In this Annual Growth Survey for 2016 [411 KB] , the Commission outlines the main features of its jobs and growth agenda.

This Annual Growth Survey thus sets out what more can be done at EU level to help Member States support growth, reinforce economic convergence, create jobs and strengthen social fairness. The Commission proposes to pursue an integrated approach to economic policy built around three main pillars, all of which must act together – boosting investment, accelerating structural reforms and pursuing responsible growth friendly fiscal consolidation.

The AGS launches the annual cycle of economic governance, sets out general economic priorities for the EU and provides Member States with policy guidance for the following year.

Restoring confidence and getting the entire EU to grow again can only be done by working together: it requires a determined commitment from Member States to do things differently at national level. The European Semester process makes sure that Member States keep their budgetary and economic policies in line with their EU commitments (debt and deficit commitments under the Stability and Growth Pact, economic reform plans enshrined in their 2015 country-specific recommendations, and the long-term growth and jobs targets in the Europe 2020 strategy).

In order to better integrate the euro area and national dimensions of the EU economic governance, the 2016 Annual Growth Survey is accompanied by a set of recommendations for the euro area. This is an important change from the previous Semester cycles where the euro area recommendations were proposed along with the country-specific recommendations towards the end of the Semester.

To support structural reforms in line with the common economic priorities set at EU level, the Commission will seek to enhance the use of the European Structural and Investment Funds in support of key priorities highlighted in the country-specific recommendations, including through the use of the measures linking effectiveness of these Funds to sound economic governance. The reform implementation will be supported through other EU funding programmes in their policy fields and the progressive roll-out of technical assistance offers by the Commission's Structural Reform Support Service. This Annual Growth Survey is accompanied by a proposal for the funding for technical assistance offered by the Commission's Structural Reform Support Service.

The 2016 Annual Growth Survey is published alongside a set of documents: