Strasbourg, 11/03/2009 (Agence Europe) - In three resolutions adopted on Wednesday 11 March ahead of the European Council, and during the debate preceding the vote, the members of the European Parliament called on the heads of state and government to do more to fight the crisis, particularly in terms of employment and the green economy.
"We are faced with major challenges": the financial crisis, energy security and climate change, points which will feature on the agenda of the forthcoming European Council (19 and 20 March), Alexandr Vondra reminded the MEPs. After their discussions on 1 March (EUROPE 9851), the European leaders must examine the problem of toxic assets and indicate very clearly that the recommendations of the "Larosière" report must be granted a priority (EUROPE 9848 and 9854), stressed the Czech deputy prime minister with responsibility for European affairs. They will also seek to make progress on the issue of funding of energy interconnection and broadband projects to the tune of €5 billion. The crisis will not make energy dependency problems go away and the stimulus of €5 billion is "indispensable", put in the president of the Commission, José Manuel Barroso, who did not hide his impatience, stressing that at the Council, "progress will not be as fast as I would like". Before the informal summit of May to be held in Prague, which will be specifically devoted to this issue, the heads of state and government must also state their willingness to fight against the anticipated increase in employment. However, "building barriers will not protect jobs", said Mr Vondra, who welcomed the common vision of the Europeans ahead of the G20 (EUROPE 9856). As well as current efforts to rebuild the economy, it is vital that the governments commit to healthy public finances. Most of the member states will be starting their budgetary consolidation efforts from 2010, he stressed, as recommended by the Ecofin Council's contribution to the European Council (EUROPE 9856).
The crisis, however, is "very far from at an end", confirmed Elisa Ferreira (PES, Portugal) rapporteur on the plan to relaunch the European economy (see other article). "Unemployment and bankruptcies are increasing in number, this is a tough test for the European project"; only a joint response will bring about an improvement. Jan Andersson (PES, Sweden), rapporteur of the EP on the guidelines for employment (see other article), approves of the initiative of the Presidency to convene an informal summit on employment, but urged those attending "not to isolate these issues from economic issues". Making available 1.5% of the European GNI was a reasonable effort at the time it was decided upon, but "today, we need more" (at least 2%, he said) to "invest in the environment, energy efficiency, training, training and yet more training". Evgeni Kirilov (PES, Bulgaria), rapporteur on cohesion policy (see other article), welcomed the Commission's measures to speed up payments under the structural funds and its simplification of the rules.
Speaking on behalf of the EPP-ED Group, Joseph Daul said that next week's European Council must not be a "routine summit" and called on the heads of state and government of the countries of the EU "not to give in to the temptation of isolation, which would be suicidal for all of our countries". This summit must be one of "affirmation of strength, Europe's determination in the face of crisis". But a strong Europe must not be a protectionist Europe or a fortress Europe, Mr Daul warned. He went on to say that the only way for Europe to get out of this crisis is new resources, a massive investment in the knowledge-based economy and by using the EU's potential in new environmental technologies. "To see that the President-in-exercise of the European Council is not here is unacceptable, but it also shows what he thinks of the current situation", ranted Martin Schulz. At the forthcoming European summit, more must be done, said the president of the PES Group. The European Commission must urge the countries to show solidarity, added Mr Schulz, who also wants: -the Commission to table proposed directives on hedge funds and private equity funds (these are anticipated in April); - ratings agencies to be transparent; - company bosses' salaries to be limited and tax havens to be shut down. "These initiatives should be taken right now!", he said. Graham Watson, the president of the ALDE Group, says that it is not the Lisbon strategy that has caused these problems, but the member states which ignored this strategy. Recession should not be a synonym for inaction: the countries of the EU must take a financial commitment to fight climate change and create green jobs. They must also accept the fact that the plan to relaunch the economy "may not be enough". On behalf of the UEN Group, Italy's Cristiana Muscardini recommended a "cleaning-up" of the banking system and more active assistance to SMEs. If the EU limits itself to simply cleaning up the financial markets and injecting public money without redefining the architecture of the financial markets, "we will fail to get out of this crisis", said Rebecca Harms (Greens/EFA, Germany). Speaking for the GUE/NGL Group, the Czech Jiøí Maštálka highlighted the shortcomings of the Lisbon strategy. Unemployment is growing steadily, which proves that "something isn't working". Not hesitating to call solidarity into question, Nigel Farage (IND/DEM, United Kingdom) opined that the EU "cannot sign a blank cheque to save the countries of Eastern Europe".
EP calls for presentation of "European initiative for employment"
In its adoption, on the same day, by 548 votes in favour, 74 against and 31 abstentions, of a resolution on implementation guidelines for employment policies of the member states for the period 2008-2010, the EP states that it believes that, in the face of a severe worldwide recession and a forecast increase in unemployment, the central goals of employment policy for the Union and its member states must be: to preserve as many viable jobs as possible from the short-term failure of demand; to assist employment creation; and to support both the purchasing power of unemployed workers and their ability rapidly to re-gain employment; - calls on the Commission to give a clear signal to member states that the Employment Guidelines should be implemented in this spirit, and to tackle employment as a priority issue by putting proposals to the March 19 spring summit for a European employment initiative, with coordinated action by member states to safeguard employment and create new jobs. It also recalls that coordinated investment by the member states in the five core Lisbon goals - research, education, active labour market policies, childcare and incentives for private investment - must be a key element in employment policy. When implementing the guidelines, the member states must, among other things, aim to combat discrimination based on sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age, or sexual orientation.
EP wants green "New Deal" for Europe
In its adoption (579 votes in favour, 94 against and 21 abstentions) of a joint resolution by the EPP-ED, PES, ALDE and UEN groups on the Lisbon strategy, the EP recommends that short-term measures be set in place to balance out the direct and immediate consequences of the crisis and to limit, as far as possible, its negative effects on the real economy, and that the relaunch plans are followed up by a coordinated action plan for the short and long-term, to help put the European economies on the road to stable growth and to protect them from the similar crises in the future. It stresses that the financial crisis also constitutes an opportunity, in that it is now no longer possible to ignore the need for innovation, a driving force behind the economy. The EP takes the view that it is time to create the most efficient economy in terms of energy, which is capable of transforming the world and guaranteeing the prosperity and international competitiveness of Europe for decades to come. The MEPs plead in favour of the creation of "new financial architecture" (with regulations to serve the interests of the consumers, businesses and employees). They called for new legislative proposals and international agreements helping to fight against the excessive risk-taking, excessive use of indebtedness and short-term prospects which were behind this crisis. The EP expects the European spring Council to adopt clear guidelines and concrete measures to safeguard employment and to create new jobs. Lastly, it stresses the need to "reinforce the social dimension of European and national relaunch plans" and recommends a green "New Deal" Europe, to attack the economic, environmental and social crisis.
Ambitious agreement in Copenhagen calls for increased funding for developing countries
If the EU wants to have a chance of holding on to its role as chef de file in international climate negotiations and lead its partners towards the conclusion of an ambitious global agreement in Copenhagen in December 2009, it must itself commit to the highest bracket of greenhouse gas emissions reductions recommended by the IPCC and undertake to make a generous contribution to the funding of offsetting and adaptation efforts in the developing countries. Additionally, this must be done by means of extra funds on top of state development aid. It was by a large majority (610 votes in favour, 50 votes against and 25 abstentions) that the MEPs sent out this very clear message to the 27, in the hope that it may also be heard by the European Council. Going along with their rapporteur Miroslav Ouzky (EPP-ED, Czech Republic), who chairs the committee on the environment of the Parliament, they called on the European Council work towards an international agreement, by virtue of which the industrialised countries would be obliged to reduce their emissions by 25% to 40% by 2020 compared with 1990 figures, and to achieve this objective on their own territory. The MEPs also stressed the importance of setting a long-term reduction objective of at least 80% between now and 2050, for the EU and the other industrialised countries.
The resolution adopted also explicitly calls on the EU to commit to a financial contribution of at least 30 million euros a year between now and 2020 to support the offsetting and adaptation efforts of the developing countries, which need "considerably increased financial resources".
The Parliament welcomes two innovative funding formulae proposed by the Commission in its communication of 28 January (EUROPE 9853), on which neither the environment ministers (as this is not their competency), nor the finance ministers of the EU have yet taken position. (A.B./L.C./A.N./trans.fl)