Voters, not markets will give their verdict on job creation in europe

Former Prime Minister Alfred Sant said that Europe cannot leave people with the impression that instead of managing markets, it is being managed by markets. Ultimately, the verdict about what we are doing to boost growth and jobs in the EU countries is not given by the markets, but by voters. Dr. Sant, who is the shadow rapporteur of the S&D, was addressing the discussion on the ‘Country-specific recommendations’ in a joint meeting of the Economic and Monetary Affairs committee and Employment and Social Affairs committee in Brussels.
Dr. Sant said that beyond the concerns about immigration, recent election results in Italy, Spain, France and Denmark show voters are less than impressed by Europe’s economic outturn. ‘Unfortunately, our assessments do not focus enough on the divergences that are increasing. Many citizens are experiencing them in their daily lives: divergences between regions within the Union, such as north and south. Precarious work practices such as low pay, job insecurity, lack of access to social security and training are still a reality in many Member States. Sometimes even in these country specific recommendations, we seem to be confusing economic policy coordination and convergence, with convergence in terms of economic performance. Policy convergence as of now may be premature and harmful given the existing divergences.’
Dr. Sant said that the past and present reliance on so-called structural reforms to bring about so-called flexibility in labour markets has had serious social consequences. Beyond the effects of recession, it has cut on living standards. It has injected insecurity in to the lives of millions, young and old. It has failed to reduce unemployment significantly, not least because it has helped to depress demand.
Dr. Sant congratulated the Commission for having streamlined the semester process and refocused the country specific recommendations, not least by reducing their number and concentrating their thrust. ‘In its report, the Commission starts by noting that “growth is returning to the EU” but says that developments leading to it are largely short term. This reminds me of the IMF’s verdict regarding how competitiveness is being regained in Europe. It is being done mainly through a reduction in unit labour costs that is greatly dependent on shedding of labour. Indeed, we all are aware of how fragile the current recovery remain.’
During the meeting various MEPs called on the European Commission to pay more attention to national specificities and possible spillover effects on other countries – and the Eurozone as a whole – when deciding on the Country-specific recommendations. They also advocated stepping up the involvement of national parliaments and social partners when deciding on structural reforms so as to strengthen the sense of national ownership. The recommendations will need to be endorsed at this week’s European Council summit of EU leaders and formally approved by economy and finance ministers on 14 July.

You may wish to view Dr. Sant’s intervention on link below:
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Maltese Version – ‘IL-VOTANTI, MHUX IS-SWIEQ SE JIĠĠUDIKAW IL-ĦOLQIEN TAX-XOGĦOL FL-EWROPA’

ll-Kap tad-Delegazzjoni Maltija tal-S&D qal li l-Ewropa ma tistax tħalli lin-nies bl-impressjoni li minflok qed tmexxi s-swieq hi, is-swieq qed imexxu lilha. Finalment, il-verdett dwar dak li qed isir biex jinħolqu l-impjiegi u t-tkabbir ekonomiku fil-pajjiżi tal-EU mhux se jingħata mis-swieq, imma mill-votanti. Dr Sant qal dan fi Brussell fil-funzjoni tiegħu ta’ ‘shadow rapporteur’ tal-Grupp tas-Soċjalisti u Demokratiċi waqt li kien qed jindirizza d-diskussjoni dwar ‘ir-rakkomandazzjonijiet speċifiċi għal kull pajjiż’. Din id-diskussjoni saret mill-Kumitat tal-Affarijiet Ekonomiċi u Monetarji u l-Kumitat dwar l-Impjiegi u l-Affarijiet Soċjali.

Dr Sant qal li minbarra t-tħassib dwar l-immigrazzjoni, ir-riżultati tal-elezzjonijiet riċenti fl-Italja, Spanja, Franza u d-Danimarka juru li l-votanti m’humiex kuntenti bir-riżultati tal-ekonomija Ewropea. ‘Sfortunatament, l-analiżi tagħna mhux qed tiffoka biżżejjed fuq id-diverġenzi li dejjem qed jiżdiedu. Ħafna ċittadini qed iħossu d-diverġenzi fil-ħajja ta’ kuljum: diverġenzi bejn reġjuni differenti fi ħdan l-Unjoni, bħal ma hemm fit-Tamuntana u fin-Nofsinhar tal-Ewropa. Pagi baxxi, insigurta’ fl-impjiegi, nuqqas ta’ aċċess għas-sigurta’ soċjali u taħriġ huma frott il-prekarjat u għadhom reali f’ħafna stati membri. Kultant anki f’dawn ir-rakkomandazzjonijiet speċifiċi għal kull pajjiż, qisna nitfixklu bejn li nwettqu politika ta’ koordinament u konverġenza, ma’ konverġenza f’riżultati ekonomiċi. Politika ta’ konverżjoni f’dan l-istat għadha prematura u dannuża dment li għad hawn ħafna diverġenzi.

Dr Sant qal li s-serħan, passat u preżent, fuq ir-riformi strutturali biex is-suq tax-xogħol isir flessibbli kellu konsegwenzi soċjali serji. Minbarra l-effett ta’ riċessjoni, naqqas ħafna l-livell ta’ għixien. Ħoloq sens ta’ insigurta’ fil-ħajja ta’ miljuni ta’ nies, kbar u żgħar. Ma rnexxilux inaqqas il-qgħad b’mod sostanzjali, għaliex kellu effett negattiv fuq id-domanda għax-xogħol.

L-Ewroparlamentari Malti feraħ lil Kummissjoni Ewropea talli qed terġa’ tiffoka fuq ir-rakkomandazzjonijiet speċifiċi għal kull pajjiż, billi naqqset dawn ir-rakkomandazzjonijiet fin-numru. ‘F’dan ir-rapport, il-Kummissjoni bdiet billi innutat li ‘it-tkabbir reġa’ irritorna fl-UE’ imma qalet li s-suċċessi li qed iwasslu għal dan m’humiex fit-tul. Dr Sant qal li dan fakkru fil-verdett tal-IMF dwar kif qed nerġgħu niggwadanjaw il-kompetitittivita’ fl-ewropa. Il-kompetittivita’ qed tkun iggwadanjata l-aktar bit-tnaqqis tal-pagi. Tabilħaqq aħna konxji kemm dan ir-riżultat preżenti għadu fraġli.’

Waqt din id-diskussjoni Ewroparlamentari oħra talbu lill-Kummissjoni  tagħti aktar attenzjoni lill-punti speċifiċi ta’ kull nazzjoni u fuq l-effetti li stat jista’ jkollu fuq stat ieħor – u fuq iż-żona ewro kollha – meta jkunu qed jittieħdu deċiżjonijiet dwar ir-rakkomandazzjonijiet speċifiċi għal kull pajjiż. L-MEPs talbu aktar involviment mill-parlamenti nazzjonali u msieħba soċjali meta jkunu qed jittieħdu deċiżjonijiet fuq riformi strutturali. Ir-rakkomandazzjonijiet iridu jkunu approvati fis-summit tal-Kunsill tal-Ewropa u mill-ministri tal-finanzi fl-14 ta’ Lulju.