‘Involving SGIs in the European Semester’: Reporting back from the third training of the project

On 5 July 2022, SGI Europe, with the support of its member Employers of Poland, organised the third training session in Warsaw as part of the project ‘Involving SGIs in the European Semester’, co-funded by the European Commission. The meeting, gathering SGI Europe members, was dedicated to the policy contents of the European Semester, as well as the future work of the network of National Semester Contact Points.

Opening the training, Janusz Pietkiewicz, representative of Employers of Poland, underlined the long-term commitment of his organisation, the oldest employers’ organisation in Poland, to the national and EU social dialogue. M. Pietkiewicz also emphasised the need for further deepening the historical understanding between Eastern and Western Europe, and the essential role of the EU Pillar of Social Rights within the European Semester.

Przemyslaw Kalinka, from the European Commission’s Representation in Poland, presented the European Semester outreach strategy, focusing on thematic roundtables for the components of the Recovery and Resilience Plan. He also addressed the priorities of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, which includes key reforms and investments in healthcare, renewable energy, low-emission vehicles and reduction of heating emissions.

Furthermore, M. Kalinka confirmed that a committee monitoring the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Plan will be set up, with the involvement of social partners. SGI Europe welcomes this initiative as a good practice of involvement of national social partners in shaping and implementing National Recovery and Resilience Plans.

Following up on the introductions of M. Pietkiewicz and M. Kalinka, participants discussed the content of the European Semester Spring Package. The main focus was put on social protection policy: participants exchanged views and analysed various country-specific recommendations related to the pension systems and active-ageing, poverty, social inclusion, social protection, and long-term care.

Finally, participants discussed and agreed on the future focus for activity for the National Semester Contact Points appointed in the framework of the project. Internal consultations will be held regularly to assess challenges affecting the delivery of accessible and quality services of general interest, as well as the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Plans, and the country-specific recommendations.