The European Economic and Social Committee President, Staffan Nilsson, gave a clear message to the next European Council: step up for Europe! Step up to restore trust in the economy and its financial structures. Step up to promote confidence in a comprehensive and dynamic European growth model. Step up to ensure legitimacy in the EU decision-making process. Step up to reach out to citizens and offer hope in the European project.
These were the EESC President’s summary conclusions at the end of a packed and high-level EESC conference today on Europe 2020 and how the strategy must step up and meet the needs of today and tomorrow’s Europe. «More Europe makes economic sense. More Europe and Europe 2020 go together, they are mutually reinforcing» stressed Staffan Nilsson, and together with civil society representatives from throughout Europe called for decisive steps towards an Economic, Social and Political Union. This is meant to effectively pool resources, mutualise risks and leverage up job-intensive growth and the alleviation of poverty.
Smart and inclusive growth must be restored. Industrial, social and organisational innovation is needed to support new and sustainable green growth. A fully functional Single Market needs to be underpinned by legislative design, access to finance for SMEs, new educational and training skills for new jobs, social rights, social and civil dialogue and collective redress. Special measures must also be flagged-up in the talked-of «Youth Guarantee» to ensure quality jobs and training for young people. A European minimum income initiative was urged as part of the upcoming Social Impact Package. These are all key components of a comprehensive approach for sustainable growth.
Several EU Commissioners, several ministers from the Member States, employers and trade unions, national economic and social councils and many more economic and social players of Europe participated in the debates.
The EESC wants to be part of the big debate, the new deal for Europe, by bringing practical proposals from civil society to the next EU Council in order to make the pact for growth and jobs work on the ground. In the view of most participants, the most appropriate framework for implementing economic and social reform is still the Europe 2020 strategy.
Mr Nilsson and EESC vice-president, Anna Maria Darmanin, closed the conference with a clear statement: In order to be competitive and sustainable, the European economy needs to combine innovation, investment and social cohesion policies and this is only possible through more Europe.
Read the provisional conclusions of the EESC President on our website.
