Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2011-11-15-Speech-2-463-000"
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"en.20111115.31.2-463-000"2
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"Mr President, earlier this week, Angela Merkel said that the challenge facing Europe is the toughest since the Second World War. She is probably right.
Her solution to this particular problem is to call for closer political ties and tougher budget rules. In purely economic terms, this may be a possible solution in that it will help to balance the books. Mr President, you yourself spoke of deepening integration, of an enhanced ‘six-pack’, of economic governance, and of completing the single market. However, Commissioner, for many citizens, that is simply not enough.
Balancing the books on its own is not an adequate response. It cannot be just about economics because, if it is, then it will not be possible to win the confidence of the citizens you spoke of. And we need to win that confidence. We need that support so that citizens can see that the EU is working for them, not just to satisfy the markets or recapitalise the banks.
As a member of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, I have real concerns that we are not addressing the social and employment areas adequately. This morning, we had a debate on the European platform against poverty and social exclusion, looking at how the Commission, the Parliament and the Member States can take concrete actions to assist the 80 million Europeans that are at risk of poverty. And Commissioner, those numbers are growing.
Our work programme must ensure that inclusive growth and employment-generating projects are at its core. That message needs to be delivered loud and clear to citizens. Europe will succeed if its citizens are confident that they are its real concern. It is not enough that that message is implicit. It must be explicit. We need to articulate a vision for Europe that citizens can believe in – balance the economic with the social, and I think then we might just get their attention."@en1
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