Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2012-03-13-Speech-2-102-000"
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"en.20120313.7.2-102-000"2
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"Mr President, Mr Wammen, I address this question to you because Parliament does not understand what is happening at the Council.
In December, we adopted by a very large majority the Commission’s proposal to extend European Globalisation Adjustment Fund crisis measures. Now we see it has been completely blocked at the Council in an inconsistent move that we do not understand – for can we declare the crisis over? Can we really say that this fund has not been a useful reflection of the effects of this crisis on workers?
Today, growth forecasts for European GDP are between 0.5% and 3%. Or is Mr Draghi mistaken when he cites these figures for future European growth? The Commission itself predicted an economic downturn of 0.3% across the European Union in its latest projections published in February, despite the fact that in November 2011, it was still expecting 0.5% growth in 2012. Where will the crisis end?
The crisis facing those employed in industry threatens the very existence of European sentiment. It encourages scepticism towards the European Union. It causes us to turn our backs on the very essence of our peaceful coexistence and ignores the elements of social justice we could provide. Applications submitted under crisis-related criteria have only increased since this crisis has not gone away.
I must tell you Mr President that within the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, we have had the opportunity to hear from Spanish and Lithuanian experts who told us how valuable this crisis mechanism was. Furthermore, I wish to bear witness here to the response of the German public authorities. The director of the European Social Fund group has testified to the exemplary nature of this mechanism in bringing about social innovation and enabling workers affected by this crisis to find a European answer to their problems. However, today, his government constitutes a majority in favour of blocking the extension of this mechanism. We do not understand this and ask you, on behalf of the Presidency of the European Union, to use all your power to break this deadlock.
I believe those who consistently argue for more flexicurity. Flexibility certainly exists, with widespread redundancies – day after day, we see jobs disappearing. Provide a little bit of security, allow these workers to be given training, a transitional period as they adapt to the new situation they find themselves in. I am worried that if this is the position of the Council today on the extension of the crisis mechanism, what will happen tomorrow when, as part of the financial perspectives, we are to negotiate the extension of mechanisms to all farmers affected by free trade agreements? There comes a time when the Council must choose between real solidarity and fake solidarity.
Today, we prefer evidence and we do not believe the time has come for happy announcements of growth that might one day lead to job creation, or for the abolition of one of the few tools at the European Union’s disposal to provide concrete help, support and solidarity to workers affected not only by globalisation but, above all, by the financial crisis.
We are counting on you, Mr President. You must change the majority in the Council, including among those Member States that are today refusing this extension of the derogation, despite being exemplary users of these funds."@en1
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