The European Commission’s 2022 European Semester Spring Package provides Member States with support and guidance two years on from the first impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and in the midst of Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

The European Semester package includes Country Reports and Country Specific Recommendations for EU Member States for the coordination of economic, fiscal, employment and social policies of the EU.

Included in the package, the European Commission is also proposing revised Employment Guidelines for the Member States as follows:

  • Guideline 5: Boosting the demand for labour.
  • Guideline 6: Enhancing labour supply and improving access to employment, lifelong acquisition of skills and competences.
  • Guideline 7: Enhancing the functioning of labour markets and the effectiveness of social dialogue.
  • Guideline 8: Promoting equal opportunities for all, fostering social inclusion and fighting poverty.

The revision is being proposed to the EU Council to focus on the post-COVID 19 environment, on making the green and digital transitions socially fair, in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, such as measures to enable access to the labour market for people fleeing the war in Ukraine.