On 26th November 2015 the European Commission published the Annual Growth Survey (AGS), marking the kick off of the 2016 European Semester. This annual exercice defines EU’s general economic and social priorities and provides policy guidance to EU member states for the year to come. As a response to this document, AGE platform European issued a press release highlighting the lack of social considerations in pursuing structural reforms and fiscal policies across Europe.
While we fully support the Annual Growth Survey priorities on healthcare, childcare and long-term care and the focus on life-long learning, we deplore its shortcomings in addressing age discrimination in employment and old age poverty.
The ongoing pension reforms and the budgetary constraints imposed in the framework of the European Semester will lead to growing inequalities and will fail to provide the necessary social infrastructure to ensure dignified and independent ageing for all.
