The European Semester is the framework for integrated surveillance and coordination of economic and employment policies across the European Union. Since its introduction in 2011, it has become a well-established forum for discussing EU countries’ fiscal, economic and employment policy challenges under a common annual timeline. The European Semester starts annually in November with the publication of the Annual Sustainable Growth Survey and ends with the Country Specific Recommendations of the Council. The European Semester was adjusted in 2021 so that the Recovery and Resilience Facility could also be taken into account. In recent years, the European Semester placed a very strong emphasis on intensive dialogue between the European Commission and the Member States. This dialogue has been further intensified since 2021 through the compilation and implementation of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan.
Flanders has been following the European Semester very closely since 2011 and is actively participating in the bilateral dialogues between the European Commission and Belgium. Taking ownership is done in particular by drafting a Flemish Reform Programme, which makes Flanders the only region in the European Union to have compiled its own reform programme since the start of the European Semester. This good practice is highly valued by the European Commission and the Committee of the Regions. The Flemish Reform Programme, which is also an integral part of Belgium’s National Reform Programme, formulates Flanders' policy responses to the Council's Country Specific Recommendations. It takes into account the Commission's Country Report on Belgium and formulates responses to the challenges that the Commission identifies therein for Flanders. In addition, the Flemish Reform Programme also addresses, among other things, the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and closely involves the Flemish Parliament and the social partners.