On 20-21 November, The Semester Alliance, with the Bulgarian national pilot Alliance, took part in the 4th Annual Convention of the European platform against poverty and social exclusion (#Poverty2020) particularly in the workshop on Governance, putting forward 3 key messages. Continue Reading
25/11/2014 – The resolution promoted by Marita Ulvskog acting chair of the Employment and Social Affairs Committee, was adopted in plenary by a good majority. It includes some important commitments promoted by EAPN and the Semester Alliance: including the need for benefits to be spread throughout society, on access for the most vulnerable to social security and the labour market, on civil society involvement, on the job potential of the green economy & on IMF, demand for quality jobs and ILO warnings on the risks of growing inequalities. Continue Reading
Next 03 December, Jean Lambert (Greens/EFA) and Marian Harkin (ALDE) host a HEARING with EU Semester Alliance on Strengthening the legitimacy of the European Semester to get smart, sustainable and inclusive growth – Giving a Voice to Civil Society proposals for Europe 2020. 03 December 2014 – 9.00-12.30 – European Parliament: PHS 7C50. Continue Reading
The Better Europe Alliance, coordinated by EAPN Ireland, brings together social, equality and environmental NGOs and Trade Unions as part of the Europe-wide Semester Alliance.
22/10/2014- The ETUC’s priorities for the 2015 Annual Growth Survey
Since the publication of the first Annual Growth Survey (AGS) in January 2011, the EU has essentially pursued a coordinated policy of fiscal austerity, and wage and social deregulation. The ETUC has systematically called on European policy-makers to change course, warning against the negative effects of such policies. It has also warned of the contradictory nature of the Commission’s European Semester policy recommendations and that the focus on austerity, even if couched as ‘growth-friendly fiscal consolidation’, would hamper Europe’s economic recovery and predominate over social priorities. This focus on austerity also hampers the EU’s transition towards a greener economy. Continue Reading
