Country Specific Recommendations 2016 and role of social partners in the EU Semester (ETUC position) Adopted at the ETUC Executive Committee on 8-9 June 2016   From Country Reports to Country Specific Recommendations

This is a call for a subcontractor to provide IT support as part of the implementation of the ETUC project on “ETUC SEMESTER 2.0 - Enabling a trade union influential presence in the EU semester". Deadline for submission of bids: 09 May 2016.

Resolution adopted at the Executive Committee of 16-17 December 2015  Introduction

Completing Economic and Monetary Union: Rebalancing European Economic Governance (ETUC position) Adopted at the ETUC Executive Committee on 16-17 December 2015 Introduction The Commission Communication of 21 October describes the initiatives the Commission will undertake in stage 1 of the process to deepen EMU. In this stage, the Commission will intensify the use of policy instruments and levers that already exist within the current Treaties in order to improve the functioning of EMU.

 Key Messages   To ensure a full recovery, Europe needs structural investments, fair pay and decent working conditions for all workers. The ETUC therefore calls on the Spring European Council to adopt a new direction as, without a radical shift in policy, the European Semester 2014 will do nothing to secure a sustainable recovery.

Adopted at the Executive Committee 11-12 March 2014   Europe 2020 not yet fit for purpose In the very beginning, the Europe 2020 strategy, like its predecessor the Lisbon Strategy, relied on instruments which were not efficient, in particular, the open method of coordination. Then economic governance structures were established to better coordinate economic policies, and Europe 2020 had to fit into this new governance architecture, which was not conceived to help it reach Europe 2020 (namely employment or social) objectives.

Brussels, 22-23/10/2013    Key messages •    Europe’s major challenge is to transform what could be the end of a recession into a robust process of self-sustained growth, with mutually strengthening investment, demand and job creation adding to growth dynamics •    To achieve this, the strategy of austerity and structural deregulation needs major change

Brussels, 23/10/2013          •    The EU economic governance introduced unwanted interventions on collective bargaining and wage setting mechanisms, particularly through the CSRs. •    In this context a new method of internal and autonomous coordination is needed to prevent and/or counter such interventions, by involving the ETUC affiliates in a multi-level exercise (EU, national, sectoral), fully respecting the autonomy of social partners at the appropriate levels.

Brussels, 05/06/2013 Key messages The European Council must critically assess the European Semester to determine if the process meets the challenges of creating quality and sustainable jobs. Inadequate policies pursued by the Member States and the European Union need to be corrected. The ETUC calls on the European Union to adopt a REAL change of course and strategy by prioritising growth, jobs and social cohesion. This requires: