Ahead of the meeting of the European heads of governments on 26-27 June 2014, the Semester Alliance, which AGE is part of, released its initial assessment of the Country Specific Recommendations (CSRs) proposed by the European Commission. The Semester Alliance is a large coalition of 14 EU civil-society organisations and trade unions advocating for a more democratic, social and sustainable Europe 2020 Strategy through a strengthened civil dialogue engagement in the European Semester at national and EU levels.
The Alliance’s analysis refers more particularly to the following topics:
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- Sustainable pensions
- Tax Justice
- Investing in affordable/energy efficient housing
- Quality affordable health and long-term care
- Fighting Poverty and Social Exclusion
- Quality Employment
- Gender Equality
- Investing in Resource Efficiency and Tackling Climate change
The Alliance mainly deplores that the few measures for more social investment proposed in the CSR are undermined by parallel cost-cutting measures in essential social protection, employment services, health and long-term care. They also fail to address the gender equality gap, particularly in relation to pay and pensions.
AGE has participated in the policy paper by providing its first reading of the 2014 Country-Specific Recommendations in the light of AGE member’s feedback on the CSRs and National Reform Programmes and alternative CSRs that AGE has forwarded to the European Commission in April 2014. AGE is preparing an in-depth review of the 2014 European Semester for this autumn.
Read here the Alliance’s press release
Should you need more information, please contact Maciej Kucharczyk,maciej.kucharczyk@age-platform.eu or Philippe Seidel,philippe.seidel@age-platform.euThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.”>
Read more on AGE work on the European Semester:
- AGE participation in a seminar with the European Commission’s Secretariat General on the Europe 2020 mid-term review (June 2014)
- European Semester Alliance: Assessment of 2014 Country-Specific Recommendations (June 2014)
- AGE Platform Europe: Alternative Country-Specific Recommendations for 2014 (April 2014)
- European Semester Alliance: Alternative Country-Specific Recommendations for 2014 (April 2014)
