The total social and health expenditure provided for under the 25 national plans so far submitted in the context of the European Recovery and Resilience Facility would amount to €150 billion, or more than 30% of the total planned EU allocation, Céline Gauer, director-general of the Recovery and Resilience Task Force (RECOVER), told the European Parliament’s Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) on Wednesday 1 September.
The senior official explained that the social issue, in its broadest sense (including health, education, training, etc.),is represented to a great extent - about 40% - in the country-by-country recommendations in the framework of the ‘European Semester’ budget process. However, these recommendations cut across the Facility, which has a significant impact on the social dimension of national plans, the senior official argued.
€35 billion is earmarked for measures to support employment and the strengthening and acquisition of skills. €45 billion went to education, €22 billion to social policies, and €47 billion to health and long-term care spending.
MEPs, including Stelios Kympouropoulos (EPP, Greece), Agnes Jongerius (S&D, Netherlands) and Sara Matthieu (Greens/EFA, Belgium), questioned the implementation and monitoring of the national plans and the levers to be used in the event of non-compliance with the targets agreed when the national plans were adopted.
Ms Gauer said that there were a whole range of performance measures under the Facility. At the time of progress reviews and disbursement of new payments, if a Member State is not able to meet the targets set, there could be corrective measures. The senior official added that, in exceptional cases, it was possible for a Member State to request adjustments to the social objectives if it was unable to achieve them.
The European Commission is preparing two delegated acts to monitor social measures (see EUROPE 12720/1) which will be presented in the coming weeks, Ms Gauer said. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)