Sant jappella għal enfasi aktar qawwija fuq id-dimensjoni soċjali fis-Semestru Ewropew

L-eks Prim Ministru Alfred Sant innota li teżisti diverġenza wiesgħa ta’ fehmiet fil-Parlament Ewropew dwar id-direzzjoni li għandha titieħed rigward il-politika ekonomika. Fl-intervent tiegħu waqt riżoluzzjoni tal-Parlament Ewropew fuq ir-Rapport dwar is-Semestru Ewropew għall-koordinazzjoni tal-politika ekonomika 2024, huwa sostna li d-diskussjoni fi ħdan il-proċess tas-semestru Ewropew għandha t-tendenza li tressaq lejn kompromessi bbażati biss fuq x’jista’ jaqbel miegħu kulħadd. “Dan qed ixejjen kwalunkwe valur miżjud li l-Parlament jista’ joffri lill-proċess tas-semestru. DIs-sitwazzjoni qed tibqa’ għaddejja minn sena għal oħra”.

Is-Semestru Ewropew huwa eżerċizzju annwali għall-koordinazzjoni tal-politika ekonomika, fiskali, tal-impjiegi u soċjali fi ħdan l-Unjoni Ewropea. Ir-Rapport tas-Semestru Ewropew għall-2024 huwa marbut mill-qrib mar-Reviżjoni tal-Governanza Ekonomika li għaddejja u li għadha fl-istadju ta’ eżami proċedurali. Ir-Rapport jenfasizza fost oħrajn, l-importanza ta’ politiki fiskali, strutturali u regolatorji kkoordinati, flimkien ma’ investimenti pubbliċi u privati.

L-Ewroparlamentari Laburista Alfred Sant innota li d-diskussjoni ta’ din is-sena inżammet fid-dell tad-diskussjonijiet li għaddejjin dwar ir-Reviżjoni tal-Governanza Ekonomika. Sant appella għal enfasi aktar qawwija fuq id-dimensjoni soċjali fis-Semestru Ewropew u appella għal aktar investiment pubbliku u privat fl-ekonomija. Huwa nnota li r-riżultati miksuba għadhom diżappuntanti.

Filwaqt li r-regoli attwali jħeġġu lill-gvernijiet biex jittrattaw l-investiment bħala dak li jistgħu jnaqqsu jew iżidu fih b’mod arbitrarju fi ħdan l-arranġamenti tal-baġit tagħhom, qed jiġu rreġistrati diverġenzi li dejjem qed jikbru fl-istandards tal-għajxien taċ-ċittadini Ewropej. Fuq iż-żewġ fronti, il-kontribut tal-Parlament Ewropew bilkemm kien xi wieħed li jispirak, huwa sostna.

Ir-Rapport ġie approvat b’420 vot favur, 123 vot kontra u 42 astensjoni. Alfred Sant ivvota favur.

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Sant calls for a stronger emphasis on the social dimension in the European Semester

Former Prime Minister Alfred Sant noted that there exists a wide divergence of views in the European Parliament about the direction of economic policy. In his intervention during a European Parliament resolution about the Report on the European Semester for economic policy coordination 2024, he claimed that the discussion within the European semester process tends to settle around compromises based on a common denominator approach. “This is vitiating whatever value added the Parliament could bring to the semester process. The situation is carried over from year to year”.

The European Semester is a yearly exercise to coordinate economic, fiscal, employment and social policy within the European Union. The European Semester Report for 2024 is closely linked to the ongoing Economic Governance Review (EGR), which is still under procedural consideration. The Report among others stresses the importance of coordinated fiscal, structural, and regulatory policies, along with public and private investments.

Labour MEP Alfred Sant noted that this year’s discussion has been overshadowed by ongoing discussions on the Economic Governance Review. Sant emphasized the importance of the social dimension in the European Semester and called for more public and private investment in the economy. He noted that the results obtained remain disappointing.

While current rules encourage governments to treat investment as the residual within their budgeting arrangements, growing disparities are being recorded in the standards of living of Europeans. On both fronts, the contribution of the European Parliament has hardly been inspiring, he claimed.

The Report was approved with 420 votes in favour, 123 votes against and 42 abstentions. Alfred Sant voted in favour.