 2020 in Finland’s National Reform Programmes 2011 and 2012. p. 13). The Education Council warned in November 2012 against ‘cuts across the board’ which would potentially harm member states’ educational systems. The review found that Finland was ‘experiencing imbalances. although the Commission undertook in 2012 an ‘in-depth review’ on account of the country’s deteriorating export market share and high level of private indebtedness.eu/special-reports/europeansemester/the-european-semester-in-2012 [accessed 15/02/2013] www.
On the other hand. Peer pressure between member states should be given more room. only translated to a single-level downgrade of France’s financial creditworthiness. Article 148). which [were] not excessive but [needed] to be addressed’. a greater involvement of the Council and of national parliaments is called for. a formulation calling for greater competition in the provision of municipal services was slightly attenuated. The main response is to shift part of the social security funding from taxes and contributions on labour to VAT. 12 commitments were earmarked ‘Euro Plus Pact’. The 2012 document does not represent any major departure from 2011. Finland was reluctant to endorse the Europe 2020 Strategy in 2010. The comprehensive section on employment and inclusion policies reflects France’s traditional insistence on social cohesion. A section is dedicated to the MIP and France’s bleak exports performance. The fiscal section insists on the need 18 | Gearing EU Governance towards Future Growth | Renaud Thillaye | March 2013 www. the economic forecasts on which the macroeconomic scenario was based proved largely wrong: the Government foresaw a GDP growth of at least 2% in 2011. In 2011. FRANCE France was severely affected by the crisis and is struggling to bring its deficit below the 3% threshold at the end of 2013. Almost two pages (French Government 2011. improving studying conditions. 3). sector specific policies (Guidelines 2 to 6 covered by Article 121) and employment and social objectives (Guidelines 7 to 10. Particular stress was put on the pension reform raising the retirement age passed in November 2010. and the dominant feeling is still today that the EU pursues too many objectives while responsibilities are not sufficiently delimited. far from the actual and expected below 1% figures. In June 2012. the document lists a long series of micro-initiatives (tax credits for research purposes. On one hand. The document also answers the Recommendations’ insistence on tackling labour market segmentation and optimising the performance of the placement public service ‘Pole Emploi’. energy and postal markets. serious concerns about the country’s competitiveness have been raised although this has. the NRP called for a strategy combining ‘an unprecedented drive to put its public finances on a viable footing’ with ‘structural reforms geared to the determinants of potential growth’ (French Government 2011.net . They distinguish between macroeconomic reforms (Guideline 1 on the ‘sustainability of public finances’). In parallel. National Reform Programmes 2011 and 2012 France’s National Reform Programmes build upon the ‘Integrated guidelines’ adopted by the European Council in 2010. In both cases. the Commission estimated that the country needed in-depth reviews both in 2012 and 2013. funding for SMEs…). but it clearly answers the concerns raised by the Recommendations 2011 and by the Commission through the MIP. p. policy network paper MIP. Under the MIP. In 2012. However. Most of the measures listed are state-funded (like the revenu de solidarité active.policy-network. as yet. In 2011. France was ‘experiencing serious imbalances. a complement to low earned incomes) and it is hard to see any structural move on the labour market front. It refers explicitly to Europe 2020 targets. 38-39) explain how France is progressively opening up its transport.The view of practitioners Finnish officials are rather ambivalent towards the European Semester (Interviews. Annex 2). the Commission’s recommendations go too far in identifying policy reforms and ‘lecturing’ member states. p. In terms of innovation and competitiveness. but none of them really stand out. a reference to social dialogue practices was added. 2012 and 2013. there was no significant variation from the Commission’s draft recommendations and the Council’s final version.
an infrastructure investment plan and a Cohesion Action Plan for Southern Italy (based on EU structural funds). the government relies on greater competition. ‘shifting the tax burden from labour to other sources of taxation that weigh less on growth. such as aligning the retirement age on life expectancy. and a resolute fight against tax evasion. Italy was placed under MIP-surveillance by the Commission in 2012 and 2013. tax cuts on business and labour. the National Reform Programme often sounds like a box-ticking exercise. The new Prime Minister takes very clearly the defence of a long-term approach to reforms anchored in the Europe 2020 vision: ‘The Europe 2020 Strategy constitutes an integral part of the national agenda […] it is not enough to focus on the short-term to get over the critical phase’. decentralising wage-bargaining and cutting back paperwork for SMEs. Implicit in this method is the attempt to influence the process and to make the Commission’s recommendations more adapted to national realities. Growth-friendly and fair fiscal consolidation materialises through tax increases on consumption and property. 2012). 19 | Gearing EU Governance towards Future Growth | Renaud Thillaye | March 2013 www. Italy seems to be on the defensive.1) are considered. There are extensive references to the Annual Growth Survey and the Euro Plus Pact. research incentives. Only reforms ‘with low or no impact on public accounts’ (Italy 2011. the change of political context makes the two documents interesting to compare. Accent is put on restoring public and private financial stability and to improve the country’s competitiveness and labour productivity. Europe 2020 should not be seen as a technocratic exercise. The 2012 Reform Programme is introduced by Mario Monti in a 7-page foreword (Italy 2012. High indebtedness. In June 2012. at the same time and in a consistent way. with indications of education reform.net . it was said to experience ‘serious imbalances. French officials try to engage the Commission as early as possible in a dialogue with all relevant stakeholders. but rather as a consistent approach to reform that promotes ‘the construction of a highly competitive social market economy’. M. p. III-IX).policy-network. low growth and poor export performances were the most pressing issues. which [were] not excessive but [needed] to be addressed’. p. Many experts also point to the responsibility of poor collective management of the Euro Area debt crisis (De Grauwe.Country-specific Recommendations 2011 and 2012 They are largely framed along the same lines. ‘remove unjustified restrictions on regulated trades and professions’. a ‘Social card’ against extreme poverty. a renewable energy action plan. To stimulate growth and employment. although the 2012 version refers explicitly to the MIP for 3 out of 5 items. local governments and the health system without giving any further details. The view of practitioners The French administration uses the ES as an opportunity for domestic coordination and social dialogue. National Reform Programmes 2011 and 2012 Although they don’t radically differ from each other. Monti argues that the social impact of these reforms is likely to be shorter and softer if implemented quickly. No significant change was discernible between the Commission’s drafts and the versions endorsed by the European Council. a higher quality of public spending. thereby indicating a greater degree of pressure: ‘combat[ting] labour market segmentation’. In 2011. ITALY Italy’s anaemic growth and high levels of debt has been under financial markets’ scrutiny for almost three years and has translated into higher yields on government bonds. Europe 2020 objectives are not ignored. labour-market reform. policy network paper for more burden-sharing between the central government.
Italy is rather encouraged to implement or adopt planned reforms and to make the most of EU funds. social inclusiveness and environmental responsibility. With fiscal. increasing competition in services. of the Semester to deliver a consistent vision encompassing short-term measures with long-term objectives. lack the underpinning of a genuinely strategic vision. the new Parliament cancelled a law passed a few months earlier. Coming back to Wyplosz (2010. However. France’s National Reform Programmes and the 2011 Italian document. The capacity of the Commission to draft Country-specific Recommendations that are adopted almost word by word by the European Council is striking. Youth unemployment and education standards are subject to a new recommendation. There is no risk of Finland’s imbalances spilling over onto the Euro Area. various degrees. which planned a transfer from taxes on labour to VAT. it was under pressure from the business sector that the Government reversed course and proposed a ‘Growth and Competitiveness Pact’ containing similar provisions in November 2012. Conclusion This paper aimed at providing an assessment of the EU’s ability to steer European economies towards a sustainable growth model combining competitiveness. Fourthly. improving the business environment and the quality of spending. improvements can only be made on the margin. to objectives. markets remain the most powerful drivers of reforms. In 2012. both in their capacity to adjust in the short term as regards their growth potential. However. Member states are under permanent scrutiny. member states take advantage. of the Semester to deliver a consistent vision encompassing short-term measures with long-term objectives Secondly. As Hallerberg et al. Recommendations do not provide any convincing indication on how implementing this agenda can help to achieve Europe 2020 Member states take advantage. It reflects by and large the expectations of financial markets. the dialogue between the Commission and member states has reached a very advanced level today. macroeconomic and structural well ahead of EU averages. altering the wage-setting system. As the reaction of Finnish officials shows. This measure was subject to a recommendation from the EU in July.policy network paper Country-specific Recommendations 2011 and 2012 Again. a country like Finland does not really need to be placed under surveillance in the same way as are France or Italy. Synthesis and outcomes What does this overview of the European Semester’s implementation in three countries reveal? Does this coordination exercise at EU level make any difference? First. the EU urges Italy to act on many fronts: fiscal consolidation. the legitimacy of the Commission’s relatively homogenous approach is in question. it is very hard to attribute them to the merits of the European Semester. tackling labour market segmentation. the whole process of the ES makes much more sense for countries presenting substantial risks for the monetary union.net . this pressure is almost exclusively geared towards restoring fiscal and macroeconomic stability. there was evidence of structural reforms in France and Italy in the last few years. The personal endorsement of the Finnish and Italian National Reform Programmes at prime ministerial level signals a more fine-tuned and prioritised approach to the various economic. It was based on the understanding of the EU as a multi-level 20 | Gearing EU Governance towards Future Growth | Renaud Thillaye | March 2013 www. After François Hollande was elected in spring 2012. see above p. social and environmental objectives. (2012) note.policy-network. 6). some difference is perceptible between 2011 and 2012. to various degrees. Thirdly. Yet. In 2011. in contrast.
however. but represents an opportunity to hold leaders and policymakers accountable for the long-term. Europe 2020 lays out a reasonably well articulated vision and provides a much-needed baseline to EU policy-makers. Europe 2020 should not be a ‘good-weather strategy’ only. Annual Growth Surveys and Country Specific Recommendations should be adopted according to the ordinary legislative procedure. its patchy institutional processes and instruments should not delude anyone. The Strategy is a compromise which reflects the degree of integration. Two years of practice show nevertheless that EU economic governance is a space for administrative and political negotiation. the political steering of EU economic governance should be strengthened. The literal enforcement of rules has come to the detriment of more fine-tuned approaches to collective management and to the long-term growth potential of member states. In parallel. It asked whether the Europe 2020 Strategy and its integration into the European Semester offered better prospects of success than the Lisbon Strategy during the last decade. This process. and leaving sizeable space for negotiation. a European stabilisation fund could help member states experiencing downturns not to have to sacrifice too much to the logic of market-based adjustment. which should be set up on a voluntary basis. policy network paper governance system implying different modes of decision-making. with national governments and parliaments reluctant to show more solidarity with each other. National parliaments and social partners should be involved as early as possible in the discussion of Annual Growth Surveys and National Reform Programmes. In the long run. The legal imbalances cutting across flagship initiatives and playing against more ambitious ‘market-correcting’ measures are likely here to stay. However. Greater consistency between the Macroeconomic Imbalance Procedure and Europe 2020 social targets should be ensured. Ways to deal better with the contradictions between short-term and long-term objectives should be explored. Next to a Commission constrained by limited resources. The schedule of fiscal consolidation should be revised in countries faced with zero-growth prospects and effectively seeking a higher quality of spending and administration. coordination and resource-pooling that member states and public opinions buy into on average. would gain a lot from further governance innovations at the EU and national levels. the reliance on market processes may have been the only option available to bring stabilisation back.net . A common assumption is to dismiss the European Semester and the new regime of surveillance attached to the Monetary Union as a straightjacket imposed on national member states.policy-network. 21 | EU governance and the quest for long-term growth | Renaud Thillaye | March 2013 www. and avoiding zero-sum policies. member states have the opportunity to frame the debate differently and to make the most of the EU toolbox. In the future. Governments and parliaments can craft consistent strategies that link the current imbalances to the pursuit of more resilient growth models adapted to national realities. competition and deliberation between numerous actors. An analysis of the first three Semesters shows that the Commission has indeed tended to push for market-based adjustment policies uniformly. This could be the bulk of ‘reform contracts’ between the EU and member states. Europe 2020 provides no magic bullet.As such. many of which are accessible without changing EU treaties. Broadening the EU’s competences to the industrial field would also make more collective and proactive strategies possible against the risks of global competition. pursue a long term vision and open to additional EU funding. for instance through a ‘social corridor’ facilitating the consistent development of wages and social protection. thus transforming the European Semester into a high-level political debate going beyond technocratic governance. To be fair. a strict mandate and little political clout.
water. 6) Economic Guideline 6. Cohesion 2020. youth and sport: optional (Art. 4) Economic Guideline 4. engineering graduates Main actions at national level policy network paper Impact assessment on competitiveness and SMEs of all legislative proposals Reviewed Small Business Act (2011) Action plan ‘Access to finance for SMEs’ Draft regulations on European VC and social entrepreneurship funds (2011) Sector-specific strategies: space (2011). 121 Education.Art 148 Single market: shared (Art. venture capital 5 EIPs launched on active ageing. research: shared (but nonbinding) Economic Guideline 4.Art. vocational training. public procurement. materials European Public Sector Innovation Scoreboard Progress so far ANNEX 1: Europe 2020 policies and track record 2011-2012(source: EC) www. smart cities. 121 Digital Agenda for Europe Youth on the move Single market: shared (Art.policy-network. industry: optional (Art. math. intellectual property…) Enhance EU’s mobility programmes and link them up with national programmes and resources Modernization agenda for higher education and benchmark universities Boost mobility of young professionals (EURES) Draw up high speed strategies Limit the cost of network roll-out (public intervention only if market failures) Develop online public services Reform R&D and innovation systems Train more researchers Prioritise knowledge expenditure and promote private R&D investments Ensure a sufficient supply of science.net . 4).22 | Gearing EU Governance towards Future Growth | Sustainable Smart 40% in tertiary education and less than 10% school dropping out 3% spent on R&D Objective Target Renaud Thillaye Industrial policy | Single market: shared (Art. 6) Employment Guideline 9. 121 Innovation Union Flagship Competence / initiative decision-making March 2013 Competitiveness proofing of EU regulation Support the restructuring of sectors in difficulty and the greening of services and manufacturing Improve business environment for SMEs Enhance EU’s mobility programmes and link them up with national programmes and resources Modernization agenda for higher education and benchmark universities Boost mobility of young professionals (EURES) Digital Single Market Greater EU funding for investment in ICT Complete ERA Improve conditions for business innovation Launch European Innovation partnerships Greater EU funding for innovation Promote knowledge partnerships and entrepreneurship Main actions at EU level Support business environment for SMEs (public procurement. agriculture. 4). smart regulation.Art.Art. 4 legislative proposals pending : Horizon 2020 (merging R&D and innovation funding). CARS 21 (2012) Experimentation of EURES Council recommendation on policies against early leaving from education and training (2011) Communication on the modernisation of higher education (2011) Adoption (2012) of the Radio Spectrum Policy programme (deployment of 4G) Communication on e-commerce (2012) = update of the E-commerce directive Draft regulation on electronic authentication (2012) Cloud computing strategy (2012) Upcoming Internet security strategy (2013) 2 legislative proposals adopted: EU patent. standardisation.
Ensure adequate income support and access to health care via social security and pension systems Pursue transition towards flexicurity labour markets Make work pay. energy: shared (Art.23 Inclusive | EU governance and the quest for long-term growth -10% poverty 75% employment 20/20/20 Objective Target European Platform against poverty and social exclusion Agenda for new skills and jobs Resource efficient Europe Social policy (Art 5): coordination Employment Guidelines 9 . minorities. public procurement Upgrade energy networks Energy efficiency action plan Single Energy Market Main actions at EU level Dedicate specific programme to vulnerable groups (elderly. review tax and benefit systems Implement the European qualifications framework Increase consistency between education.net . state aid. and health and safety legislation Promote intra-EU mobility and migration policy in line with labour markets need Erasmus for young entrepreneurs Make EU and national funding more consistent Improve market-based instruments: ETS. best practice EU programmes to promote social innovation and take poverty concerns into account in all EU policies Assess adequacy and sustainability of social protection and pension systems Coordination of the flexicurity agenda ESCO (common classification of jobs and skills) Integration of third country nationals/migrants Review directives on working time and posting of workers. oneparent families…). training and work Improve work-life balance and gender equality Phase out environmentally harmful subsidies Make the most of fiscal incentives and public procurement Coordinate implementation of infrastructure projects Main actions at national level | March 2013 policy network paper Implement further the Communication on flexicurity (2008) and the New skills for new jobs initiative (2008) Proposal for a revamped posting of workers directive (2012) and EGAF Phase out environmentally harmful subsidies Make the most of fiscal incentives and public procurement Coordinate implementation of infrastructure projects Progress so far ANNEX 1 (CONTINUED): Europe 2020 policies and track record 2011-2012(source: EC) www. 4) Economic Guideline 5. taxation.Art 148 Social policy: coordination (Art 5) Employment Guidelines 7 and 8 Art 148 Environment.Art. 121 Flagship Competence / initiative decision-making | Renaud Thillaye Cooperation.policy-network. peer-review. Roma.
European Commission Lukasz Kolinski. European Commission Jani Pitkaniemi. Head of Unit “Social Protection.net .policy-network. member of Herman Van Rompuy’s cabinet. Commissioner for Climate Action.Egbert Holthuis. Directorate-General for Employment. Counsellor for Economic and Financial Affairs. European Council Jakub Koniecki. Social Affairs & Inclusion. Permanent Representation of Finland to the European Union Shahin Vallée. Directorate General for Economic and Financial affairs. member of Herman Van Rompuy’s cabinet. Social Inclusion Strategy”. European Council 24 | Gearing EU Governance towards Future Growth | Renaud Thillaye | March 2013 www. and Annie Guyader. member of Commissioner Hedegaard’s cabinet. counsellor for social affairs. policy network paper Annex 2: Interviews with the author (realised on 10 January 2013 in Brussels) European Commission Anne Pohardy counsellor for ECOFIN coordination and financial assistance. Permanent Representation of France to the European Union Karl Pichelmann.
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