Voorzitter EESC Mario Sepi wil betere economische en fiscale coördinatie Europe 2020 (en)

Met dank overgenomen van Europees Economisch en Sociaal Comité (EESC), gepubliceerd op dinsdag 30 maart 2010.

CES/10/42

30 March 2010

Statement by President Mario Sepi

As President of the European Economic and Social Committee, I want to welcome the Spring European Council's conclusions of 25/26 March 2010, especially its decision to continue the exceptional support measures adopted to combat crisis until recovery is fully secured, and the agreement on the main elements of the Europe 2020 strategy. The headline targets of the strategy will set the correct pace of the new strategy for growth and jobs.

At the same time, I wish to underline that, although the need for further structural reforms for preserving the sustainability of our social models was highlighted, the new strategy is still lacking better economic and fiscal policy coordination. The Europe 2020 strategy sets clear medium term objectives, but unfortunately lacks a common toolbox for immediate and efficient response to assure a real way out of the crisis.

In the name of the EESC, I call upon European leaders and policymakers to include the following key elements in the Europe 2020 strategy:

  • - 
    A true social action programme, to continue implementing the basic social legislation currently enshrined in the Treaty
  • - 
    better financing schemes for SMEs, the engine of European growth
  • - 
    new sources of financing such as financial transaction taxes, energy taxation and levies on financial institutions
  • - 
    sustainable financial sources for life-long learning in line with the European economic goals

Those policy areas should be prioritised in the final Europe 2020 strategy, which will be formally adopted in June. The EESC, as the vital bridge between organised civil society and EU institutions, looks forward to receiving a clear mandate at this time in view to increase ownership and to step up its joint efforts with the network of national Economic and Social Councils.

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