The risk of going backwards. Looking ahead to the European elections in May, young people need to understand that their future is largely in their hands - their vote on the composition of the new European Parliament will determine how things turn out. Any move backwards in Community construction and any move forwards in Euroscepticism will cost young Europeans dear because weakening the body of laws that the EU has made over all these years will be especially detrimental to our young people. The current fashion often tends towards weakening the Community method and strengthening national autonomies. If this trend is confirmed, it will have to be accepted - the vote is free and the new European Parliament will be the one that the people choose. It is a well known fact that some political forces in the member states tend to blame the EU for national weaknesses. If public opinion follows this trend, the result will be a more eurosceptic parliament.
In this context, young people need to be put on the alert as much as possible. They reached voting age at a time when a vast amount of European construction had already taken place or was gradually coming about. Young people therefore tend to believe, of course, that what they see in the European construction is normal and in the bag for good. They don't know, for example, that the Erasmus programme does not exist in the Community Treaties and is not irrevocable. It was invented by the then president of the European Commission, Jacques Delors, to enable young people to do part of their studies in the universities of another member state - thanks to funding from the Community budget. Most young people have not even heard of the system of vocational training in another member state with small experienced entrepreneurs in order to specialise in specific jobs.
Young people are not informed. I have only quoted a few examples of what could disappear if the Community mindset becomes weaker. But the challenge is global. The new generations have been born into a Europe without border controls and where it is easy to move from one member state to another without realising it. We, the older generations, have not forgotten the era of European unity when border controls still existed - and they were tiresome. The current Swiss issue shows what can happen in an EU that goes partially backwards. And young generations are often ignorant of the efforts that are under way for them.
EUROPE has reported on significant situations. In EUROPE 11022, we published an article on young people's detachment from the upcoming European elections because the young people do not notice any interest from the political parties in issues that are of concern to them. Young people's indifference to the elections is May is reportedly therefore a form of protest. The League of Young Voters and International IDEA have put forward several initiatives - such as a quota of MEPs below the age of 35. The industrialist Peter Hartz has launched projects to train young people from other member states in small or medium-sized companies - especially German ones - and a congress in Sarrebruck will soon launch the detailed projects. The European Investment Bank's (EIB) programme, Investing for Youth, has already lent over €9 billion. Young people don't know anything about this.
Making the efforts known. With young people being the main victims of the current difficulties, it's for them that the EU should make a particular effort. Not only should the new arrangements on the free movement of people be consolidated, but initiatives facilitating employment outside a young person's member state should be strengthened and increased in number. The new European Parliament must take action on this - and the result of the vote in May will be essential. Of course, there are not many young people who will be reading my comments here. Yet some of the electoral campaigns over the coming weeks should take care not to neglect the aspects I have mentioned, expressing their resolve to strengthen Community initiatives against youth unemployment. And for their part, voters from the younger generations must understand that a success for Euroscepticism would be disastrous for them and for their hopes of a boost to new job creation.
It is essential to fight this fashionable madness of wanting to weaken European construction.
(FR/transl.fl)