european-semester-documents-france

European Spring Package 2026

The European Semester is an annual exercise that coordinates the EU's economic and social policies. Based on the analysis conducted every year by the Commission, each Member State receives a set of Country Specific Recommendations (CSRs), where policy action is needed. In France, these include:

France’s public debt sustainability risks remain high in the medium term, with high deficits. A comprehensive fiscal strategy — relying on spending reviews, rationalising tax breaks, and shifting taxes from production factors to consumption and pollution—would support consolidation and fund growth priorities.
Even though significant investments in France’s Recovery and Resilience Plan support decarbonisation efforts, progress to reduce GHG emissions has slowed – including emissions cuts in transport and buildings –, which puts 2030 EU targets at risk. Faster electrification (EVs, heat pumps), energy renovations of buildings, acceleration of the deployment of renewable energy (streamlined permitting procedure, increased flexibility and storage technologies), and upgrades on electricity grids (including cross- border interconnections) would accelerate progress.
Administrative layers could be streamlined, reducing overlapping competences, cutting costs, increasing efficiency, speeding up permits, and improving transparency.
Pollution and competing demands intensify pressure on scarce water resources. Strengthening water governance, investing in resilient infrastructure, and reducing agricultural and industrial pollution could ease constraints on economic activity and strengthen water security and climate resilience.
Declining proficiency in core subjects and inequalities in the French education system call for enhanced support to pupils and better working conditions for teachers.
Skills shortages remain high with STEM enrolment dropping, despite demand for tech and digital skills rising. School- industry partnerships and boosting STEM enrolment would align skills with labour needs.
Innovation support is costly and not sufficiently effective; the biggest scheme, the crédit impôt recherche (R&D tax credit), could be reviewed and better targeted to SMEs to improve its efficiency. Launching a post-2030 multiannual funding instrument for innovation and encouraging equity investments from institutional and retail investors would boost scale-ups growth.
Youth unemployment remains high, despite overall job growth and significant support by the EU recovery plan. More targeted youth support and better access to essential services such as transport and housing would improve opportunities.
In-work poverty has risen, with child poverty among the highest in the EU. Quality jobs and better access to childcare, housing, and health care for disadvantaged households would help reduce poverty.

European Semester Spring Package 2026 - Two-page summary

Country report

Published as part of the Spring Package, country reports provide a detailed analysis of each Member State’s economic and social developments and challenges and assess the extent these are addressed by national policies. Additionally, the reports review the implementation of country-specific recommendations from previous Semester cycles.

2026 Country Report - France

Country-specific recommendations

Published as part of the Spring Package, the Country-specific recommendations (CSRs) provide tailored guidance to each Member State, suggesting socio-economic and fiscal policy actions to be taken over the next year. The Commission develops the CSRs based on the country reports and its review of the national policy plans submitted by Member States. The draft recommendations are then further discussed by the Council which reaches consensus on a final version over the summer.

The recommendations focus on policy areas that face persistent challenges or are only partially addressed by national policy plans. CSR can cover a wide range of topics, including public finances, pension system reforms, education, innovation challenges, job creation or addressing unemployment.

2026 European Semester:
Country Specific Recommendations / Commission Recommendations

Draft budgetary plan

By mid-October, eurozone Member States are required to submit their draft budgets for the following year to the Commission and the Eurogroup. The Commission assesses their compliance with the CSRs, the agreed net expenditure path and the requirements of the Stability and Growth Pact.

Draft budgets that do not align with past CSRs are addressed in the Opinions on the Draft budgetary Plans, published as part of the Autumn Package. Member States adopt their new national budgets at the end of the year.

Draft budgetary plans 2026

National reform programme (until 2023)

After receiving guidance from the Autumn Package, Member States submit their national policy plans for assessment ahead of the Spring Package. The national reform programme outlines the structural economic reforms that the Member State intends to implement, with a focus on future policies to strengthen employment and growth and prevent or correct macroeconomic imbalances. The programme should also indicate how the planned policies comply with the country-specific recommendations of previous European Semester cycles.

As of 2024, the national reform programmes will be replaced by the medium-term fiscal structural plans.

General publications (26 April 2023):
France - National Reform Programme 2023