The European Semester plays a major role in shaping national social policies, but it can be difficult for civil society organisations to navigate. On 5 October 2026, Social Platform, Eurodiaconia and Caritas Europa held a webinar to help member organisations better understand the process and engage with it.
How EU processes influence national policy
Viktor Porubsky of Caritas Slovakia opened the session with an example from long-term care. He explained how EU legislation, funding programmes and the European Semester have supported Slovakia’s shift from institutional to community-based care.
The Semester explained
Réka Tunyogi of Social Platform then introduced the European Semester, including its objectives, how it works, and its main packages and documents. She also explained how it connects with other EU processes, including the Social Convergence Framework, the EU fiscal rules and the upcoming Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).
Why civil society’s input matters
Barbara Steffner, Head of Economics and Social Affairs at the European Commission Representation in Austria, described the Representation’s work on the Semester. She highlighted the importance of evidence-based feedback from civil society organisations on the need for reforms and investments and their impact on the ground, and outlined ways to get involved.
Turning knowledge into influence
Katja Reuter of Social Platform gave concrete examples of how national organisations can seek to influence documents published throughout the Semester cycle. She also covered what types of material to prepare, when to share them and who to send them to in order to achieve policy impact at national level.
Questions from participants
The discussion that followed focused on how European Commission Representations engage with civil society organisations in different countries, and where organisations with limited capacity should focus their advocacy.
Access the materials
Social Platform members can request the slides and additional capacity-building materials.
