11 March 2015

European Parliament: EU semester 2015 - recommendations for economic and social improvement

The Commission's economic policies were examined from three different angles, resulting in three separate resolutions, prepared by three different committees. All three were approved by large majorities of MEPs.

Annual Growth Survey 2015

Parliament backed the Commission's three-pillar approach for growth and recovery, based on investment, structural reforms and growth-friendly fiscal consolidation, in a vote on an Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee resolution.

"Reforms and fiscal consolidation are the right way to reduce unemployment and poverty in the member states most affected by the financial crisis, and help the euro area to return to sustainable growth", said Dariusz Rosati (EPP, PL) who steered the report through Parliament.

In the resolution, MEPs call for more involvement of national parliaments in the European Semester talks, more national ownership of the country-specific recommendations, only 9% of which were implemented in 2013, and more action on them.

They also set out recommendations for making Europe more competitive and resilient, and hence better able to withstand future crises, inter alia by starting to integrate capital markets, fighting tax fraud and evasion, completing the EU’s internal energy market and making labour markets more efficient.

The Rosati report was approved by 437 votes to 249, with 11 abstentions.

Single market governance

In a resolution on single market governance, drafted by Ildikó Gáll-Pelcz (EPP, HU) for the Internal Market Committee, MEPs reiterate their call to further integrate the single market in the European Semester talks and urge EU member states to enable the Commission to present its country-specific recommendations in national parliaments before they are approved by the Council of Ministers.

"The single market's governance must be improved if it is to promote and facilitate growth, but also to serve as a benchmark for commitment to structural reform in the member states", said Ms Gáll-Pelcz.

The Gáll-Pelcz report was approved by 568 votes to 116, with 11 abstentions.

Social affairs and employment

MEPs call for more flexibility in implementing reforms in member states in dire financial straits, so as to ensure that stability measures are compatible with growth, job creation and the welfare state, in a resolution on the employment and social aspects of the European Semester, drafted by Sergio Gutiérrez Prieto (S&D, ES) for the Employment and Social Affairs Committee.

Parliament also points out that labour market reforms in many member states have not reduced job precarity. It notes that 43% of young people work on precarious terms, such as part-time contracts or as bogus self-employed, and recommends putting more effort into creating quality jobs for them.

"The European Parliament supports investment and fiscal responsibility, but these should always be compatible with economic growth and creating decent jobs, social responsibility and the European social model", said Mr Gutiérrez Prieto.

The Gutiérrez Prieto report was approved by 477 votes to 203, with 23 abstentions.

Full press release

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