Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2012-05-22-Speech-2-361-000"
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"en.20120522.18.2-361-000"2
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"Mr President, Commissioners, honourable Members, the meeting of the Heads of State or Government on 23 May is intended to discuss informally a comprehensive set of measures designed to promote growth and jobs in preparation for the June European Council.
There are a number of specific initiatives which are likely to be raised at this week’s meeting and which will certainly need to be developed further.
Firstly, the EIB could be better mobilised to support SMEs and help finance key infrastructure projects. Heads [of State or Government] may be invited to agree to the principle of increasing the banks’ capital and of strengthening existing joint instruments. It is also important that agreement be reached on the project bonds pilot phase, which we hope to achieve at our negotiations with Parliament today.
Secondly, the Structural Funds should be better focused on competitiveness and convergence. For the current funds, this means reallocation with an emphasis on SMEs, youth training and employment. We shall make sure that the EU’s future budget, including cohesion, is targeted to sustain and develop growth and employment.
The meeting tomorrow is informal. There will be no preparatory discussions in the Council and no formal conclusions. The purpose will be to agree on principles and ideas for generating growth in Europe. Let me underline that the Danish Presidency has, from the very first day, consistently stressed the overriding priority which is attached to putting Europe back on the growth track. It has been the focus of the informal European Council in January, the European Council in March, and now again in May and June. We have been working hard to ensure rapid adaptation of relevant legislation. We are grateful that this objective is shared by Parliament and that we have enjoyed constructive cooperation. But now we need to take the next steps, and that is the task ahead for the Council, for this Parliament and for the Commission. We need to work together to secure growth and jobs in Europe.
There has not been a discussion in the Council of the informal European Council so I will use this opportunity to provide you with the Presidency’s expectations. There has been much talk about an austerity strategy versus a growth strategy. I would like to make it very clear that this is a false distinction. What we in the Danish Presidency have been working on throughout our period in office is a dual approach where we pursue fiscal discipline and growth at the same time.
We cannot create growth if we do not have economic stability. Economic growth will contribute to public finances, and structural reforms will contribute both to consolidation efforts and to increasing growth and competitiveness. I believe that there is a wide agreement among Member States on this dual approach.
This informal European Council meeting on 23 May will provide an opportunity to focus on the various measures that form part of the EU’s growth agenda. The aim is to inject further momentum into that process. The Danish Presidency warmly welcomes this increased momentum. The meeting will be a stepping stone towards the European Council in June where the Heads of State or Government can be expected to task further work grouped under the following headings:
Firstly, mobilising new policies to fully support growth: the informal meeting will be an opportunity to highlight the rapid progress which needs to be made in the Council and in the European Parliament on a number of proposals which have the potential to boost growth. Obvious examples are the Single Market Act and the patent.
The Danish Presidency has been particularly committed to making progress on these issues. But further efforts are needed, in particular, to help boost employment, and particular attention is also needed to tackle youth unemployment. The Presidency therefore warmly welcomes the Commission’s employment package.
A further key element to the growth agenda is the external economic policy. Here again, the Presidency, together with the Commission, is preparing for a discussion in June on how to make better use of strategic partnerships in support of our trade and economic interests.
Secondly, gearing Member States’ policies to growth: it is essential that we continue with the reform agenda, which remains crucial to ensuring job-creating growth. This will be dealt with in more detail in June when we will bring the European Semester to a close and endorse country-specific recommendations to guide Member States in their structural reforms and employment policies.
Finally, on financing the economy, we must continue to pursue an approach based on smart fiscal consolidation. That means reducing debt and deficits, but in a way which allows scope for continuing to invest for the future."@en1
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