The European Semester as a tool for delivering tangible results for citizens

Brussels – The European Semester must evolve into a more results-oriented instrument, capable of combining sustainable competitiveness with social inclusion, ensuring that reforms and investments deliver tangible benefits for citizens. This was the conclusion of the annual conference of the European Semester Group, organised by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) in Brussels on 30 June, according to a press release from the EU institution itself. 

The meeting was attended by representatives of the European institutions, the Member States, the national economic and social councils, the social partners, organised civil society and the academic community, to discuss the future of the Semester at a decisive moment for the European Union. 

As negotiations on the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) progress, the European Semester is set to play an increasingly central role in coordinating national reforms and investments and in aligning the EU’s priorities with the needs of local and regional areas. 

Judith Vorbach, Vice-President of the European Semester Group, said: “Social cohesion is the foundation of sustainable competitiveness and economic security.” 

Elena Calistru, Chair of the EESC’s ECO Section, takes a similar view, stating that Europe “needs not only sound policies but also a coherent strategic framework linking reforms, investment, and public resources.”

 The President of the EESC, Seamus Boland, emphasised that Europe’s long-term success “depends on advancing prosperity, economic resilience, and social cohesion in tandem.” 

The participants agreed that the Semester should go beyond economic surveillance by supporting investment, strengthening competitiveness, and ensuring that economic, employment, and social policies remain aligned. Greater coherence between reforms and investment at European, national, and regional levels could enhance its impact and added value as an instrument of EU governance. 

The Vice-President of the European Semester Group, Luca Jahier, added that greater alignment between the Semester, the new MFF, and national priorities “could strengthen the coherence and strategic effectiveness of EU action.” 

Among the recurring themes of the conference was strengthening democratic ownership of the process: a stronger role for the social partners and civil society was described not as an obstacle to efficiency but as a prerequisite for it. It emerged that reforms are more effective and politically sustainable when developed in collaboration with those directly involved. 

The chair of the European Semester Group, Gonçalo Lobo Xavier, said: “The European Semester should evolve beyond a coordination mechanism to become a genuine framework for implementation.” 

These discussions tie in with the Information Report and the Resolution recently adopted by the EESC on the national reforms and investments envisaged under the European Semester, as well as with the opinion on the 2026 Autumn Package. In its resolution, the EESC calls on the Commission to establish a European Code of Consultation Practices, to introduce mandatory assessments of stakeholder involvement throughout the Semester cycle, and to strengthen structured dialogue at national and European level.

Article written with the assistance of AI.