The hearing will be hosted by MEPs Sergio Gutiérrez Prieto (S&D) and Marian Harkin (ALDE) and also involve interventions by MEPs Sofia Ribeiro (EPP), Ulla Tørnæs (ALDE), Jean Lambert (Greens/EFA) and Gabriele Zimmer (GUE/NGL). Massimo Suardi, Deputy Head of Commissioner Dombrovskis’ Cabinet, will speak for the Commission.

The objective of the hearing is to discuss how the EU’s economic governance and the European Semester in particular can be made more democratic in governance and more social and sustainable in content.

For the Semester Alliance, CESI, the European Women’s Lobby (EWL), Green Budget Europe (GBE) and the AGE-Platform will speak, presenting the Semester Alliances arguments from a trade union, social and environmental perspective.

Registration for the hearing is still possible until February 23. Further information and a full programme can be accessed here.

The European Semester Alliance is a broad coalition bringing together 14 major European civil society organisations and trade unions, representing thousands of member organisations on the ground at European, national and local levels in the European Union. The European Semester Alliance aims to support progress towards a more democratic, social and sustainable Europe 2020 Strategy, through strengthening civil dialogue engagement in the European Semester at national and EU levels. Visit the European Semester Alliance’s website for further information. As a member of the European Semester Alliance, CESI works to stress the role that strong public services (and hence the several million public sector workers it represents) play in providing services that are crucial for the state to function and for the societies to prosper.