Youth Guarantee

By

Debate: Wednesday

Vote: Aucun

The International Labour Organisation quantified the cost of the Youth Guarantee at 21 billion euros in the eurozone. How countries with high youth unemployment and under the Troika’s austerity programme are capable of raising these amounts is a mystery to me. The support of the overloaded European Social Fund and the youth employment initiative is far too little. Without the replacement of austerity madness by a Marshall Plan for Europe, promises of job offers remain nothing less than a PR exercise by the governments.

Sexual Exploitation

By

Debate: Aucun

Vote: Aucun

Prostitution and sexual exploitation are the most inhuman expressions of violence against women and deeply contrary to the principles of human rights. Prostitutes should not be criminalised nor penalised and should be understood as victims and supported in their social inclusion. Pimps and customers should be criminalised. The idea that prostitution is a ‘lifestyle choice’ is spreading along with social regression: the opposite of equal rights between men and women, an obstacle to the eradication of violence, especially against women.

EUROPEAN SEMESTER

By

Debate: Tuesday

Vote: Tuesday

Although this report includes concerns like sustainable and socially balanced growth, growth friendly fiscal consolidation in its wording, the text ultimately remains focused on the strengthening of competitiveness and on forcing the countries under adjustment programmes to accomplish it even if it escalates unemployment, poverty and social inequalities. Economic coordination cannot be realised at the expense of the people.

E-CALL

By

Debate: Aucun

Vote: Aucun

The introduction of a device for cars which will automatically contact 112 in the case of accidents seems at first sight a laudable initiative. However, since there are still many problems with the functioning of 112 as it is, and furthermore there are insufficient guarantees on data protection, including a switch-off button, I consider the introduction premature and prefer a voluntary approach instead.

OUTERMOST REGIONS

By Younous Omarjee

Debate: Aucun

Vote: Wednesday

This report aims to go beyond current EU and member state views on the outermost regions. I call for genuine change in European politics in 2014, to bolster these assets and the opportunity represented by these regions of the EU. It is time for Europe to make the overseas territories a component of all its policies and its intrinsic development prospects.