The Expert Network for Analytical Support in Social Policies (ESPAN) will have two components. First, it will establish, organise, manage and coordinate a network of independent national social policy experts (hereafter: Network of Independent National Experts [NINE]). Second, it will be responsible for the secretariat of the governmental experts on social protection systems (the Mutual Information Systems on Social Protection [MISSOC]). A key purpose of the ESPAN is to provide timely and high-quality independent information to the Commission on social protection and social inclusion policies (and related socio-economic developments and trends) in the countries covered by the network and to support them in monitoring progress within the European Semester framework and against the achievement of the 2030 social targets (for candidate countries and potential candidates, assessing progress with regard to their commitments in the enlargement framework [“mini-Semester”]).
This means that NINE national experts will have to provide high-level expertise and rigorous assessments (including statistical analysis) of European and national social policies in a userfriendly manner, and that they will have to provide evidence-based recommendations on potential policy solutions in the spirit of the EPSR and the EPSR implementation action plan. This is to ensure that the Commission is provided with a comprehensive and integrated overview of the different social protection and social inclusion policies as well as on-going debates in each Member State and (potential) candidate countries, and a rigorous assessment of their strengths and weaknesses. This will help the Commission to review specific social policy topics of European interest and to identify areas most in need of further investment.
Another important function of the ESPAN is to help the Commission in identifying and promoting the exchange of good practices and the development of dynamics of mutual learning that can support the achievement of the EU’s social objectives, as well as providing evidence based information on effective policy developments and innovative developments that could inform relevant EU policies.