Alfred Sant insists European Parliament should not interfere with member states’ national plans

Labour MEP Alfred Sant insisted the European Parliament should not interfere in national plans laid out by individual member states.

Sant voted in favour of a resolution on the scrutiny of the European Parliament (EP) on the on-going assessment of national recovery and resilience plans, but expressed reservations on the resolution.

The purpose of the resolution is to support the scrutiny by parliament of the ongoing assessment of the national recovery and resilience plans by the European Commission, and to ensure a swift adoption of the council implementing decisions linked to the national plans.

It calls on the commission to assess plans and pin point concerns about the compliance of several measures in national plans.

Sant noted the resolution contains a strong reference to the European Semester’s Country Specific Recommendations.

He also said recommendations tied to macroeconomic conditionality and relevant structural measures are already controversial in their own right.

“The obstinate resolve of various political factions to impose such recommendations over the social dimension that these national plans should have is reprehensible, especially in a moment where both society and economy are attempting to exit the biggest crisis in Europe since World War Two,” he told the plenary.

When assessing the national plans, the European Commission is taking into account a number of criteria together with principles and objectives such as gender equality, contributions to the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights, contributions to the achievements of the EU's 2030 climate targets and the 'do no significant harm' principle.