The format of this report was established for the 2021 Semester, as part of the work programme of the Commission’s European Disability Expertise (EDE) network and building on previous work by the Academic Network of European Disability experts (ANED) project. This updated report provides a cumulative synthesis of evidence relevant to the European Semester from a disability perspective, focusing on the current policy cycle (2023) and in preparation for the next cycle (2024). This is the third and final update, representing the state of evidence to May 2023.2 The European Semester was established in 2010 as the EU’s strategic economic policy co-ordination mechanism. It addresses the public finances of the Member States and includes a strong focus on employment policies as well as a social dimension. The process of open co-ordination was adapted and streamlined in response to EU strategic priorities. Following conclusion of the Lisbon Strategy, the primary driver was the ‘Europe 2020’ strategy, with a focus on long-term recovery from the financial crisis of 2008. Current policy proceeds in context of the Strategic Agenda 2019-2024,3 and implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights. Following the COVID-19 crisis, the Semester was adapted to coordinate with the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility (the Facility) and routine publication of National Reform Programmes, Commission country reports and country-specific recommendations was suspended in 2021. These resumed in 2022 and the 2023 Semester marked the resumption of a business as usual approach.
Authors
Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, European Commission, human european consultancy, Priestley, Mark
- Catalogue number
- KE-02-23-106-EN-N
- Citation
- European Commission, Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, Priestley, M., European Semester 2023 â Mainstreaming disability equality , Publications Office of the European Union, 2024, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2767/540228
- DOI
- https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2767/540228
- ISBN
- 978-92-68-08214-0
- Pages
- 203
- Published in
- Belgium
- Themes
- Social , Fundamental rights
Table of Contents
- 1 Contextual analysis of the Semester process 6
- 1.1 An introduction to the 2023 Semester 9
- 1.2 Challenges identified in the EDE country fiches 11
- 1.3 Annual Growth Strategy 21
- 1.4 Draft Budget Plans 23
- 1.5 Planning for investment 25
- 1.6 The Joint Employment Report 28
- 1.7 Disability Employment Package 32
- 1.8 The Spring Package 34
- 1.9 Employment Guidelines 36
- 1.10 Preview of the 2023 National Reform Programmes (NRPs) 39
- 1.11 The Commission Country Reports 46
- 1.12 The Country Specific Recommendations 60
- 2 Update on investment priorities and Recovery and Resilience Plans 73
- 2.1 Developing equal opportunities guidance 74
- 2.2 Implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Plans (RRPs) 78
- 3 Update on EU and national disability strategies 88
- 3.1 EU Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 88
- 3.2 National disability strategies and action plans 91
- 4 Update on Member States’ participation in the UN CRPD process 95
- 4.1 Information recently requested from the EU and Member States 100
- 4.1.1 Information about the labour market 101
- 4.1.2 Information about social policies and healthcare 105
- 4.1.3 Information about education and training 114
- 4.2 UN Recommendations to Member States 117
- 4.2.1 Recommendations relevant to employment 117
- 4.2.2 Recommendations relevant to social policies and healthcare 124
- 4.2.2.1 Social protection 125
- 4.2.2.2 Independent living 128
- 4.2.2.3 Health 133
- 4.2.3 Recommendations relevant to education and training 139
- 5 Situation and trend analysis 148
- 5.1 A note on the use of EU data 148
- 5.1.1 Variation in prevalence estimates 151
- 5.2 Disability and inclusion in the labour market 154
- 5.2.1 Strategic context 154
- 5.2.2 Disability employment rates, gaps and chances 157
- 5.2.3 Accounting for gender and age differences 165
- 5.2.4 Controlling for variation in labour market conditions 167
- 5.2.5 Controlling for variation in disability prevalence rates 169
- 5.2.6 Unemployment 175
- 5.2.7 Economic activity 180
- 5.2.8 Comparing indicators of employment, unemployment and activity 183
- 5.3 Disability and poverty reduction 187
- 5.3.1 Strategic context 187
- 5.3.2 Disability, poverty and social exclusion 189
- 5.3.3 Age factors in poverty risk 192
- 5.3.4 A summary indicator of poverty risk 196
- 6 Summary and conclusions 199
