Spring Package 2026 – a paradigm shift or irreconcilable directions? 

On 3 June, the European Commission released the 2026 Spring Package containing key documents including the Country Reports, Country Specific Recommendations, and the Employment Guidelines.  

The Package was presented by EVP Roxana Minzatu and Commissioner Vladis Dombrovskis at the usual press conference. Roxana Minzatu indicated skills, working conditions and fight against poverty as key priorities for this Semester Package announcing a shift in paradigm in the Semester, which we consider highly needed. However, already from the press conference, a competing narrative quickly became apparent. The narrative that puts competitiveness and defence, together with fiscal discipline, at the core. This same contradiction is visible throughout the entire Package, as we highlight below.  

Another relevant element of this year’s Spring Package is that more flexibility for public expenditure is introduced for measures that reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels as a response to the current energy crisis. This is a reminder that – like for defence – more fiscal space can be given to Member States without causing major economic shocks and that more fiscal space should be introduced for social policies as well. Moreover, we underline that dependence on all forms of fossil fuels – not only the one originating in third countries – should be promoted by the European Commission.  

The social model and competitiveness 

The Chapeau communication opens with this sentence “the EU needs to continue strengthening its competitiveness and strategic autonomy to sustain its economic and social resilience and cohesion.” At SOLIDAR, we think that the opposite perspective should be applied: strengthening social rights and cohesion – hence our social model – is what makes the EU more competitive and more resilient. It is important that economic competitiveness and securitarian logic do not take over the focus of the European Semester at the expense of social rights.  

While this principle was clearly stated in the press conference by EVP Minzatu, we fear that it can get diluted inside the Package. For instance, the communication clearly states that the objective of the Spring Package is “to boost competitiveness, secure strategic autonomy, increase resilience, and strengthen preparedness while maintaining fiscal sustainability.” Fostering upward social convergence is regretfully missing in this declaration of intent. It is present elsewhere in the Package, but if these dimensions are mutually reinforcing and equally important, upward social convergence should be mentioned in that point as well and not presented as something separate.   

 Housing as an emerging threat 

We are very pleased to see that housing is included among the emerging threats. SOLIDAR and its members fully agree with this assessment. At the same time, we are deeply concerned to read that the recommended measures in this domain aim almost exclusively at “increasing housing supply, streamlining administrative procedures, and tackling capacity constraints in residential construction” and no reference is made to the need of addressing one of the root causes of the current housing crisis: financial speculation. Increasing housing supply is necessary, but by building more without clear regulation of the housing market, the current crisis can only deepen. We would have liked to see a stronger focus on the most marginalized groups, those more at risk of housing exclusion, as well as a clear call for support to non-for-profit and limited profit housing providers, including social and solidarity economy actors, which promote democratic, community-led, social and affordable housing models.   

 Education and training miss a stronger focus on competences 

While we welcome the clear focus on education and training, we regret to see that these are mainly interpreted as tools to develop skills that respond to the labour market needs. This is of course important, but it should not be the only focus. We are glad to see attention given to the inclusivity of education, basic skills and Early Childhood Education and Care, and we highlight that citizenship education is part of the basic skills set. We encourage a stronger focus on key competences for lifelong learning which should have the same relevance as skills. In fact, transversal competences are key for a more competitive labour market, while fostering social inclusion and participation in society.   Moreover, to tap into the full potential of education and lifelong learning, we call for a stronger focus on non-formal and informal education and the related recognition of competences.   

Fight against poverty as a priority 

As we all know, the EU is lagging dramatically behind its poverty reduction target. This is highlighted by the Spring Package. We appreciate this recognition and the fact that many (16) CSRs and country reports reflect this. We also welcome that the need for Member States to put forward anti-poverty policy frameworks is included in the Annex to the Employment Guidelines, in line with the Anti-Poverty Strategy. Instead, we are concerned by the call for improving the sustainability of some social benefits that alleviate poverty, like the pension system, as it leaves space to interpretation that can also go in the direction of cutting benefits for those in need.  

 Missing redistributive taxation policies 

In general terms, we also note a clear call for “growth-friendly” fiscal policies. We miss an input for redistributive taxation policies, that would help finance social benefits and their sustainability based on a social justice ground.  

To conclude, we are on the one hand reassured to hear that the intention of the Commission with the Spring Package is to push for a paradigm shift that puts people and their living conditions at the center, going in the direction of a stronger socialisation of the Semester. At the same time, we warn about the potential conflict with the securitarian and competitiveness narratives and the excessive focus on objectives like labour market needs at the expense of transversal competences and lifelong learning or simplification in the construction sector at the expense of a more regulated, rights-based housing market.   

The Council will now have to approve the Spring Package. When this is done, SOLIDAR and  its members will work to ensure that civil society organisations are adequately involved in the Semester both at EU and national levela and that the social dimension of the cycle is incrementally strengthened.