Strasbourg, 14/01/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 14 January, MEPs called on the Latvian Presidency of the EU to do more towards promoting a “social” Europe.
Following the presentation of the Latvian priorities, Manfred Weber (EPP, Germany), said that, “it is very important that we commit to a social Europe. Our objective is to ensure employment”. Dimitrios Papadimoulis (GUE/NGL, Greece) expressed his concern, “I have not heard you talk about cohesion a single time or the risk of deflation. You have not spoken about the worrying increase in unemployment and poverty. We want other suggestions instead of more austerity and the Latvian presidency has said nothing about this”.
Philippe Lamberts (Greens/EFA, Belgium) said “I heard the usual phrases: structural reforms, budgetary responsibility and investment… Have we been elected to please the markets? Would it not be more fitting to look at the question of the trust our fellow citizens have in the promise of shared prosperity in Europe? Gianni Pittella (S&D Italy) said “without social justice, there can be no security”.
MEPs also discussed the PNR dossier that the presidency wants to push forward. Pittella explained, “we need a new approach to security. We need to shift from resistance from member states and put in place a strategy for fighting terrorism”.
Several MEPs highlighted the situation in neighbourhood policy. Roberts Zîle (ECR, Latvia) said, “A stable, free and democratic Ukraine would be an important model for other Eastern Partnership countries, which would show European values are real. If we did this, we'd be able to enhance our cooperation with other countries”. Iveta Grigule (N-I, Latvia) said that it was crucial to strengthen relations with Central Asian countries. Rolandas Paksas (ELDD, Lithuania) underlined the importance of energy union and explained, “what we need above all, is a common energy market”.
Sophie In 't Veld (ALDE, Netherlands) called on the Latvian presidency to push forward the measures blocked at the Council for a number of years. She said “this is a Bermuda Triangle, not a productive one. We want action. Don't talk about the digital market but rather, the need to adapt legislation on data protection and transparency. The Council must legislate”. The Latvian Prime Minister, Laimdota Straujuma, outlined the programme (a “competitive, digital and engaged EU” in the world, see EUROPE 11229). She concluded that “we want to defend European values, freedoms, security, justice and tolerance, characteristics of Europe”. (CG)