June 26, 2013

Brussels – On 27-28 June 2013, the European Council will meet again against the background of a weak short economic outlook and unacceptable levels of unemployment, particularly for youth. 

The European Movement International (EMI) agrees that immediate action must be taken, and urges the European Council to finally deliver on its previous promises of concrete, efficient measures. However, judging on the draft conclusions prepared by the President of the European Council and on the lack of results of last week’s ECOFIN meeting, the EMI fears that the European Council will again disappoint the citizens and fail to fulfill their expectations. 

At the same time that it renews its faith in that the current proposal for the EU’s 2014-2020 MFF will be a catalyst for growth and jobs and insists in accelerating structural reforms, the draft conclusions ignore previous agreements that remain to be implemented, refers to old solutions and to the use of old instruments, postpones solutions until an uncertain future, and fails to put any concrete measures for growth and jobs forward. 

The EMI joins the European Council in welcoming the European Commission’s proposal that Latvia adopt the euro on 1st of January 2014, and hopes that the move will soon be followed by other Member States. However, this news is not enough to bring hope and trust back to the citizens and the economic actors.

In view of the upcoming European Council meeting, Jo Leinen, President of the EMI, said: 

“I urge the Heads of State and government to respond to the expectations of the European citizens. The citizens’ hope and their trust in the European institutions can only be restored if the leaders show that they are able to understand the urgency of the situation and to find solutions that work in the short-term as well as in the long. Insisting in further structural reforms and promising that better times will come eventually, is no longer enough. The moment has come for the European Council to stop surrendering to selfish national interests and to show solidarity and defend the common European interest instead.” 

[ENDS]

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Editor’s Note: The European Movement International (EMI) is the largest pan and pro-European civil society organisation with currently more than 70 Member Organisations, bringing together representatives from European associations, political parties, enterprises and trade unions. 

EMI Media Contact: For more information, please contact Marine Vallet at +32 (0)2 508 30 88 or marine.vallet@europeanmovement.eu