EU has to boost employment levels to cope with the crisis

2012. 02. 15.

Csaba Őry MEP (EPP, HU), EPP Group coordinator in the Employment and Social Affairs Committee of the European Parliament has endorsed today the 2012 employment guidelines at the plenary debate in Strasbourg. However, as rapporteur for the 'original', 2010 employment guidelines, MEP Őry also underlined several problems and challenges that the European Union is still facing concerning the crisis.

The EPP Group' s employment coordinator emphasized the fact that the unemployment levels in the EU are still dramatic, namely 9,9% for the EU27, and 5,5 million youth are unemployed. 'On the other hand, we cannot forget that some Member States produce significantly better results in this sense, for example Germany, Austria and the Netherlands' added MEP Őry.

'I welcome the declaration of the informal European Council of 30th January to urgently handle the matter of youth unemployment at European and national level as well' stated the EPP Group coordinator for employment. 'We should also pay special attention to the implementation of the 'Youth on the move' flagship initiative of the EU 2020 strategy' added Csaba Őry MEP.

Background information:

According to the decision of the European Institutions, the 2010 employment guidelines will remain unchanged until 2014 to enhance their correct and effective implementation. Therefore, this year they are simply endorsed by a Council resolution, after consulting the European Parliament.