Study: EU countries 'not interested' in the Commission's economic recommendations

Only 18% of the European Commission’s recommendations for economic reforms, aimed at paving the way to economic recovery, are actually implemented by the member states, according to a new study by the European Parliament.

http://www.euractiv.com/sections/euro-finance/study-eu-countries-not-interested-commissions-economic-recommendations-303109

Strategic agenda for the Union in times of change

The European Council agreed the strategic agenda of key priorities for the next five years. It invited the EU institutions and the Member States to fully implement these priorities in their work. The European Council defined the strategic guidelines for legislative and operational planning forthe coming years within the area of freedom, security and justice (see below under Chapter I) andalso addressed some related horizontal issues. It concluded the 2014 European Semester and calledfor additional efforts to strengthen Europe's capacity to grow and create more jobs.http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/ec/143478.pdf

“This year’s Commission proposals on CSRs claim to focus on “strengthening the conditions for sustainable growth and employment in a post-crisis economy.

”But they seriously fall short of addressing the poverty crisis experienced daily by 124,2 million people. This is not to say that there has not been progress in some areas with CSRs addressing housing markets, the sustainability of pension systems, and tax reform: particularly tax evasion and avoidance. But in the end most CSRs still focus on budget and fiscal consolidation, rather than public investment,” said Barbara Helfferich, Chair of the Semester Alliance and Director of the European Anti-Poverty Network.

 http://www.eapn.eu/en/news-and-publications/press-room/eapn-press-releases/semester-alliance-sees-csrs-as-insufficient-to-address-inclusive-growth

Highlights - Consequences of the crisis - key publications by the Policy Departments - Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs

16-06-2014 02:55 PM EEST

The European Parliament’s Policy Departments have prepared a number of publications in relation to the crisis and its consequences. A wide range of issues are discussed, from the social effects of the crisis, to the impacts of the recession on public spending. The publications not only focus on the direct repercussions of the crisis (on employment, living conditions, mental health, SMEs, etc.), they also deal with its indirect outcomes, namely the reforms introduced at EU and national levels and the new instruments set up as a response to the crisis. The analysis goes even beyond: it is shown that, above all, the economic downturn has modified the way of considering policies and has raised fundamental issues such as EU governance. A selection of these publications is available here.

Further information
Consequences of the crisis - key publications by the Policy Departments

First major conference to discuss Unconditional Basic Income at the European Union

Politicians and major European organisations working in the fields of health, poverty, democracy, education and the environment will discuss the potential benefits of unconditional basic income at the Europea Economic and Social Committee on Thursday, 10 April 2014.Aa new network was launched, Unconditional Basic Income Europe, which formed around the European Citizens Initiative for Unconditional Basic Income last year. Citizens from 25 European countries have collaborated to hold this conference.

More: http://ubie.org/ubie/us/

EU-Commission adopts country specific recommendations 2014

The European Commission has adopted a series of economic policy recommendations to individual Member States to strengthen the recovery that began a year ago.

http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-14-623_en.htm