Europe’s common goal remains to create quality jobs and ensure the rapid implementation of the EU Pact for Growth and Employment, President of the Republic of Cyprus Demetris Christofias stressed Thursday after the conclusion of the Tripartite Social Summit, held in Brussels.
The Summit provided an opportunity for European Union Institutions and the social partners to discuss the importance of promoting growth, employment and social inclusion as well as the significant role the partners can play in an improved EU governance.
The Tripartite Social Summit took place ahead of the European Council session which will review progress in the implementation of the Compact for Growth and Jobs, and discuss additional orientations to promote growth and employment.
Speaking at a press conference after the Summit, President Christofias said that the Summit was of particular importance since it took place “against the backdrop of a continuously uncertain and difficult financial, economic and employment situation”.
He noted that the economic crisis continues to affect European employees in multifaceted ways and, in particular, increases the risk of further marginalization of young people.
“The crisis has greatly affected our citizens and threatens social cohesion”, President Christofias stressed.
Referring to the Cyprus EU Presidency, he said it has set as one of its top priorities the enhancement of the role of the social partners and the deepening of social dialogue.
“Our common goal remains to create quality jobs and ensure the rapid implementation of the Pact for Growth and Employment,” he added.
President Christofias said that at the Summit they discussed with the social partners the key role that they can play to achieve faster recovery of the European economy and bring Europe back to the much-discussed growth.
“Our common goal is to create new jobs, especially for the younger. Our concern is to reinvigorate our youth hope and prospect”, he underlined.
Speaking at the press conference, President of the Commission Jose Barroso sent a message to all those Europeans who are hit by the crisis, saying that the Commission is well aware of the problems they face and their difficult situation.
“I want to say that the Commission is making every effort together with the member states and the social partners to exit the current crisis”, he went on to say.
Barroso added that the EU was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and thus needs even more to tackle the problem with determination by creating growth and jobs.
In his statements President of the European Council Herman van Rompuy said that there aer 25 million Europeans who are left without a job, noting that unemployment is particularly high among the youth.
“I assure you that we do our utmost and our top priority is the creation of growth and jobs”, he said, noting that structural reforms are needed towards that end.
The message sent by the Summit is that the active involvement of social partners in European economic governance, at a national and EU level, is key to provide a renewed impetus in the effort to deliver a job-rich recovery and growth.
The European social partners called for a proper involvement of social partners in the definition of national reform plans and in the implementation of the ‘Europe 2020’ Strategy as a whole.
The Tripartite Social Summit for Growth and Employment was established in 2003 and is a forum for high level dialogue between the EU institutions and European social partners.
It regularly meets ahead of the March and October European Councils and brings together the troika of Heads of State or government (the current and the two following Presidencies: Cyprus, Ireland, Lithuania), accompanied by the respective employment Ministers, the Presidents of the European Council and the Commission, and the EU Commissioner for Employment as well as the Presidents or General -Secretaries of the principal European employers` and trade union organisations. Employers were represented by Business Europe, and trade unions by the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC).
