Eurochild carried out the assessment of the 2015 European Semester with the help of its member organisations. The work draws on the experience of the past four years’ (2011 - 2014) analysis of the National Reform Programmes (NRPs) of EU Member States, with an extended scope this year. In this year’s analysis we particularly assess the extent to which the European Commission ‘Recommendation on Investing in Children: Breaking the cycle of disadvantage’ (2013) has been implemented across the EU and whether the European Semester process is helping or hindering the achievement of positive outcomes for children.
The 2015 Eurochild Report on the European Semester contributes to the network’s efforts to put children at the heart of policy making. It is based on the assessment of 25 contributors from 23 EU Member States. The compiled analysis of responses provides an EU-wide overview of the commitment to investing in children and identifies necessary changes to improve the impact of the Semester process. The analysis is also intended to feed into the 2016 European Semester and mid-term review of the Europe 2020 strategy.
The report recognises a weakening social dimension of the European Semester in 2015 overall, and a lack of focus on policies addressing child poverty in particular. Both EU institutions and Member States governments share responsibility for the weakened political prioritisation of child poverty. At the European level a lot of uncertainty exists around the future of Europe 2020, an integrated strategy which was designed to monitor progress on a broad range of areas from energy, environment and research to education, youth, labour market policies and social inclusion.
The Semester process is not helping enough to counter negative trends in relation to child poverty in Europe. Economic growth and employment have supremacy, and the very tool designed to implement the integrated strategy - the European Semester - is becoming less coherent.
Key Recommendations:
1. Invest in national child-focused policies
A key message of this report is that Member States need to prioritise investment – of both national and EU resources – in children, in line with national integrated strategies for tackling child poverty and promoting children’s well-being. If efforts are fragmented, piecemeal or not backed up by adequate funding they will be insufficient and ineffective.
2. Strengthen the social dimension of macroeconomic governance ensuring it supports investment in children
Whilst primarily a macro-economic governance tool, the European Semester needs to take better account of its social impact. It should consider how Member States are achieving all Europe 2020 targets and maintain poverty reduction as a political priority, essentially through monitoring how Member States are delivering on tackling child poverty and promoting child well-being.
3. Ensure robust EU social policy coordination
Eurochild calls for a reinforced social policies pillar for the EU that prioritises child poverty. An inclusive Europe goes beyond job creation, skills, or long-term unemployment. To address complex social challenges comprehensive approaches rooted in local realities are required. There is a need for the EU social policy space to support innovation and mutual learning and follow through of implementation of existing policy guidance. Eurochild also urges the EU to follow up on the call it made to Member States in 2013 and design a Roadmap to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the Investing in Children Recommendation.
4. Create ownership through improved stakeholder engagement
The National Reform Programmes are an opportunity for short-term strategic planning to achieve better long-term outcomes. The breadth and quality of stakeholder engagement will not only improve the quality of the plans, but also the level of ownership and the likelihood of effective implementation. It is important to involve relevant ministries, parliaments, sub-national government and local authorities as well as civil society. To ensure effective approaches to tackle child poverty and social exclusion, civil society organisations working with and for children should be supported in their involvement in the European Semester.
5. Make better use of EU funding to stimulate investment in children
There are already significant funds available at EU level that, if effectively deployed, can stimulate structural reforms and investment in child and family services that help address child poverty and social exclusion. The European Regional Development Fund and the European Social Fund (European Structural and Investment Funds - ESIF) can be used in a complementary way to support inclusive growth. Their deployment is conditional on Member States having in place comprehensive poverty reduction strategies, which should include a focus on children and families. The Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD) supports EU countries’ actions to provide material assistance to the most deprived, including children. Finally, loans available through the European Fund for Strategic Investment, and the European Investment Bank could be mobilised within an overall strategy which prioritises investment in children.
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Read the full report here.