Investing in children in the era of social rights
2017 Eurochild Report on the European Semester
The ‘European Semester’ is a Calendar of the European Semester process that was put in place in 2010 to provide some coordination to national efforts to achieve the targets of the Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth and the Stability and Growth Pact (budgetary surveillance). It includes important targets on reducing school dropout rates to less than 10% and lifting at least 20 million people out of poverty and social exclusion.
This report is based on assessments provided by 22 Eurochild members in 18 countries and aims to:
- Assess the extent to which the European Commission ‘Recommendation on Investing in Children: Breaking the Cycle of Disadvantage’ has been implemented in EU Member States;
- Assess whether the European Semester contributes to promoting the well-being of children;
- Empower Eurochild members to advocate for the reduction of child poverty and to promote children’s well-being at EU and national level within the process of the European Semester;
- Provide Eurochild’s perspective on relevant EU policies.
Our key recommendations:
- Use the Social Scoreboard to strengthen the social dimension
- Promote investment in children
- Avoid counter-productive country specific recommendations
- Ensure more effective civil society dialogue
- Ensure consistency between the European Semester and the next European funding cycle
- Restore a focus on tackling child poverty
- Emphasise the quality of child-focused services
- Focus on children in the most vulnerable situations
- Promote the participation of children in decision-making
