Debate: European Semester: annual sustainable growth strategy  – European Semester: employment and social aspects in the annual sustainable growth strategy
Date: WEDNESDAY, 10 MARCH 2021
Speaker: Ana Paula Zacarias
Language: EN

The European Semester remains a very useful framework to address these challenges. The Council has recognised the need to temporarily adapt the semester to the recovery and resilience facility. But we want to build up on the established semester’s governance and processes as much as possible. To obtain financing under the facility Member States are currently working on their recovery and resilience plans, which will include their reform and investment agenda, in line with the four dimensions of environmental sustainability, productivity, fairness and macroeconomic stability. And with the flagships identified in the annual sustainable growth survey. They should also centre on the green and digital transitions and also consistent with the country specific recommendations for 2019-2020. The Portuguese Presidency is fully committed to this process. We hope to arrive at the end of our semester with the national plans duly approved, as well as with the own resources decision ratified by Member States. We would like very much to organise in Lisbon on 21 June, a recovery summit, a conference shaping Europe’s growth to discuss the outlook of the current economic and financial situation and what is the economy post-COVID. Now it’s time to deliver. It’s time to deliver on sustainable growth, on job creation, on high quality education, social protection and inclusion and environmental sustainability. And we hope that the social summit in Porto in May will provide an opportunity to confirm at the highest level the commitment and ambition to put people first in Europe’s recovery and beyond. There are many challenges and you have identified a number of them in this important report today. You have also done so recently in the discussions with the national parliaments, persistent and increasing inequalities remain between and within Member States and regions. In fact, they have been exacerbated by the impact of the pandemic. These widening inequalities increased poverty and social exclusion. Therefore, robust labour market and social protection measures need to be taken to mitigate the social and economic impact of the crisis. And this requires coordinated efforts. We also need a proper balance between boosting investment and implementing sustainable structural reforms to support the recovery. Strengthening the single market is also key. Supporting growth with smart fiscal policies while paying close attention to the long-term stability of our budgets and tax is also essential. And therefore we welcome the European Commission communication adopted on 3 March, providing Member States with broad guidance on the conduct of fiscal policy in the period ahead. It is important, as suggested in the communication, to relaunch the public debate on the whole economic governance framework once the recovery takes hold. Madam President, honourable Members, promoting recovery, cohesion and European values is a priority for the Portuguese Presidency. The cohesion policy as the EU main investment policy in social and economic and territorial development has demonstrated its effectiveness over the years, and in reducing all the inequalities and different regional differences. The recovery, combined with the digital and green transitions, need to take place in a societal, just and fair manner. And the European pillar of social rights and the action plan that has just been presented should continue to serve as a compass towards better working and living conditions in Europe, steering the coordination of employment and social policies at Union level. And to achieve this, it is also essential to ensure a meaningful dialogue. The involvement of local and regional authorities, civil partners, civil society, social partners, youth organisations and other relevant stakeholders in the semester in designing and examining the recovery and resiliency plans and the national reform programmes. Only by working closely together to consistently push for an inclusive recovery will we be successful in creating tangible benefits for all citizens of Europe.