Comitetul Economic si Social European
Our message to the European Institutions is clear: that both EU and national policies should create a level playing field allowing social entrepreneurship and cooperatives to compete with other forms of enterprises without giving up their aims and working methods.
Staffan Nilsson's Intervention before EC President Barroso takes the floor
Welcome! I would say it is a good moment, at the beginning of the year, for us to share our views with you, and for you to share with us the Commission's priorities and the Commission's needs in terms of the advice we can give.
The critical situation we are in is more than about economic aspects, it is about social, political and confidence. I feel to say it again and again that we need structural reforms with long-term effect. We look at this from a non-political perspective, from the civil society perspective. We think that austerity measures are necessary, but it is more than about budget and discipline. The management of economic policy in the euro area and in the EU also needs to be more comprehensive and ambitious.
I have talked about getting more people in job, especially from specific groups, and about bringing together unemployed people and available vacancies. In fact this boils down to one question: How can we best assist jobseekers? Key words in this context are "efficiency" and "innovation". We need to strive for efficient and innovative assistance to jobseekers, which is the title of today's conference.
Speech by Staffan Nilsson at Conference of the European Public Health Alliance "Europe 2020: Delivering a healthy and sustainable future for all?" at Hotel Leopold in Brussels.
EESC statement to the Spring European Council
The fight against poverty is at the heart of the EU agenda for growth in the economy, employment and society following the commitment of the heads of state or government to lift at least 20 million people out of poverty. However, the Commission acknowledges that the "most vulnerable in our societies have borne much of the impact of the economic crisis". The Communication on the Platform against Poverty notes that those hit hardest are the unemployed, low earners, children, young people and those experiencing severe material deprivation across all ages and communities.
"My work programme "Engaging People for a Sustainable Europe" has three pillars: Dialogue and participation- Sustainability and Growth- Solidarity and development. It fully supports our work on the Europe 2020 Strategy.
During my meeting with Mr Barroso he stressed that civil society organisations have a key role to play in the practical implementation of the reforms to be carried out in the framework of Europe 2020 Strategy." ...
"We must make serious work of achieving the objectives we have set ourselves with Europe 2020. Cohesion Policy needs to play an essential role in enabling the Union to achieve the EU 2020 goals. As we pursue the road to recovery, we must ensure that growth is not just smart and sustainable; it must be inclusive too."
Statement by Staffan Nilsson, the EESC President and Leila Kurki, President of the EESC Section Employment, Social Affairs and Citizenship on Communication by the European Commission on the European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion