Author Description

This report examines the quality of the national social partners' involvement in designing and implementing reforms and policies in the context of the European Semester cycle and in the preparation of the national reform programmes. Within the framework of NextGenerationEU, Member States in 2021 prepared and submitted recovery and resilience plans (RRPs) aimed at making European economies and societies more sustainable and resilient, as well as better prepared for the challenges and opportunities of the green and digital transitions. Social partners reported that, despite their obligatory involvement in the preparation and implementation of the RRPs, the consultation process could have been better planned and organised, as the quality and intensity of involvement in a number of countries were quite low. This situation could be improved by ensuring more timely and meaningful involvement of social partners in the implementation of the RRPs. This would not only boost ownership in the process but also enhance the effectiveness of the policy actions and reforms envisaged.