The Annual Growth Survey launches the European Semester
The Annual Growth Survey is the start of the first "European Semester" which changes the way governments shape their economic and fiscal policies. As part of the "European Semester", and as announced in the Europe 2020 Strategy, the Commission, starting in 2011, assesses each year the main economic challenges for the EU and identifies priority actions to address them. It presents them in an "Annual Growth Survey" that serves as an input to the Spring European Council.
The Commission presented the first survey on 12 January. The Survey charts a clear direction on where Europe should be heading in the next year, with ten pressing actions focussed on macro-economic stability and fiscal consolidation, structural reforms and growth-enhancing measures. Once agreed by the European Council, Member states will reflect these recommendations in both their policies and national budgets. For the first time ever, Member States and Commission will therefore jointly discuss macro-economic stability, structural reforms and boosting growth measures in a comprehensive way.
The Commission highlights ten actions that grouped under the three main areas:
- Fundamental Prerequisites for Growth:
- Implementing a rigorous fiscal consolidation
- Correcting macro economic imbalances
- Ensuring stability of the financial sector
– Mobilising Labour Markets, Creating Job Opportunities:
- Making work more attractive
- Reforming pensions systems
- Getting the unemployed back to work
- Balancing security and flexibility
– Frontloading Growth:
- Tapping the potential of the Single Market
- Attracting private capital to finance growth
- Creating cost-effective access to energy
Progress Report on Europe 2020 [pdf 71 kB]
Macro-economic Report [pdf 163 kB]
Draft Joint Employment Report [pdf 65 kB]
Marta Blízková
International Organisations and EU Affairs
