Toekomst van EU: nadruk op sociale samenhang, opleiding en onderwijs systemen (en)

CES/09/121

1 October 2009

Increased social cohesion, education and training systems to secure Europe's future

On 30 September 2009, t he EESC plenary session debated employment and vocational training in the context of the financial crisis and endorsed a long term recovery framework. Commission President José Manuel Barroso i addressed the discussion by stressing the need for governments and citizens to look beyond short term employment strategies and toward post-2010 sustainable growth.

EESC president Mario Sepi confirmed unemployment as the most lingering effect of the crisis, "for banks the crisis is over, but the factory workers are still unemployed. They are the social capital of the EU and we need to help them." President Sepi also insisted on the re-launch of the Lisbon Strategy as the main way out of the crisis.

President Barroso concurred that, "for those who lost their jobs, the crisis is still there." However, he remains optimistic, "the economic crisis has been a huge challenge, but I am a fervent believer that in every difficulty lies an opportunity." He continued by stressing that strengthening social cohesion between the EU institutions would prevent further economic hardship, "we must work together or else we will be navigating in a sea where the EU is marginalized." Joint cooperation is not just a tool to keep the EU competitive, but "all citizens have a moral and political obligation to this problem," he pointed out.

Eva Uddén Sonnegård , the State Secretary in the Swedish Ministry of Employment, warned against the more latent, social effects of unemployment, "there is a risk that those becoming unemployed will give up and leave, therefore leading to their permanent exclusion in the labour force."

Bruno Coquet, President of the EU Employment Committee, commented on present recovery mechanisms, and observed the heterogeneity of the results between Member States. Therefore, he wished to introduce a flexible training system that many countries can respond to.

The EU is moving toward knowledge and skills-based occupations, as illustrated by the Director of CEDEFOP, Aviana Maria Bulgarelli. She therefore concluded that cultivating these future occupations would strengthen the EU's employment force.

EESC m ember Gabriele Bischoff (Group II, Employees, Germany) regarded social cohesion as a central foundation to build solutions, while Staffan Nilsson, President of Group III (Various Interests' Group, Sweden) questioned if there are other successful methods besides coordination to reverse the recession. In addition, Peter Clever (Group I, Employers, Germany) advocated for short-term work schemes as a flexible tool during this downturn.

For additional information, please contact:

Mariachiara Esposito , Spokesperson of the President

e-mail : mariachiara.esposito@eesc.europa.eu

Tel. : +32 (0) 2 546 9350 or +32 (0) 498 989917

o r send an e-mail to soc@eesc.europa.eu