European Association of Service Providers for Persons with Disabilities: Annual Growth Survey 2016 is an improvement. Time to turn it into action

The European Association of Service providers for Persons with Disabilities (EASPD) welcomes the Annual Growth Survey 2016 launched today by the European Commission as a step in the right direction. Although not perfect, the AGS 2016 is much closer to the reality on the ground than its predecessor. EASPD now calls on the European Commission to turn this stronger focus on social fairness into action through the 2016 CSRs

Since 2014, EASPD published or contributed to several policy papers and letters calling for improvements to be made to the European Semester process and content (see below). EASPD is glad that the Annual Growth Survey 2016 has responded positively to several of these messages, including the:

  • Recognition that “social investment offers economic and social returns over time”.
  • Call on Member States to “promote social investment more broadly, including in healthcare, childcare, housing support and rehabilitation services”.
  • Argument that social infrastructure should be “more flexible way, personalized and better integrated to promote the active inclusion of people”.
  • Call for a stronger “implementation and monitoring (of the Europe 2020 targets) in the context of the European Semester”.
  • Call for a “renewed process of upward economic and social convergence”, through the progressive development of “benchmarks and the exchange of best practices across policy areas”.
  • Recognition that “flexible labour markets should facilitate employment creation but should also enable transitions towards more permanent contracts”, alongside support to efforts made to tackle youth and long-term unemployment.

In response to the AGS, Luk Zelderloo, Secretary General of EASPD, stated that, “the return of social investment in the Annual Growth Survey is a step in the right direction. It’s now essential that the European Commission turns this rhetoric into action through the Country Reports and Country-Specific Recommendations.”

Given these generally positive steps taken by the European Commission, EASPD regrets that other essential issues were not included in the AGS. These include calls for:

  • An integrated approach to implementing the UN CRPD through the European Semester.
  • Unlocking the job creation potential of the social services sector: a missed opportunity when discussing how Member States should react to demographic changes in health and long-term care.
  • More focus on inclusive education: the AGS’ focus on performance-related reform in education and training is slightly worrying in this regard.
  • The importance of sufficient and sustainable financing for the sector, which cannot be solved solely through private investment.
  • A more holistic approach to tackling poverty and social exclusion: the AGS focusing primarily on employment.

The European Commission has made one positive step towards “upwards social convergence”, it must now make sure the other step follows.

Full article.