European Alliance group President participated in the Conference of Presidents meeting with the President of the European Council Mr Van Rompuy.  Points for discussion related to the MFF, competitiveness and Youth Employment with a view to the Spring European Summit to be held on the 14-15 March 2013.

 

Dr Silberg focussed on the issue of youth unemployment and while welcoming the Youth Guarantee initiative agreed recently.  He highlighted that some member states have over 50% youth unemployment  which is unacceptable.  Measures need to be implemented as a matter of urgency in order to give young people some hope and also not to lose a generation to unemployment.  Local authorities can be of help to implement the different measures.

On the Multi-Annual Financial Framework the EA President expressed his disappointment to the main areas which lost which were poorer regions and agriculture.  He said that this would have an effect as the poor areas will not develop as fast as they should and in agriculture this could have an impact on food costs which may have to rise. He urged some alternate ideas and sources of finance to leverage funds to those areas concerned.

 

But he said that members were also pragmatic:  and realise that a budget agreed finally would be better and give more stability to regions – than no budget agreed.