National reform programme (until 2023)
After receiving guidance from the Autumn Package, Member States submit their national policy plans for assessment ahead of the Spring Package. The national reform programme outlines the structural economic reforms that the Member State intends to implement, with a focus on future policies to strengthen employment and growth and prevent or correct macroeconomic imbalances. The programme should also indicate how the planned policies comply with the country-specific recommendations of previous European Semester cycles.
As of 2024, the national reform programmes will be replaced by the medium-term fiscal structural plans.
Country report
Published as part of the Spring Package, country reports provide a detailed analysis of each Member State’s economic and social developments and challenges and assess the extent these are addressed by national policies. Additionally, the reports review the implementation of country-specific recommendations from previous Semester cycles.
2023 Semester (24 May 2023): Country Reports
Country-specific recommendations
Published as part of the Spring Package, the Country-specific recommendations (CSRs) provide tailored guidance to each Member State, suggesting socio-economic and fiscal policy actions to be taken over the next year. The Commission develops the CSRs based on the country reports and its review of the national policy plans submitted by Member States. The draft recommendations are then further discussed by the Council which reaches consensus on a final version over the summer.
The recommendations focus on policy areas that face persistent challenges or are only partially addressed by national policy plans. CSR can cover a wide range of topics, including public finances, pension system reforms, education, innovation challenges, job creation or addressing unemployment.
Draft budgetary plan
By mid-October, eurozone Member States are required to submit their draft budgets for the following year to the Commission and the Eurogroup. The Commission assesses their compliance with the CSRs, the agreed net expenditure path and the requirements of the Stability and Growth Pact.
Draft budgets that do not align with past CSRs are addressed in the Opinions on the Draft budgetary Plans, published as part of the Autumn Package. Member States adopt their new national budgets at the end of the year.
2023 Semester (October 2023): Draft budgetary plan for 2024
Past European Semester cycles
European Semester 2022
- 2 May2022 - National reform programme
- 17 May 2022 - Country report
- 17 May 2022 - Country-specific recommendations
- 17 October 2022 - Draft budgetary plan for 2023
European Semester 2021
- 12 May 2021 - National reform programme
- 2 June 2021 - Country-specific recommendations
- 15 October 2021 - Draft budgetary plan for 2022
Documents from earlier Semester cycles can be retrieved through EUR-Lex, the official online database of European Union law