In 2010 the EU agreed the Europe 2020 Strategy which includes targets on poverty reduction, employment, early school leaving and climate change to be achieved by 2020. Ireland and all other EU countries adopted national targets to help achieve the EU targets. The Europe 2020 is supposed to be a balanced economic, social and environmental plan.
However at the same time Ireland has agreed to EU budget rules and since 2010 these economic priorities have dominated with terrible social consequences, including a large increase in the number of people experiencing poverty. Both the Europe 2020 Strategy and the budget rules of the Stability and Growth Pact are coordinated through an annual reporting process called the European Semester.
All of these commitments, and how they are being implemented, have a direct relevance to the day to day realities and the quality of life of people in Ireland. It is therefore very important that community and voluntary and wider civil society organisations understand and engage with these developments.
This Briefing provides a simple explanation of Europe 2020 and the European Semester process to support this understanding and engagement. It has been developed by the Better Europe Alliance of ten Irish Civil Society Organisations for a Social and Sustainable Europe which is coordinated by EAPN Ireland. The Briefing is available here.