Building national ownership of the European Semester: the role of European Semester officers

Figures & data

Figure 1. Top-down ownership creation.

Figure 2. Bottom-up ownership creation.

Table 1. Commission staff experiences with ESOs.

Themes	Subthemes	Interview quotes
a. Informing	Country-specific developments (n = 7)	‘They have the country-specific knowledge.’ (DGEMPL01)
	Receptiveness (n = 5)	‘It’s important we can always double-check with ESOs … on how recommendations are being received by the government, the parliament and social partners.’ (SECGEN01)
b. Brokerage	Bridgehead (n = 4)	‘The ESO became very useful by being able to set up many informal meetings with stakeholders.’ (DGEMPL05)
	Logistics (n = 6)	‘They deal with a 100% of logistical preparation of fact-finding missions.’ (DGEMPL04)
c. Drafting	Substantive impact (n = 1)	‘Sometimes the ESO takes a lead in CSRs and Country Reports on some files.’ (DGEMPL03)
	No substantive impact (n = 9)	‘They are not intervening in the substance of Country Reports.’ (DGEMPL04)

Table

Interview code	Affiliation	Interview period
DGEMPL01	DG Employment	April 2018
DGEMPL02		April 2018
DGEMPL03		April 2018
DG­EMPL04		April 2018
DGEMPL05		April 2018
DGEMPL06		April 2018
DGEMPL07		April 2018
DGEMPL08		May 2018
DGEMPL09		April 2018
SECGEN01	Secretariat-General	April 2018
DGECFIN01	DG ECFIN	July 2017
TU01	Trade Union, Country 1	February 2018
TU02	Trade Union, Country 2	May 2018
TU03	Trade union, Country 3	March 2018
CSO01	Civil society organization, Country 1	February 2018
CSO02	Civil society organization, Country 2	February 2018
NATMIN01	National ministry, Country 1	November 2016
NATMIN02	National ministry, Country 4	May 2018
NATMIN03	National ministry, Country 2	July 2017