european semester 2018 employment and social aspects · design and implementation of, employment,...
TRANSCRIPT
European Semester 2018
Employment and social aspects
with a focus on Portugal
Federico LUCIDI
DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion
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'Chapeau' Communication: Key messages and overview of country-specific recommendations
Country-specific recommendations for 27 Member States (all except Greece)
Governance decisions under the Stability and Growth Pact
A Communication on the review of the flexibility under the Stability and Growth Pact
2018 Convergence Report
The "spring package" 2018
Chapeau communication
• « Europe’s economy is growing at its fastest pace in a decade »
• « Europe needs to fix its roof while the sun is shining »
• « This year’s country-specific recommendations dedicate special attention to social challenges, building on the European Pillar of Social Rights »
• The package seeks to move away from « legacy » recommendations… and to promote a more forward looking approach…
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2018 CSRs: an overview
The 2018 CSRs reflect the priorities of the Annual Growth Survey
• Boosting investment
• Pursuing structural reforms
• Ensuring responsible fiscal policies
They take into account the recommendations for the
euro area (Autumn package)
They integrate the European Pillar of Social Rights
They draw on the multiannual assessment of CSRs
implementation since 2011
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2018 CSRs: an overview
Focus on social priorities and challenges:
• Well-functioning labour markets
• Adequate welfare systems, social safety nets
• Quality education and training, provision of relevant skills
• Accessible and quality healthcare
• Social dialogue
-> Share “social” sub-parts from 41% to 44%
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CSRs implementation
Source: Commission
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
2011 CSRs 2012 CSRs 2013 CSRs 2014 CSRs 2015 CSRs 2016 CSRs 2017 CSRs
% o
f C
SR
s w
ith
at
least
"so
me p
ro
gress"
Annual CSR assessment
Multiannual CSR assessment to date
Average of annual assessment
Current level of implementation of 2011-2017 CSRs:
Annual assessment versus implementation to date:
Overview of the issues covered in the 2018 CSRs
Source: European Commission
Broad Category Policy areas AT BE BG CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR HR HU IE IT LT LU LV MT NL PL PT RO SE SI SK UK
Fiscal policy & fiscal governance
Long-term sustainability of public finances, inc. pensions
Reduce the tax burden on labour
Broaden tax bases
Reduce the debt bias
Fight against tax evasion, improve tax administration & tackle tax avoidance
Financial services
Housing market
Access to finance
Private indebtedness
Employment protection legislation & framework for labour contracts
Unemployment benefits
Active labour market policies
Incentives to work, job creation, labour market participation
Wages & wage setting
Childcare
Health & long-term care
Poverty reduction & social inclusion
Education
Skills & life-long learning
Research & innovation
Competition & regulatory framework
Competition in services
Telecom, postal services & local public services
Energy, resources & climate change
Transport
Business environment
Insolvency framework
Public administration
State-owned enterprises
Civil justice
Shadow economy & corruption
Public finances &
taxation
Financial sector
Labour market,
education &
social policies
Structural policies
Public
administration &
business
environment
Implementation
• Ownership on the ground and dialogue with key stakeholders important:
European Semester visits to MS
Bilateral meetings
Social partners
Civil Society
• Reinforced technical assistance to reform implementation
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The case of Portugal
• CSR 2: Promote an environment conducive to hiring on open-ended contracts, including by reviewing the legal framework in consultation with social partners.
• Increase the skills level of the adult population, including digital literacy, by strengthening and broadening the coverage of the training component in adult qualification programmes.
• Improve higher education uptake, namely in science and technology fields.
Equal opportunities and access to the labour
market
• Education, training and life-long learning
•Gender equality
• Equal opportunities
•Active support to employment
•Secure and adaptable employment
Fair working conditions
•Wages
• Information about employment conditions and protection in case of dismissals
•Social dialogue and involvement of workers
•Work-life balance
•Healthy, safe and well-adapted work environment
Adequate and sustainable social protection
•Childcare and support to children
•Social Protection
•Unemployment benefits
•Minimum income
•Old age income and pensions
•Health care
• Inclusion of people with disabilities
• Long-term care
•Housing and assistance for the homeless
•Access to essential services
What is the European Pillar of Social Rights?
20 principles and rights
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Putting the Pillar into action: a joint effort
Update EU legislation,
step up enforcement
Funding European Semester
Social dialogue
Civil Society
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Monitoring the implementation of the EPSR
• Communication of 13th March 2018
• European Semester is an appropriate monitoring tool:
o In-depth analysis
o Transparent reporting throughout the year
o Involvement of social partners and other stakeholders
• Three new elements :
o Mainstreaming the priorities of the EPSR in the Semester, with focus on annual themes
o Technical assistance, benchmarking and good practices
o Social Scoreboard
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Social scoreboard
• Main monitoring tool for the Social Pillar
Aims at identifying main employment and societal challenges
• 14 headline indicators
Broad coverage of 20 principles
Not a legal instrument – no “imbalances” , no formal obligations
Qualitative approach, exclude automatic reading
• Discussions in EMCO and SPC ongoing on 2 remaining indicators
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Political context
• Social Fairness Package – 13 March 2018 • European Labour Authority
• Recommendation on access to social protection
• Communication on the monitoring of the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights
• Other relevant initiatives • Predictable & Transparent Working Conditions, December 2017
• Work-Life Balance, April 2017
• Multiannual financial framework
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Recommendation to close excessive deficit procedure (EDP) for FR
(-> only ES to remain in corrective arm of Pact)
For BE and IT review of compliance with debt rule concludes:
• IT compliant
• BE no conclusion possible on compliance
• Both countries to be reassessed in spring 2019
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Economic governance decisions (SGP)
HU and RO: significant deviation from adjustment to their medium-term budgetary objectives (MTO)
For HU COM proposed Council recommendation to take measures in 2018 to correct significant deviation
For RO (already in significant deviation procedure) COM recommends Council to issue:
a decision on non-effective action;
a recommendation to take measures in 2018 and 2019 to correct significant deviation.
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Economic governance decisions (SGP)
Review of the flexibility under the SGP
• Following 2015 communication
• Striking right balance between objectives of ensuring prudent fiscal policy and stabilising the economy
• Communication encourages MSs to build up fiscal buffers in good times to make economies more resilient
-> mitigating employment and social impact!
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Flexibility Communication
Social Dialogue in CSRs
• 2 explicit CSRs on social dialogue (HU, RO)
• 4 CSRs emphasising the importance of social partners involvement (DE, HR, NL, PT)
• 8 recitals on social dialogue
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Employment Guidelines 2018
• (…) Member States should ensure the timely and meaningful involvement of social partners in the design and implementation of, employment, social and, where relevant, economic reforms and policies, including through support for increased capacity of social partners.
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