Social Convergence Framework: institutional implications for the European Semester

This paper explores the new Social Convergence Framework (SCF), which emerged as a response to the heightened risks of social divergence post-COVID-19 and the shifting dynamics around the European Recovery and Resilience Facility. In his research, João Paulo Magalhães delves into how the SCF aims to prioritize the social dimension within the European Semester, particularly through the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights.

This study was conducted as part of the MSc Dissertation (2023-2024) in the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, and was completed during a placement in the European Social Observatory in Brussels. The principal researcher, João Paulo Magalhães, was awarded a 1+3 PhD studentship by the Scottish Graduate School of Social Science, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and the Scottish Funding Council. The facts and views expressed in this publication and any errors that remain are the sole responsibility of the authors.