Ursula von der Leyen at the Porto Summit: joint commitment to building a social Europe
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07 May 2021
The EU leaders, in the social summit in Porto, pledge to "maintain emergency measures as long as necessary, promoting an approach to facilitate job creation", and ask that the EU Council approve the objectives of the social agenda by 2030, including 78% in employment, 60% of adult workers engaged in annual training. But the leaders, in the final declaration, specify that everything must be done "respecting the principle of subsidiarity (therefore the competences at the level of the individual states, ed) and limiting the administrative burden on SMEs".
European leaders attended the 'social summit' and the informal EU Council in Portugal, convened by the Portuguese Prime Minister, Costa.
At the summit, where Angela Merkel is absent, there is a contrast between the countries of the Eastern bloc, with Poland and Hungary at the forefront (present at the Viktor Orban summit) in a 'strange alliance' with the Hanseatic countries, promoters of a document contrary to the objectives common to the majority of Member States.
Draghi: Europe is not as it should be
"The EU has long made its social model a point of pride. The European dream is to ensure that no one is left behind. But even before the pandemic, our societies and labor markets were fragmented. Generational inequalities, gender inequalities and regional inequalities. This is not Italy as it should be, nor Europe as it should be ". Thus Prime Minister Mario Draghi speaking at the Social Summit in Porto as part of a panel entitled "Employment and jobs". "Just as during the Great Recession and the sovereign debt crisis in Europe, it is our young people and our women who pay the price for this tragedy," said Draghi. "These fractures have deep historical and cultural roots.But they reveal - he explained - also evident institutional and legal shortcomings. Too many EU countries have a two-track labor market, which benefits the "guaranteed" - generally older and male workers - at the expense of the "unsecured", such as women and young people. While the so-called guaranteed are better paid and enjoy greater job security, the unsecured suffer from a precarious working life ", remarked the Prime Minister." This system is deeply unfair and constitutes an obstacle to our ability to grow and to innovate. Italy, thanks to the Recovery and Resilience Plan, is trying to remedy this sad situation ".European Union have a dual track labor market, which benefits the "guaranteed" - generally older and male workers - at the expense of the "unsecured", such as women and young people. While the so-called guaranteed are better paid and enjoy greater job security, the unsecured suffer from a precarious working life ", remarked the Prime Minister." This system is deeply unfair and constitutes an obstacle to our ability to grow and to innovate. Italy, thanks to the Recovery and Resilience Plan, is trying to remedy this sad situation ".European Union have a dual track labor market, which benefits the "guaranteed" - generally older and male workers - at the expense of the "unsecured", such as women and young people. While the so-called guaranteed are better paid and enjoy greater job security, the unsecured suffer from a precarious working life ", remarked the Prime Minister." This system is deeply unfair and constitutes an obstacle to our ability to grow and to innovate. Italy, thanks to the Recovery and Resilience Plan, is trying to remedy this sad situation ".While the so-called guaranteed are better paid and enjoy greater job security, the unsecured suffer from a precarious working life ", remarked the Prime Minister." This system is deeply unfair and constitutes an obstacle to our ability to grow and to innovate. Italy, thanks to the Recovery and Resilience Plan, is trying to remedy this sad situation ".While the so-called guaranteed are better paid and enjoy greater job security, the unsecured suffer from a precarious working life ", remarked the Prime Minister." This system is deeply unfair and constitutes an obstacle to our ability to grow and to innovate. Italy, thanks to the Recovery and Resilience Plan, is trying to remedy this sad situation ".
We invest 6 billion in labor reform
"6 billion euros will be invested to reform active labor market policies. The Plan includes an Employability and Skills Program, intended for the training and retraining of those who have to change jobs or are looking for a first employment, following the example of the European Youth Guarantee Program "explained the premier. "4.6 billion euros are destined to increase the number of nursery schools and kindergartens, alleviating the burden of working mothers. Measures to combat child poverty are also envisaged", recalled Draghi. "Italy supports the European Commission's draft proposal for the European Child Guarantee, as well as the principles contained in the agenda relating tolong-term care and gender equal opportunities ".
Sure for Jobs Program Becomes Structural
"Let's make sure the Sure Employment Support Program stays in place," by becoming structural.
Draghi also hopes that "fiscal stimuli will not be reduced too soon".
Over 14 billion euros for infrastructures in the South
In the NRP "over 14 billion euros are foreseen for transport infrastructures in the South, to increase productivity and access to the market for businesses and workers".
Von der Leyen: "Everything must change"
"The world is changing and we must change too. As the famous Tomasi di Lampedusa said in The Leopard: everything must change so that everything remains as it was before". Thus the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, during her introductory speech at the Porto Social Summit. "We need to act on climate change and we want Europe to be at the forefront of the digital transition, but also to give life to the social promise of Europe and this has brought us to Porto today," he added. "Now comes a second important step, the Recovery: Europe will provide a large package of 750 billion Next Generation Eu, but we must make sure that the social aspect is a priority," said von der Leyen. "I am sure this summit will demonstrate that theThe EU will be able to respond adequately "." The pandemic and uncertainty are not over - continued the president -. The recovery is still at an early stage. With our social market economy, we can give certainty to people now who need it most. Now we all have a great responsibility, we all have a role in the recovery from the pandemic. "
Von der Leyen: vaccine patent waiver does not solve the problem
"I think we should be open to discussion" on the intellectual property waiver. But when we get out of here we need to have "a 360 degree view on this" topic. "We need vaccines now. The intellectual property waiver will not solve the problem. What is needed is a sharing of vaccines, the export of doses and investments to increase" production capacity. Thus the president of the European Commission on the theme of fighting the pandemic.
Von der Leyen: whoever talks about patents should commit to export
"The European Union is the only democratic region in the world that exports on a large scale. About 50% of what is produced in Europe is exported to about 90 countries, including Covax. About 200 million doses have been exported and about 200 million doses distributed to Europeans. We invite everyone involved in the debate on the temporary waiver of patents to join us in committing to export a large part of what they produce ".
Thus the president of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen.
Sassoli: "Working together for the European minimum wage"
"It will be essential to work together to define a common framework for a European minimum wage, as the identity battle of our continent that has a history of struggles for rights behind it and that still has public welfare systems that must be revived and not dismantled in its heart of this crisis ". This was stated by the president of the European Parliament David Sassoli, in his opening speech. "The European Union - he stressed - must now seize the opportunity to promote an equitable and just society, supporting social inclusion and fighting poverty, and where every citizen can live a dignified life. In this sense, the European Guarantee for children is an essential tool to reduce inequalities from an early age and to give every child in Europe theopportunity to develop and grow in a healthy and dignified environment "." Equally important - he added - is to ensure that the recovery is an opportunity for women and girls to become protagonists in the world of work and education and decisive step towards gender equality, starting with wage equality ".
"This crisis - according to Sassoli - has in fact reminded us of the value of public welfare systems, it has also taught it to others who have traditionally and historically had a private approach to personal services. Look at the unprecedented change of pace that the President Biden in launching a public stimulus intervention of almost two trillion dollars, which focuses on public action in support of the weakest families and children. The time has therefore come to take stock of the lessons learned from the pandemic and to build resilient and prosperous societies in the future. Parliament believes that we have the legislation, we have the financial means, we only need genuine political will and thecommitment of all responsible authorities to transform social rights into a reality for every single person in the EU ".
Dombrovskis: moving from job protection to active policies
The Vice President of the European Commission, Valdis Dombrovskis intervened to urge governments to move "gradually" with the economic recovery from defending existing jobs to active labor policies to accompany the green and digital transitions. Which means changing jobs, rather than defending what is there. According to Dombrovskis "the transformations of our economies will be successful only if they are socially acceptable, we will need to put emphasis on reducing income inequalities and protecting and adjusting our market, adapting it to reality". "When we are out of the crisis - he said during a panel of the Porto Social Summit - we will have to gradually move from measures that protect jobs towards active policies,to accompany green and digital transitions ".
Macron: Anglo-Saxons stop blocking exports of vaccines and components
The French president has called on "the Anglo-Saxons" to stop "blocking" the exports of vaccines and the ingredients needed to produce them, which would strengthen global vaccine "solidarity".
Speaking at the summit, Macron said: "For the vaccine to circulate we must not block ingredients and doses," however, "Anglo-Saxons currently block many of these ingredients and vaccines. Today, 100% of vaccines produced in the United States of America. goes to the American market, "he said.
As for the EU, "we are the most generous in the world today in the field of developed countries".
Poland and Hungary delete "gender equality" from summit text
Poland and Hungary opposed the use of the expression "gender equality" in the declaration adopted by EU leaders at the informal summit in Porto, obtaining an amendment. The English text, negotiated by the 27 Member States of the Union, initially referred to the promotion of "gender equality". But in its final version, dated today, the leaders pledge to promote equality "for every individual". The term "gender" is still used, but in reference to "inequalities between the sexes", for example in terms of employment or salary. "Poland always stresses how important legal clarity is. We have to stick to the provisions of the treaty. The EU treaty makes a very clear reference not to gender equality,"but to equality between women and men ", a Polish official explained to AFP. According to European sources, the opposition of the conservative nationalist Polish government of Mateusz Morawiecki and that of the Hungarian sovereignist, Viktor Orban, is explained by the fact that the mention According to them, "gender equality" creates "a space for Lbgt rights, to which they are firmly opposed." And it seems that Poland and Hungary had the same position with texts during the German presidency.According to them, it creates "a space for Lbgt rights, to which they are firmly against". And it seems that Poland and Hungary also had the same position with texts during the German presidency.According to them, it creates "a space for Lbgt rights, to which they are firmly against". And it seems that Poland and Hungary also had the same position with texts during the German presidency.