Brussels, 07/12/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 7 December, during their meeting in Brussels, employment ministers from EU member states expressed satisfaction with the changes introduced by the European Commission to the “European Semester” budget process for 2016.
Ministers approved the “employment” and social aspects of the draft recommendation for the eurozone (relaunching investment, pursuing structural reforms to modernise the economy, and responsible public finances). The adoption of this recommendation will take place next year, following approval of the economic aspects by the ministers for finance and endorsement by the European Council.
The “employment” and social aspects, as well as the timetable for their presentation by the Commission, which is offering the member states more time to examine it, was welcomed by all ministers.
At the end of the meeting, Nicolas Schmit, the Luxembourg minister, was delighted that all the ideas from the Commission went in the right direction. He particularly welcomed the return to the concept of “flexi-security”, which characterises this new version of the European Semester. Marianne Thyssen, the commissioner for employment and social affairs, added that “social fairness” was now being put at the centre of this process as never before.
Schmit also emphasised that the current context was characterised by major social and economic fragility and that the “social issue remains whole”. He pointed out that employment ministers still considered that they should be asked to contribute more to “the EU's economic and social governance”. He concluded that this was why they were now developing a “stronger social dimension”. (Original version in French by Jan Kordys)