As a guest on the CoR's 106th plenary session, held on 2 and 3 April 2014 in Brussels, Mr László Andor, Member of the European Commission responsible for employment, social affairs and inclusion presented CoR members with the European Commission's current actions and priorities in the areas of employment, particularly as regards the youth unemployment in the context of the EU2020 strategy.
Mr Witold Krochmal, Member of the City and Municipal Council of Wołów and the EA group's coordinator for economic and social policy described the current situation in terms of meeting the EU 2020 targets as very bad, for which he partly blamed the lack of the decision makers' awareness of the consequences of their decisions, in the first place the consequences on the labour market. That is why he called that legislative initiatives in the areas of education and investment are regularly followed by an employment impact assessment.
Taking specifically about education, Mr Krochmal stressed that one of the main reasons for high youth unemployment is a divergence that still exists between the needs of the labour market and qualifications young people obtain during their schooling. Combined with demographic problems and aging European societies, it creates a big threat for the future of the long-term social stability in Europe. That is why policy initiatives and the more effective use of European Social Fund must be tailored not to create short-term gains but to address these long-term goals through creation of sustainable employment.
In the end, Mr Krochmal concluded that, even though Europe is at the crossroads, its history that of challenges and these will be tackled successfully.
Press coverage
Samorzad 8 April 2014
