Brussels, 03/02/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 3 February, Belgium's Socialist Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo spoke of his fear that the European elections starting on 25 May may see a surge in euroscepticism.
Speaking in Brussels to the heads of Belgian diplomatic and consular posts abroad, Di Rupo said that “there is a fear that the eurosceptics and [those] who are against Europe may achieve a good score” in the elections. “The European project can only have a future if the citizens can identify with it again. Europe cannot be developed against and without Europeans”, he said. In Di Rupo's view, the EU has shown in the past that it can be a positive force and that it has the ability to improve the everyday life of citizens and companies. “But the EU can't live on what is has achieved in the past. Quite the opposite. It must again make Europeans enthusiastic and allow them to plan for a better future”, he said.
“Europe can't be limited to budgetary discipline”, he stated, calling for the EU “to protect its citizens better” and to be “the engine for quality job creation”. Di Rupo recalled that last December there were 26 million men and women unemployed in the EU - including 19 million in the eurozone. In some countries and regions, the rate of youth unemployment exceeded 50%. “These dramatic figures call for responses that are up to the challenge”, he said. Support measures for youth employment must be “quicker and more far reaching”. “We want a Europe that develops a real industrial policy too, following the example of the great countries in the world”, Di Rupo added. He therefore suggested more investment in sectors of the future - the digital economy, research and development, energy, the green economy and transport. (LC/transl.fl)