24-26 June Second European Social Policy Forum

Date: 02/07/1998

OPENING the proceedings, European Commission President Jacques Santer argued that the Union had made significant progress in the field of social and employment policy since the last forum two years ago. He mentioned in particular the employment guidelines adopted after last November's special EU jobs summit and the new employment chapter which has been included in the Amsterdam Treaty. “In the space of two years, Europe has seen spectacular advances, which led me to say at the Cardiff European Council that Europe is once again on the move. Little by little we are beginning to realise the main objectives which we set out at the beginning of this Commission in 1995,” he told delegates.

RESPONDING to a symbolic 'red card' which a coalition of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) awarded to the Commission following the recent European Court of Justice ruling on the funding of certain EU programmes, Santer said he would address the problem “head on”. He added that his institution had no desire to freeze funds and suggested that the NGOs were perhaps focusing their anger on the wrong target. “I understand that you have come to the Commission to protest against this ruling, but I would say talk to the member states as well. Talk to the European Parliament. You have given me a red card today, but shouldn't you have given it more properly to the member state which brought the court action, which is the cause today - for you and for us - of many problems?” he asked. The original funding complaint was taken to the ECJ by the UK.

SOCIAL Affairs Commissioner Pádraig Flynn said he was delighted to be taking part in the forum. He too noted the “remarkable gains” which had been made in European social and employment policy in the past two years, and argued that Europe now had “strong new policy tools” which would enable governments to work together to make real headway in reducing unemployment in Europe. Flynn was particularly encouraged by the fact that EU governments had committed themselves to the 'Luxembourg guidelines' before the Amsterdam Treaty's employment chapter had even entered into force.

BRITISH Education and Employment Minister David Blunkett said Europe needed to make much more progress before its job creation record matched that of global competitors such as the US. “The European social model needs fresh impetus for a new era,” he said. Blunkett also argued that the Union needed to tackle the problems of the poor and those on the margins of society as a matter of urgency. “We cannot afford social exclusion in Europe. It generates huge costs in the form of crime, ill-health, welfare dependency, social breakdown and dislocation,” he told delegates.