European Economic and Social Committee /
PRESS RELEASE No 61/2011 / 1 June 2011

Employment at the centre of the Europe 2020 strategy

A conference held in Rome yesterday on Europe 2020: the future of employment in Europe and Italy underscored the importance of employment within the growth strategy developed by the European Commission.

The conference wasorganised by Italy's General Labour Union (UGL) and moderated by TV journalist Roberta Ammendola (Rai Tg3 Lazio). Participants included the vice-president of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)Anna Maria Darmanin, the president of Italy's National Economic and Labour Council (CNEL)Antonio Marzano, and UGL secretary-generalGiovanni Centrella.

The Europe 2020 strategy, which aims to rekindle the EU's economic and social growth within the next decade along smart, sustainable and inclusive lines, is an ambitious project which was nonetheless deemed necessary by all speakers to counter the current economic and social crisis and preventsimilar events occurring in the future.

The conference helped flesh out the mechanisms for revitalising the European economy laid down by the strategy as well as the role of the social partners in implementing it.EESC vice-presidentMsDarmanin stressed that "European civil society must help the EU achieve the goals it has set itself for 2020 and support the strategy's implementation at European and national level."Addressing the issue of young people, she pointed out that "the ultimate aim of the Europe 2020 strategy is tooffer a better future to young Europeans, who are victims of the current crisis and the failure of the Lisbon strategy."

The debate then focused on the need for joint action tobreak the current deadlock. "The Member States cannot escape the crisis by acting unilaterally," said UGL secretary-generalMrCentrella.He advocated a system of governance similar to that proposed by the2020 strategy, requiring Member States to coordinate their political, economic and social decisions. "We firmly believe that Europeans' well-being and cohesion, and consequently the EU's future prospects, will depend first and foremost on how we address employment problems," he said in conclusion.

Lastly, CNEL president MrMarzanospoke in greater depth about young people's relationship with the labour market, and looked at the way in whichEuropean and national policy had lagged behind as regards innovation and development.

For further information, please contact:

Raffaele De Rose
EESC press office
Tel. + 32 2 546 9360
Email: / Francesca Novelli
UGL press office
Tel. +39 06 324821
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