Avoiding austerity: EU economic priorities debate

22 November 2016

Various ways to avoid or cushion the negative impact of austerity were discussed by Commission Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis in a debate on EU economic priorities in 2017 and yearly “European Semester” economic policy coordination work.

Increasing growth, productivity and job creation, investment and structural reforms together with responsible finances, strong banks and completing the banking union will be key areas of Commission work next year, said Mr Dombrovskis. He also stressed the need to tackle challenges such as high levels of inequality, youth and long-term unemployment and inflows of migrants and asylum seekers.

MEPs agreed that the efforts should focus on growth and avoiding or cushioning austerity, but proposed various ways to achieve this. While some stressed the importance of responsible public finances, quality budgets and not running up deficits but rather completing the single market and acting within the budgetary framework agreed in the EU Treaties. Others called for more expansionist budgetary policies, more investment, more social protection and more attention to differences among EU countries when planning economic policy coordination.

Full press release

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