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EU Socio-Economic Governance in Central and Eastern Europe: The European Semester and National Emplo

Acknowledgements Abbreviations Studying the influence of the European Semester on policy change Context Reformed EU economic governance and the purpose of this study From the European Employment Strategy to the European Semester Scope of the study and focus on CEE Research puzzle and research question Overview of chapters EU employment policy coordination before and after the crisis From Luxembourg to Europe 2020: Applying the OMC Reinventing EU employment coordination under the European Semester Key European Semester coordination processes European Semester timeline Changes in the European Semester’s policy orientation and procedures European Semester streamlining Differentiated empowerment of European Semester actors?Notes Theorizing the influence of the European Semester: Mechanisms, conditions and policy change New intergovernmentalist foundation Policy formulation and adoption Source of influence and alternative explanations What influence? Defining influence and forms of influence in the European Semester Linking X to Y: The mechanisms of European Semester influence External pressure How the mechanism operates Theoretical foundation When does external pressure (not) work?Condition 1: Credibility of rules Condition 2: Political constraints Condition 3: Process socialization Condition 4: Attitude towards the EU Condition 5: Cost of defection (dependence)Mutual learning How the mechanism operates Theoretical foundation When does mutual learning (not) work?Condition 1: Deliberation and consensus-building Condition 2: Politico-administrative relations Condition 3: Policy attributes Condition 4: Policy paradigms and legacies Creative appropriation How the mechanism operates Theoretical foundations When does creative appropriation (not) work?Condition 1: Programmatic fit Condition 2: Prospect of rewards Condition 3: Policy entrepreneurs Condition 4: Attitude towards EU Summary and limitations to the theoretical framework Methodology: Making use of process-tracing Process-tracing Weighting the evidence—which observable implications?Triangulation of the sources of evidence Country-case selection and comparison of cases Notes Croatia: Cherry-picking from the European Semester Politics in Croatia: Dominance of two parties, clientelism and government instability Croatia’s relationship with the EU: Playing hot and cold Economic, social and employment policy developments in recent years European Semester governance in Croatia The process of national coordination of the European Semester in Croatia Participation in the Employment Committee and multi-level governance Involvement of social partners and the Croatian parliament Croatia’s employment issues, reforms and the influence of the European semester Reform of the public employment service and active labour market policies Activation of social assistance recipients Adult education Reform of the Labour Act Vocational education and training Pension reform Youth Guarantee Conclusion Notes Hungary: A case of neglect?Political system of Hungary: A Fidesz-dominated political environment Hungary’s relationship with the EU: Orbán’s soft Euroscepticism The economic, social and employment policies in Orbán’s Hungary European Semester governance in Hungary The process of national coordination of the European Semester in Hungary Hungary in the Employment Committee Involvement of social partners and the Hungarian parliament Hungary’s employment issues, reforms and the influence of the European Semester Unemployment benefits Childcare facilities Tax burden on poor workers PES capacity and profiling system Public works scheme Youth Guarantee Conclusion Notes Slovakia: Reinforcing existing trajectories Political system of Slovakia: From isolationist Meciarism to Smer rule Slovakia’s relations with the EU: A pragmatic actor committed to European integration Economic, social and employment policies in Slovakia European Semester governance in Slovakia The process of national coordination of the European Semester in Slovakia Slovakia in the Employment Committee and relations with DG EMPL Involvement of social partners and the Slovak parliament Slovakia’s employment issues, reforms and the influence of the European Semester Retirement age and life expectancy Administrative capacity of the PES Activation of social assistance recipients Tax-wedge on low-income earners Participation of women with children on the labour market Action plan on long-term unemployment Youth Guarantee Conclusion Notes Slovenia: Crisis pressure, socialization and strategic use of the European Semester Political context: Consensual politics in an ever-fragmented political environment Relationship with the EU: Euroscepticism only in traces Gradualist economic development, strong welfare state and neglected employment policy European Semester governance in Slovenia The process of national coordination of the European Semester in Slovenia Multi-level coordination in the European Semester Involvement of social partners and the Slovenian parliament Slovenia’s employment challenges, reform efforts and the influence of the European Semester Minimum wage Activation of vulnerable groups Pension and labour market reforms Labour market reforms Pension reform Explanation of outcomes Youth Guarantee and student work Conclusion Notes How does the European Semester influence employment policies in Central and Eastern Europe?The variegated impact of external pressure The untapped potential of mutual learning Pervasiveness of creative appropriation in the European Semester The importance of alternative pathways of change and inertia Note Summary of the findings Key empirical takeaways Contribution to the literature Increasing the effectiveness of EU employment coordination Reaping positive synergies Increasing efficiency: Less is more Improving the quality of multi-level cooperation Democratization of the Semester: Fostering legitimacy and ownership

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