BETA


2021/2004(INI) European Semester for economic policy coordination: Annual Sustainable Growth Strategy 2021

Progress: Procedure completed

RoleCommitteeRapporteurShadows
Lead ECON FERBER Markus (icon: EPP EPP) SCHUSTER Joachim (icon: S&D S&D), IJABS Ivars (icon: Renew Renew), PETER-HANSEN Kira Marie (icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE), RINALDI Antonio Maria (icon: ID ID), JURZYCA Eugen (icon: ECR ECR), AUBRY Manon (icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL)
Committee Opinion BUDG MARQUES Margarida (icon: S&D S&D) José Manuel FERNANDES (icon: PPE PPE), Fabienne KELLER (icon: RE RE), Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS (icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL), Joachim KUHS (icon: ID ID)
Committee Opinion ENVI CANFIN Pascal (icon: Renew Renew)
Committee Opinion REGI OMARJEE Younous (icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL)
Lead committee dossier:
Legal Basis:
RoP 54, RoP 57

Events

2021/07/12
   EC - Commission response to text adopted in plenary
Documents
2021/03/11
   EP - Results of vote in Parliament
2021/03/11
   EP - Decision by Parliament
Details

The European Parliament adopted by 400 votes to 103, with 186 abstentions, a resolution on the European Semester for Economic Policy Coordination: Annual Sustainable Growth Strategy 2021.

COVID-19 crisis, recovery and resilience facility, temporary adjustment of the European Semester

Noting the close link between the European Semester and the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), Parliament called on the Commission to examine the recovery and resilience plans in depth to ensure that the recovery generates European added value, improves Member States' long-term competitiveness and sustainable growth prospects, and enables European economies to meet the challenges of the ecological and digital transitions, the European Pillar of Social Rights (EPSR) and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Members called for the implementation of the RRF to be accelerated so that funding can be disbursed quickly, while recalling the role that the European Parliament will play in the dialogue for recovery and resilience established by the RRF regulation.

Parliament welcomed the setting up of Next Generation EU by Member States and EU institutions to address the unprecedented crisis caused by COVID-19 and to contribute to the recovery. It believes that the RRF creates a unique opportunity for delivering the reforms and investments needed for the EU to get ready to cope with the present challenges.

The four dimensions of social and environmental sustainability, productivity, fairness and stability identified in the Annual 2020 Strategy for Sustainable Growth should be considered in the preparation of the Member States’ recovery and resilience plans.

Economic outlook for the European Union

Parliament noted with concern that the EU economies are in an extremely difficult situation and that the unprecedented economic recession in 2020 and the measures taken in response to the pandemic are set to push the EU debt-to-GDP ratio up to a new peak of around 93.9 % (101.7 % in the euro area) in 2020.

Members called for the preservation of a level playing field in the single market, while taking into account the characteristics faced by insular, peripheral and sparsely populated regions of the EU and the situation of the EU's least developed regions.

The resolution called for a balanced strategy to promote sustainable growth and an investment-friendly environment, while improving fiscal sustainability. The focus should be on forward-looking policies and investments, especially in those Member States that have fiscal room for manoeuvre to invest in order to promote sustainable and inclusive growth.

Responsible and sustainable fiscal policies

Parliament considered that the means to overcome the current crisis are likely to require expansionary fiscal policy for as long as necessary. It reiterated that replenishing fiscal buffers over time, in a socially responsible manner, will be important for preparation for future crises. However, it believes that rapidly reversing the fiscal stance is not advisable for recovery.

Members expected the general opt-out clause in the Stability and Growth Pact to be applied for as long as justified in order to support Member States' efforts to overcome the pandemic crisis and strengthen their competitiveness. They called on the Commission to assess the deactivation or continued application of the general escape clause in its European Semester package on the basis of its spring 2021 economic forecasts.

Growth-enhancing, balanced and sustainable structural reforms

Aware that the COVID-19 will not be solved by current fiscal stance alone, Parliament stressed that only structural improvements can enhance the long-term growth potential of Member States' economies.

In particular, Members stressed the need to develop digital skills and enable key digital technologies, as well as reforms in education, skills and lifelong learning to support labour market transition.

The Commission is invited to create a climate indicator to assess the gap between the structure of the Member States' budget and a Paris-aligned scenario for each of their national budgets. This indicator should serve as a reference for the different EU policies and as a guide for the European Semester.

Parliament also stressed the need for investment-friendly policies, reducing the administrative burden and ensuring a level playing field, especially for SMEs.

A more democratic European Semester

Parliament reiterated its call for a stronger democratic role for Parliament in economic governance. It called on the Council and the Commission to take due account of resolutions adopted by parliaments and asked to be informed, as co-legislator, of all aspects relating to the application of the EU’s economic governance framework. It also called for committed coordination with the social partners and other interested parties at EU and Member State level.

Documents
2021/03/11
   EP - End of procedure in Parliament
2021/03/10
   EP - Debate in Parliament
2021/03/05
   EP - Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading
Documents
2021/03/05
   EP - Committee report tabled for plenary
Documents
2021/03/04
   EP - Vote in committee
2021/03/04
   EP - FERBER Markus (EPP) appointed as rapporteur in ECON
2021/02/26
   EP - Committee opinion
Documents
2021/02/25
   EP - Committee opinion
Documents
2021/02/25
   EP - Specific opinion
Documents
2021/02/11
   EP - Committee referral announced in Parliament
2021/02/11
   EP - Referral to associated committees announced in Parliament
2021/02/10
   EP - OMARJEE Younous (GUE/NGL) appointed as rapporteur in REGI
2021/01/21
   EP - Amendments tabled in committee
Documents
2020/12/21
   EP - Committee draft report
Documents
2020/12/18
   EP - MARQUES Margarida (S&D) appointed as rapporteur in BUDG
2020/12/17
   EP - CANFIN Pascal (Renew) appointed as rapporteur in ENVI

Documents

Votes

Semestre européen: stratégie annuelle pour une croissance durable 2021 - European Semester: Annual Sustainable Growth Strategy 2021 - Europäisches Semester: Jährliche Strategie für nachhaltiges Wachstum 2021 - A9-0036/2021 - Markus Ferber - Am 7 #

2021/03/10 Outcome: -: 559, +: 89, 0: 46
?? CY EL IE MT LU EE LV SI FR HR FI LT SK BE DK IT PT CZ BG SE AT HU NL RO ES PL DE
Total
1
5
20
13
6
6
7
8
8
79
12
14
10
14
21
14
74
20
21
17
20
19
21
29
33
58
52
92
icon: The Left The Left
37

Cyprus The Left

1

Finland The Left

For (1)

1

Belgium The Left

For (1)

1

Denmark The Left

1

Portugal The Left

3

Czechia The Left

1

Sweden The Left

For (1)

1

Netherlands The Left

Abstain (1)

1
icon: ID ID
73

Estonia ID

Abstain (1)

1

Finland ID

2

Denmark ID

Against (1)

1

Czechia ID

2

Austria ID

3

Netherlands ID

Against (1)

1
icon: NI NI
37

NI

Against (1)

1

Greece NI

Against (1)

3

Croatia NI

Abstain (1)

2

Lithuania NI

Against (1)

1

Slovakia NI

For (1)

Abstain (1)

2

Netherlands NI

Against (1)

1

Germany NI

2
icon: ECR ECR
62

Greece ECR

Abstain (1)

1

Latvia ECR

2

Croatia ECR

Against (1)

1

Lithuania ECR

Against (1)

1

Slovakia ECR

2

Bulgaria ECR

2
3

Netherlands ECR

Abstain (1)

4

Romania ECR

Against (1)

1
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
73

Ireland Verts/ALE

2

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Latvia Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Finland Verts/ALE

3

Lithuania Verts/ALE

2

Belgium Verts/ALE

3

Denmark Verts/ALE

2

Portugal Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Czechia Verts/ALE

3

Sweden Verts/ALE

3

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Netherlands Verts/ALE

3

Spain Verts/ALE

3

Poland Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1
icon: Renew Renew
97

Ireland Renew

2

Luxembourg Renew

2

Estonia Renew

3

Latvia Renew

Against (1)

1

Slovenia Renew

2

Croatia Renew

Against (1)

1

Finland Renew

3

Lithuania Renew

Against (1)

1

Slovakia Renew

2

Italy Renew

Against (1)

1

Bulgaria Renew

3

Sweden Renew

3

Austria Renew

Against (1)

1

Hungary Renew

2
icon: S&D S&D
141

Cyprus S&D

2

Greece S&D

2

Luxembourg S&D

Against (1)

1

Estonia S&D

2

Latvia S&D

2

Slovenia S&D

Against (2)

2

Finland S&D

2

Lithuania S&D

Against (1)

1

Slovakia S&D

3

Belgium S&D

Against (1)

3
icon: PPE PPE
174

Cyprus PPE

2

Malta PPE

2

Luxembourg PPE

2

Estonia PPE

Against (1)

1

Latvia PPE

2

Slovenia PPE

4

Denmark PPE

Against (1)

1

Hungary PPE

Against (1)

1

A9-0036/2021 - Markus Ferber - Am 23 #

2021/03/10 Outcome: +: 617, 0: 59, -: 18
DE IT FR PL ES RO HU BG CZ PT BE EL AT SE DK FI SK LT HR IE LV SI MT LU EE NL CY ??
Total
92
74
79
52
58
33
21
17
21
20
21
20
19
20
14
14
14
10
12
13
8
8
6
6
7
29
5
1
icon: PPE PPE
174

Hungary PPE

1

Denmark PPE

For (1)

1

Latvia PPE

2

Malta PPE

2

Luxembourg PPE

2

Estonia PPE

For (1)

1
2
icon: S&D S&D
141

Greece S&D

2

Lithuania S&D

For (1)

1

Latvia S&D

2

Slovenia S&D

2

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

1

Estonia S&D

2

Cyprus S&D

2
icon: Renew Renew
97

Italy Renew

For (1)

1

Hungary Renew

2

Austria Renew

For (1)

1
3

Finland Renew

3

Slovakia Renew

2

Lithuania Renew

1

Croatia Renew

For (1)

1

Ireland Renew

2

Latvia Renew

For (1)

1

Slovenia Renew

2

Luxembourg Renew

2

Estonia Renew

3
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
73

Poland Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Spain Verts/ALE

3

Czechia Verts/ALE

3

Portugal Verts/ALE

1

Belgium Verts/ALE

3

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Sweden Verts/ALE

3

Denmark Verts/ALE

2

Finland Verts/ALE

3

Lithuania Verts/ALE

2

Ireland Verts/ALE

2

Latvia Verts/ALE

1

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Netherlands Verts/ALE

3
icon: ECR ECR
62

Romania ECR

1

Bulgaria ECR

2

Greece ECR

1
3

Lithuania ECR

1

Croatia ECR

For (1)

1

Latvia ECR

2

Netherlands ECR

4
icon: ID ID
73

Czechia ID

Against (1)

Abstain (1)

2

Austria ID

3

Denmark ID

Abstain (1)

1

Finland ID

2

Estonia ID

Abstain (1)

1

Netherlands ID

Against (1)

1
icon: NI NI
37

Germany NI

Abstain (1)

2

Greece NI

Against (1)

3

Slovakia NI

2

Lithuania NI

1

Croatia NI

2

Netherlands NI

Against (1)

1

NI

For (1)

1
icon: The Left The Left
37

Czechia The Left

Abstain (1)

1

Portugal The Left

3

Belgium The Left

Against (1)

1

Sweden The Left

Abstain (1)

1

Denmark The Left

Abstain (1)

1

Finland The Left

Abstain (1)

1

Ireland The Left

4

Netherlands The Left

Abstain (1)

1

Cyprus The Left

Abstain (1)

1

A9-0036/2021 - Markus Ferber - Am 36 #

2021/03/10 Outcome: -: 477, +: 186, 0: 31
FR CY IE ?? LT SI FI LU BE EL SK LV MT EE DK HR SE AT CZ PT DE BG NL HU RO ES IT PL
Total
79
5
13
1
10
8
14
6
21
20
14
8
6
7
14
12
20
19
21
20
92
17
29
21
33
58
74
52
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
73

Ireland Verts/ALE

2

Lithuania Verts/ALE

2

Finland Verts/ALE

3

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Belgium Verts/ALE

3

Latvia Verts/ALE

1

Denmark Verts/ALE

2

Sweden Verts/ALE

3

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Czechia Verts/ALE

3

Portugal Verts/ALE

1

Netherlands Verts/ALE

3

Spain Verts/ALE

3

Poland Verts/ALE

For (1)

1
icon: The Left The Left
37

Cyprus The Left

1

Finland The Left

For (1)

1

Belgium The Left

Abstain (1)

1

Denmark The Left

1

Sweden The Left

For (1)

1

Czechia The Left

1

Portugal The Left

For (1)

3

Netherlands The Left

For (1)

1
icon: NI NI
37

NI

Against (1)

1

Lithuania NI

1

Greece NI

Against (1)

3

Slovakia NI

Against (1)

2

Croatia NI

Abstain (1)

2

Germany NI

2

Netherlands NI

Against (1)

1
icon: ID ID
73

Finland ID

2

Estonia ID

Abstain (1)

1

Denmark ID

Abstain (1)

1

Austria ID

3

Czechia ID

Against (2)

2

Netherlands ID

Against (1)

1
icon: Renew Renew
97

Ireland Renew

2

Lithuania Renew

Against (1)

1

Slovenia Renew

For (1)

Against (1)

2

Finland Renew

3

Luxembourg Renew

2

Belgium Renew

For (1)

4

Slovakia Renew

2

Latvia Renew

Against (1)

1

Estonia Renew

3

Croatia Renew

Against (1)

1

Sweden Renew

3

Austria Renew

Against (1)

1

Bulgaria Renew

3

Hungary Renew

2

Italy Renew

Against (1)

1
icon: ECR ECR
62

Lithuania ECR

Against (1)

1

Greece ECR

Against (1)

1

Slovakia ECR

2

Latvia ECR

2

Croatia ECR

Against (1)

1
3

Bulgaria ECR

2

Netherlands ECR

4

Romania ECR

Against (1)

1
icon: S&D S&D
141

Cyprus S&D

2

Lithuania S&D

Against (1)

1

Slovenia S&D

For (1)

Against (1)

2

Finland S&D

2

Luxembourg S&D

Against (1)

1

Belgium S&D

Against (1)

3

Greece S&D

Against (1)

Abstain (1)

2

Slovakia S&D

3

Latvia S&D

2

Estonia S&D

2
icon: PPE PPE
174

Cyprus PPE

2

Slovenia PPE

4

Luxembourg PPE

2

Latvia PPE

2

Malta PPE

2

Estonia PPE

Against (1)

1

Denmark PPE

Against (1)

1

Hungary PPE

Against (1)

1

A9-0036/2021 - Markus Ferber - Am 24 #

2021/03/10 Outcome: +: 631, -: 40, 0: 23
DE IT FR PL ES RO HU AT BG NL BE CZ PT SE SK DK EL FI HR LV LT SI MT LU EE IE CY ??
Total
92
74
79
52
58
33
21
19
17
29
21
21
20
20
14
14
20
14
12
8
10
8
6
6
7
13
5
1
icon: PPE PPE
174

Hungary PPE

1

Denmark PPE

For (1)

1

Latvia PPE

2

Malta PPE

2

Luxembourg PPE

2

Estonia PPE

For (1)

1
2
icon: S&D S&D
141

Greece S&D

2

Latvia S&D

2

Lithuania S&D

For (1)

1

Slovenia S&D

2

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

1

Estonia S&D

2

Cyprus S&D

2
icon: Renew Renew
97

Italy Renew

For (1)

1

Hungary Renew

2

Austria Renew

For (1)

1

Sweden Renew

Against (1)

3

Slovakia Renew

2

Finland Renew

3

Croatia Renew

For (1)

1

Latvia Renew

For (1)

1

Lithuania Renew

1

Slovenia Renew

2

Luxembourg Renew

2

Estonia Renew

3

Ireland Renew

2
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
73

Poland Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Spain Verts/ALE

3

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Netherlands Verts/ALE

3

Belgium Verts/ALE

3

Czechia Verts/ALE

3

Portugal Verts/ALE

1

Sweden Verts/ALE

3

Denmark Verts/ALE

2

Finland Verts/ALE

3

Latvia Verts/ALE

1

Lithuania Verts/ALE

2

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Ireland Verts/ALE

2
icon: ID ID
73
3

Netherlands ID

Against (1)

1

Czechia ID

Against (1)

Abstain (1)

2

Denmark ID

Abstain (1)

1

Finland ID

2

Estonia ID

Abstain (1)

1
icon: ECR ECR
62

Romania ECR

1

Bulgaria ECR

2

Netherlands ECR

4
3

Greece ECR

1

Croatia ECR

For (1)

1

Latvia ECR

2

Lithuania ECR

1
icon: NI NI
37

Germany NI

Against (1)

2

Netherlands NI

1

Slovakia NI

Against (1)

2

Greece NI

Against (1)

3

Croatia NI

Against (1)

Abstain (1)

2

Lithuania NI

Against (1)

1

NI

For (1)

1
icon: The Left The Left
37

Germany The Left

Abstain (1)

5

Netherlands The Left

Against (1)

1

Belgium The Left

Against (1)

1

Czechia The Left

Against (1)

1

Portugal The Left

Against (1)

3

Sweden The Left

Against (1)

1

Denmark The Left

Against (1)

1

Finland The Left

Against (1)

1

Ireland The Left

4

Cyprus The Left

Against (1)

1

A9-0036/2021 - Markus Ferber - Am 31 #

2021/03/10 Outcome: -: 439, +: 155, 0: 99
IT ?? LV CY LT SI LU FI DK EE HU MT FR BE IE SK NL CZ HR SE AT EL BG PT RO ES DE PL
Total
74
1
8
5
10
8
6
13
14
7
21
6
79
21
13
14
29
21
12
20
19
20
17
20
33
58
92
52
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
73

Latvia Verts/ALE

1

Lithuania Verts/ALE

2

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Finland Verts/ALE

3

Denmark Verts/ALE

2

Belgium Verts/ALE

3

Ireland Verts/ALE

2

Netherlands Verts/ALE

3

Czechia Verts/ALE

3

Sweden Verts/ALE

3

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Portugal Verts/ALE

1

Spain Verts/ALE

3

Poland Verts/ALE

For (1)

1
icon: Renew Renew
97

Italy Renew

For (1)

1

Latvia Renew

Abstain (1)

1

Lithuania Renew

Abstain (1)

1

Slovenia Renew

For (1)

Abstain (1)

2

Luxembourg Renew

Against (1)

Abstain (1)

2

Finland Renew

3

Estonia Renew

3

Hungary Renew

2

Belgium Renew

4

Ireland Renew

2

Slovakia Renew

2

Croatia Renew

Abstain (1)

1

Sweden Renew

3

Austria Renew

Abstain (1)

1

Bulgaria Renew

3
icon: NI NI
37

NI

For (1)

1

Lithuania NI

1

Slovakia NI

2

Netherlands NI

Against (1)

1

Croatia NI

2

Greece NI

Against (1)

3

Germany NI

Against (1)

2
icon: The Left The Left
37

Cyprus The Left

Against (1)

1

Finland The Left

Against (1)

1

Denmark The Left

Against (1)

1

Belgium The Left

Against (1)

1

Ireland The Left

4

Netherlands The Left

Against (1)

1

Czechia The Left

Against (1)

1

Sweden The Left

Against (1)

1

Portugal The Left

Against (1)

3
icon: ECR ECR
62

Latvia ECR

2

Lithuania ECR

Against (1)

1

Slovakia ECR

2

Netherlands ECR

4

Croatia ECR

Against (1)

1
3

Greece ECR

Against (1)

1

Bulgaria ECR

2

Romania ECR

Against (1)

1
icon: ID ID
73

Finland ID

2

Denmark ID

Against (1)

1

Estonia ID

Against (1)

1

Netherlands ID

Against (1)

1

Czechia ID

Against (2)

2

Austria ID

3
icon: S&D S&D
141

Latvia S&D

2

Cyprus S&D

2

Lithuania S&D

Against (1)

1

Slovenia S&D

For (1)

Against (1)

2

Luxembourg S&D

Against (1)

1

Finland S&D

2

Estonia S&D

2

Belgium S&D

3

Slovakia S&D

3

Greece S&D

2
icon: PPE PPE
173

Latvia PPE

2

Cyprus PPE

2

Slovenia PPE

4

Luxembourg PPE

2

Finland PPE

2

Denmark PPE

Against (1)

1

Estonia PPE

Against (1)

1

Hungary PPE

Against (1)

1

Malta PPE

2

Belgium PPE

4

A9-0036/2021 - Markus Ferber - § 6/1 #

2021/03/10 Outcome: +: 619, 0: 59, -: 16
DE IT FR ES PL RO HU BE BG NL CZ AT SE PT DK FI SK LT HR IE EL LV SI MT LU EE CY ??
Total
92
74
79
58
52
33
21
21
17
29
21
19
20
20
14
14
14
10
12
13
20
8
8
6
6
7
5
1
icon: PPE PPE
174

Hungary PPE

1

Denmark PPE

For (1)

1

Latvia PPE

2

Malta PPE

2

Luxembourg PPE

2

Estonia PPE

For (1)

1
2
icon: S&D S&D
141

Lithuania S&D

For (1)

1

Greece S&D

2

Latvia S&D

2

Slovenia S&D

2

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

1

Estonia S&D

2

Cyprus S&D

2
icon: Renew Renew
97

Italy Renew

For (1)

1

Hungary Renew

2

Austria Renew

For (1)

1
3

Finland Renew

3

Slovakia Renew

2

Lithuania Renew

1

Croatia Renew

For (1)

1

Ireland Renew

2

Latvia Renew

For (1)

1

Slovenia Renew

2

Luxembourg Renew

2

Estonia Renew

3
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
73

Spain Verts/ALE

3

Poland Verts/ALE

For (1)

1