The genuine recognition that the European project needs to put vigour back into its social model will only happen after we will have really addressed the discrepancies and contradictions which are the byproducts of the enlargement and deepening of the EU during the last twenty years, said Maltese MEP and former Prime Minister Alfred Sant when addressing a conference on the EU Pillar of Social Rights organised by the UHM.
“Ploughing forward as many are suggesting should be done, with further projects of integration towards economic and monetary union, without taking into account the social divide that is still growing, will be counter productive. It will continue to increase the disparities between social facts as they prevail on the ground in Europe, and the guidelines described in the social pillar document signed in Sweden – even if the document simply recycles the EU’s social acquis, already existing – at least on paper. Such disparities become even more glaring with respect to the European Parliament’s resolution on social rights.”
Alfred Sant emphasised the need for consolidation.
“First, the divergences between north and south, between east and centre of Europe, have got to be tackled through a political programme that does not rely uniquely on free market mechanisms. The same applies to the social divergences within member states, between people who enjoy the benefits of safe and well paid employment, and those who work for much less remunerative pay and/or who must accept precarious employment conditions.”
Dr Sant said that we need a radical evaluation of where we are and why we got here. In such an exercise, it will be important to determine the extent to which the enlargement and deepening strategies of the nineties are circumscribing today our options for social renewal. There was much overreach in what they attempted to achieve, and we are now facing the consequences, even though growth has returned in a consistent way for the EU as a whole. The strategies adopted in the nineties are limiting drastically the scope for advances on the social front, given the significant retreats that were carried out since 2008.
“The truth is that in social policy, the EU lags well beyond the expectations it has aroused and the targets it had set for itself. Crucially, the economic machinery now in place to counter negative growth rates, monetary instability and financial imbalances relies through “internal devaluation” almost exclusively on a push back of social conditions.”
The Maltese MEP said earlier this year, in the run up to the setting of the social pillar, the European Parliament proclaimed this commitment in a comprehensive resolution that passed by a big majority. It listed social policy measures across an exhaustive range of areas and concerns. Perhaps it was over ambitious and set targets that surely cannot be reached in the foreseeable future. But at least, the Parliament’s approach acknowledged that much remains to be done, remarked Dr Sant.

Maltese Version – L-EWROPA TRID TINDIRIZZA D-DISKREPANZI BIEX ISSAĦĦAĦ IL-MUDELL SOĊJALI TAGĦHA

Il-proġett Ewropew għandu jitfa’ attenzjoni ġdida fil-mudell soċjali tiegħu. Dan qed jirrikonoxxih kulħadd imma jista’ jseħħ biss wara li jkunu indirizzati d-diskrepanzi u l-kontradizzjonijiet li nħolqu bit-tkabbir u b’aktar għaqda fl-Unjoni Ewropea matul dawn l-aħħar għoxrin sena. Dan qalu l-Ewroparlamentari Alfred Sant waqt li indirizza konferenza dwar il-Pilastri tad-Drittijiet Soċjali tal-UE organizzata mill-UHM.
“Mixja lejn aktar proġetti u integrazzjoni għal għaqda ekonomika u monetarja, kif ħafna qed jissuġġerixxu, mingħajr ebda każ tad-diviżjoni soċjali li għadha qed tikber, se tkun kontroproduttiva. Aġir bħal dan ikompli jżid id-diskrepanzi bejn il-fatti soċjali fil-ħajja ta’ kuljum fl-Ewropa, u l-linji gwida kif miktuba fid-dokument dwar il-pilastru soċjali ffirmat fl-Isvezja – anki jekk id-dokument sempliċiment jirriċikla kliem l-‘acquis’ soċjali tal-UE. Id-diskrepanzi joħorġu aktar ovvji f’dak li għandu x’jaqsam mar-riżoluzzjoni tal-Parlament Ewropew fuq id-drittijiet soċjali.”
Alfred Sant emfasizza l-ħtieġa tal-konsolidament.
“L-ewwel nett, id-diverġenzi bejn in-Nord u s-Sud, il-Punent u l-Lvant tal-Ewropa, iridu jiġu kkontrollati permezz ta’ programm politiku li ma jserraħx biss fuq il-mekkaniżmi tas-suq ħieles. L-istess jgħodd għad-diverġenzi soċjali fi ħdan l-istati membri, bejn popli li jgawdu l-benefiċċji ta’ impjieg imħallas tajjeb, u dawk li jaħdmu għal ħafna anqas paga u/jew ikollhom jaċċettaw kondizzjonijiet ta’ prekarjat.”
Dr Sant qal li tinħtieġ evalwazzjoni radikali ta’ fejn ninsabu bħalissa u għaliex wasalna fejn qegħdin. F’eżerċizzju bħal dan, ikun importanti li niddeterminaw kemm impatta t-tkabbir u l-istrateġiji ta’ aktar għaqda li seħħew fid-disgħinijiet. B’hekk niddeterminaw x’inhuma l-għażliet ta’ tiġdid soċjali li għandna quddiemna llum. Fis-snin disgħin il-ħsieb kien li jinkisbu ħafna affarijiet iżda issa qed naffaċċjaw il-konsegwenzi, anki jekk reġa’ hawn tkabbir konsistenti fl-UE kollha.
L-istrateġiji li kienu addottati fid-disgħinijiet qed jillimitaw drastikament l-avvanzi fis-settur soċjali, dan jidher ċar speċjalment wara t-tnaqqir soċjali mill-2008 ’l hawn.
“Il-verita` hi li fil-politika soċjali, l-UE waqgħet lura aktar minn dak li kien mistenni u mill-miri li poġġiet għaliha nfisha. B’mod kruċjali, il-makkinarju ekonomiku eżistenti kontra r-rati ta’ tkabbir negattivi, insabilita` monetarja u żbilanċi finanzjarji iserraħ fuq “divalwazzjoni interna” li b’mod kważi esklussiv tnaqqar mill-kundizzjonijiet soċjali.”
L-Ewroparlamentari Malti qal li aktar kmieni din is-sena, waqt it-tfassil tal-pilastru soċjali, il-Parlament Ewropew ipproklama l-wiegħda tiegħu f’riżoluzzjoni komprensiva li għaddiet b’maġġoranza kbira dwar il-miżuri soċjali għal ħafna oqsma. Forsi kienet ambizzjuża wisq u għandha miri li mhux se jinkisbu fil-futur riċenti. Imma tal-inqas il-Parlament għaraf li għad fadal ħafna xi jsir, qal Dr Sant.

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