Press Release from the S&D Group

Following new measures announced by the European Commission on employment, S&D vice-president Stephen Hughes, S&D chairwoman of the social affairs and employment committee Pervenche Berès and S&D spokesperson for social affairs, Alejandro Cercas made this statement:

« With a record level of people out of work in the EU, the employment package presented today by the European Commission is a step forward. However it fails to meet the needs of the most affected – the long-term unemployed or the young unemployed – as well as the industry sector.

« The future of employment depends first and foremost on a strong strategy for growth. These new measures won’t be effective in the fight against unemployment if they are not backed by a growth strategy. This is the real challenge for all EU governments today.

« Europemust drop the austerity-only agenda. We must create room for manoeuvre for new investment and for a sustainable growth strategy to generate employment. The language of this employment package is more positive than that surrounding the macroeconomic debate in recent months, but it lacks concrete legislative or financial proposals to improve the lives of working or out-of-work citizens. »