kfajdsl/voxpopuli huggingface dataset:
another complementary initiative to support the youth guarantee is the european alliance for apprenticeships launched in july last year. this seeks to improve the quality and supply of apprenticeships across the eu and to change attitudes to apprenticeships by promoting the benefits of apprenticeship systems.
and fourteen and two thousand and fifteen the common provisions regulation provides the possibility for early adoption of dedicated youth employment initiative operational programmes that can be up and running even before the adoption of the partnership agreement.
so we are left with a completely inadequate six billion that will be partly used to push free labour schemes.
its real purpose is not to provide real jobs for the.
every single other southern irish mep for example voted against that amendment.
instead it is to try and save the jobs of some meps like the labour party in ireland pretending that they are doing something about unemployment when they are actually making the crisis worse.
can i ask the commission what it makes of the irish government's implementation scheme?
it must also include all young people irrespective of whether they are linked to the public employment services or not.
for ireland a poorly funded youth employment scheme will fail to tackle the problem of youth unemployment and immigration.
the ambitious goal of offering young people who are out of work a place in education training or employment requires significant capacity to ensure that offers are suited to each individual's needs.
the present funds allocated are just a fraction of the ilo's recommendation and will not provide the required capacity.
they are in the programming phase of the financial instruments.
there is no single cause of this high level of youth unemployment in the european union; there is a combination of structural and cyclical factors and there is no silver bullet.
investment from all these resources is not only about training but also to make hiring easier and to boost the demand for labour.
be drawn from the european investment
another important new partnership is between politics and business. it is true that most jobs are created by businesses.
it is also about further training and apprenticeships so it is also about other types of activities.
bank. i think this is a very important piece of information.
but the eib also provides the bridging finance in order to ensure that the member states can start implementation even if they have to wait until the operational programmes are approved if they want to draw from the youth employment initiatives. so the bridging finance can also
there is a need for new types of partnerships between for example employment and education arms of various governments.
this comes to top up the european social fund resources but already other resources have been identified.
the examples that have been mentioned in this debate today are very important in order to highlight the fact that all countries have something to build on.
mr president the youth guarantee is not enough we know that. i would like to ask the commissioner what is being done to create job places and to get employers to employ young people.
many young people are leaving europe.
how many have left to go to brazil africa and other countries?
do we know this and who has been leaving?
the council gives guidelines to the member states and strongly encourages them to take measures to tackle youth unemployment and in addition the social partners have a crucial role in the set up of new opportunities for young job seekers.
for the council i can assure you that the greek presidency will make every effort to contribute to reinforcing eu policies in this area and i am sure that future presidencies will continue to ensure that appropriate emphasis is placed on addressing this challenge.
the issue of unemployment and especially youth unemployment will certainly be at the heart of the electoral campaign for the european elections and most of you from whatever political background will have to devote a lot of effort to contributing to this difficult debate.
strategy which is one example among others. this is why the recent social investment package underlines the need for member states to invest in services which enhance human capital raise people's capacity to participate in society and the economy and strengthen people's ability to cope with risks. this is also why the proposals which the commission has made on the regulation of the european social fund identify access to affordable sustainable and high quality services including health care and social services of general interest' as one of the six investment priorities. this includes the development of integrated social
in this house. there is a clear social market economy logic here. sorry to speak now about social market economy logic but it also has to be integrated because there is a chance to develop certain segments of the social
or to re enter
equal treatment. it has been transposed into national law by all member states and the member states are responsible for the application of this legislation in individual cases. the commission is keenly monitoring how the member states
may result in a disproportionate increase in numbers of people with disabilities losing their jobs. there is not a horizontal link but it is exponential and is very damaging to this part of the population. the foundation centre's study has looked
european disability strategy to which the rapporteur
national law. in two thousand and thirteen that means this year i will come up with an implementation report on this directive which we will then certainly discuss in
two thousand and twelve where the commission recommends that member states set up initiatives to facilitate the development of
at six member states ireland greece portugal spain hungary and the united kingdom.
certain groups of citizens are increasingly vulnerable and at risk of exclusion. i would like to quote a recent study commissioned by the european foundation centre's consortium on human rights and disability which stresses that reducing spending on welfare and social services
disabilities. then we have to look at the tax policies because there can be and there are in many member states tax incentives to push the ability of firms to hire people with disabilities and encourage them to remain
and here i include the employment rates of persons with disabilities. we also all know that persons with disabilities face more obstacles than the rest of the population and this is the case even in times of growth. so imagine what it is like in times of problems less employed less educated and poorer than their fellow
and healthcare services aimed at preventing the institutionalisation of the most vulnerable groups because this is another problem which i believe we have already discussed several times
market economy. i just want to refer to the so called white jobs jobs in the health and social sectors which are a key driver for
that is going to be discontinued in four months and there is a question mark over what future scheme will replace it. funding for home help services to the elderly was greatly reduced and recent reports estimate that fourteen of all pensioners with a disability receive no support services.
i wanted to bring some stark examples to the attention of commissioner rehn who predictably is too busy revising growth forecasts downwards to meet me or come to my constituency of munster and see its effects on real people with real needs.
mr president we in ireland have experienced half a decade of austerity since the near collapse of the global financial sector which those in power decided to save at the expense of our citizens and our taxpayers and seen from the perspective of its proponents austerity is a common sense approach to save money you cannot afford to spend.
resource teaching for children with learning difficulties was greatly reduced and special needs students lost forty five minutes of learning support.
severely disabled people are being told they are fit for work by a government that is unfit for office and a benefit called disability living allowance is being withdrawn and disabled people are losing the will to live.
according to the essex coalition of disabled people one in four disabled people are losing britain's disability living allowance in so called fit for work tests which no less than six of doctors say have driven their patients to attempt suicide.
we are seeing at the moment short term economic thinking which will have incredibly dreadful long term effects.
we are well aware in this parliament of unemployment across the european union but of course young people with disabilities are likely to have the greatest difficulty of all in getting their first job in any sector even the new ones.
cuts as we know are reducing the possibility for independence and social inclusion even in those countries which have been most progressive.
indeed as my colleague marian harkin has said there is mounting evidence that people with disabilities face growing hostility in a number of member states.
so the accessibility proposal mentioned by the commissioner would be welcome but we would also like to see a really strong and active implementation of the anti discrimination directives already on the statute books.
this is being stoked by parts of the press even quality papers like the telegraph.
for example take the level of employment where there are actions such as the employment of persons with autism spectrum disorders. we have a special programme to help member states integrate this very specific disability into
we have an obligation to take positive and direct action to protect the most vulnerable in our society and to ensure that their fundamental rights are vindicated.
what is the commission going to do to ensure that member states work to improve and adapt their active employment policies to enable people with disabilities to both enter and remain in the labour market?
across europe people with disabilities are disproportionately affected by cutbacks.
there has been insufficient attention so far at eu level and by the troika to the impact of cutbacks on people with disabilities.
this is particularly the case in programme countries like ireland.
commissioner we would like to know how the commission can ensure that the needs of people with disabilities are reflected in the macroeconomic employment guidelines to prevent discrimination.
can we use the recently launched social investment package to reduce marginalisation of people with disabilities enabling them to access care in the community and to remain at home?
mr president i took the initiative alongside many disability groups to push for this discussion in order to highlight the cruel reality of the impact of austerity policies.
such policies have a disproportionate impact on those with disabilities with higher levels of unemployment cuts to vital public services and independent living support.
in ireland amongst a myriad of cutbacks we have seen massive cuts to personal assistant hours and the ending of the payment of a mobility grant.
the disability rights movement has struggled for decades against institutionalisation and for the right to be treated with respect and dignity.
it has fought for supports to allow people with disabilities to fully participate in society allowing them to have basic rights the right to work the right to rear families the right to pursue an education.
they have fought back courageously. i commend for example the campaign in ireland against cuts to home help hours. it shows how austerity can be fought through struggle and linking up with the trade union movement and other movements.
all of this is not inevitable. it is a political choice.
the political establishments across europe have chosen to put the banks to put the rich to put the privileged ahead of people with disabilities.
from poverty and they are always more likely to be in poverty but under an austerity regime they have no chance'.
that is why the commission and the member states must take pro active steps to ensure that those who have a disability do not become further marginalised.
over the past few years in ireland we have seen cuts to services to personal assistant hours and most recently to mobility allowance.
this allowance allowed persons who are unable to walk some opportunity to interact socially and even to go to work.
now many people are at risk of being prisoners in their own homes.
my real fear in all of this is that we will undo many years of good work and dismantle or seriously weaken inclusion policies and structures that we have painstakingly built up.
but my biggest fears centre on a number of issues. firstly persons with a disability will be seen as a burden to the state.
at a recent meeting in the committee on employment a representative from belgium spoke of the mindset now much more prevalent that sees a person in a wheelchair as a liability.
you take up my tax money' was a comment that was frequently heard.
secondly we are moving from the social inclusion model to a medical model.
thirdly carers and particularly family carers are overburdened and stressed.
the expiration of the ceasefire agreement between the colombian government and the eln should not jeopardise all that has been achieved through diplomatic efforts dialogue and confidence building measures.
but this is also a crucial election year for colombia.
it is vital for an agreement on the extension of the ceasefire to be concluded swiftly and for the eln to show commitment to peace and restraint.
for decades the families of victims of the disappeared have been vocal in their ongoing struggle for acknowledgment and action both in northern ireland and colombia. our own experience in northern ireland shows that people hurt most by such peace processes are often the victims who forever carry the legacy of murdered loved ones and the weight of injustice as terrorists walk free.
peace is a noble and worthy aim but i would ask this institution to tread carefully.
mr president parallels are often drawn between the colombian peace process and that of my own constituency northern ireland. in both instances innocents were tortured and disappeared.
it is estimated that more than forty six zero people have been forcibly disappeared during fifty years of armed conflict and terrorism in colombia.
it is my belief that a sustainable peace process is impossible without addressing these issues.
mr president i want to give my full support for the colombian peace process particularly in light of current difficulties.
people to people initiatives such as this are vital for genuine peace processes and they also fulfil the aims of the eu's cultural diplomacy strategy announced by the high representative herself in.
it is undeniable that positive progress has been made particularly regarding the disarmament of farc.
i'd also like to show my support for civil society organisations working on the ground such as libraries for peace.
however i urge the colombian government to redouble its efforts to bring support to the most vulnerable communities in order to ensure that colombian citizens see the benefits of peace in their everyday lives.
this organisation provides remote demobilisation zones in colombia with a central place where people can access critical resources and fight trauma together.
i'm very worried by the situation whereby rural communities abandoned by the farc are being taken over by criminal drug traffickers rather than being supported by legitimate actors.
by all accounts the group has stuck to its commitments of peace but the transformation from armed terrorist group to legitimate political party will be very tough to reconcile in the short term for many.
resolving the issue of transitional justice impunity for crimes committed during the armed conflict and restitution of property will also be very challenging to president santos's government.
focusing on the main tenets of rural development and cocoa crop substitution will be key policy areas to see real progress happening on the ground.
with such domestic ambivalence it is therefore all the more important that the eu shows a unified and strong voice as one of colombia's biggest economic partners with an fta in place and has a strong commitment to the peace process.
elections later this year will see at least ten members of the farc handed seats in the congress as anticipated by the peace deal.
today we are also following closely the suspension of talks between the colombian government and the eln and we are constantly in touch with the group of accompanying countries. the eln's decision to restart their attacks is unacceptable.
side. they can be sure that the european union together with the united nations will continue to be the strongest supporter of peace and human rights in colombia and a point of reference for all those who dream of a country finally reconciled.
part. but it is just as important as the peace agreement
some of them are moving into politics.
job. some others have a hard time in dealing with the memory of the
our instrument contributing to stability and peace with an extra eur forty million so
many others are going back to school and are looking for a
it was an essential decision showing to the ex fighters that indeed a new beginning was possible if they laid down their weapons and chose of course democratic politics instead.
itself. the people of colombia and peacemakers such as president santos need all our support from the european union
therefore i call on all involved parties to resume the talks on the extension of the ceasefire as soon as possible in order to secure the progress made in peace and confidence building over the past months.
a sustained improvement in the humanitarian situation of the communities affected by the conflict can only be realised with a permanent ceasefire.
i hope that the colombian government will play a key role in providing the necessary security administration healthcare system and infrastructure they need and in helping the local farmers to get better access to the market and the families of the victims should be high on the political agenda.
the communities have a strong belief in a prosperous future for their country and want to achieve not only peace but also prosperity and good living conditions for all inhabitants.
the various attacks by the eln in different parts of colombia are unacceptable. what is needed is a serious and constructive dialogue and the commitment of both parties the government and the eln to reach a solution of the conflict through political means.
mr president i think this discussion helps us to focus on a lot of the good work that the european union does for which it gets no credit and definitely not from its critics.
iran is another example of the great diplomatic efforts and influence of the high representative and the european union.
here we have a very important role to play in colombia because we are not a threat to anybody.
i think it is great to see us using our initiative and our goodwill to help people move along with the peace process.
you asked a question our colleague has answered and that is it.
however i once again find myself asking what additional meaningful support the eu has to offer.
more flexibly and faster.
it will bring more comparability and more coherence in statistics on the structure of eu agriculture and it will ensure that the costs and the burden of data collection for producers and providers will be reduced.
that is why we support the commission's proposal to trigger article seven and if the council does not do its job on poland asap then it should expect a full investigation into the polish case by parliament as we promised last november.
we need to fight for the people protesting against the destruction of the last primary forest in europe and we need to support the women fighting for their rights over their own bodies.
and let us remember that the people of europe expect us to stand up for the standards and rights that define us as europeans.
unfortunately the polish government does not seem to remember the proud traditions of poland and it certainly does not seem to care about the future of the country.
they have the right to be governed well to an independent judiciary and to see their rights well guarded and that is something which we need to maintain.
this is a great responsibility that we bear in relation not just to poland but to all citizens of the european union.
supporting them means keeping up the dialogue supporting cross border initiatives and taking a strict and strong line with the government when it comes to rights and rules for when their own government does not want to live up to the most basic standards what do people do? they turn to europe.
it has gone up. so do the polish people understand that mr farage who speaks out in support of their government is someone who wants to break up the european union?
the commission is very much committed to that.
and the interesting thing is that from the beginning of this process i was warned don't do it you'll bring about polexit';
do the polish people understand which country will be the biggest victim of a broken up european union given its geographic position?
polish people will not be fooled by anyone.
i respect that but i also want those whom he now addresses as friends to understand what his agenda is.
let us all come back as we have just heard to the negotiating table engage in active dialogue and act on the commission's recommendations so that the current situation can be remedied as soon as possible.
it is something that we must address.
we will not we will never turn our backs on the people of poland.
but we cannot close our eyes to what is happening not on our watch.
this is the very nature of our union and we as the european people's party cannot allow it.
we have seen countless heads and deputy heads of lower courts fired often by means of a fax.
it means respecting critical voices.
we are here for the sixth time on this issue and we are here not because we want to be or because we want to somehow punish poland.
the polish government is even going as far as attempting to control historical narratives as a means toward somehow bolstering its own nationalistic aims.
the situation that we see in poland has again underlined the need for a concrete mechanism that would protect the rule of law democracy and fundamental rights across the european union.
it did not need to come to this but unfortunately the polish government left us with little choice.
europe simply cannot afford to close its eyes to what is happening and so tomorrow's vote will mean that we fully support the commission's decision to trigger article seven for poland.
our message to poland is clear do not turn your backs on europe do not drive a wedge where one does not exist.
we remain seriously concerned about what is going on in poland and i cannot but express our sincere regret regarding the lack of will on the side of the polish government to even engage in a real constructive dialogue with the commission let alone contemplate the changes that are needed.
we are here because someone must stand up for the people of poland.
if you are a member of the european union you cannot ignore what it stands for.
mr president let me start by saying how upsetting it is to me to my group and to my colleagues that today we stand here again in the shadow of article seven discussing poland the land where solidarity was born in all its senses solidarity that force for freedom and independence which inspired so many in europe to do the same.
we know that if the rule of law is allowed to collapse anywhere then it has failed everywhere.
we have been trying to do exactly the opposite.
rather than work to improve the circumstances and start to rebuild the bridges they have burnt the situation has deteriorated even further.
but being an eu member state means respecting eu values honouring your commitment to fundamental rights and understanding that an electoral majority does not give you a free hand to do as you please.
i conclude with this message.
we also know that there is a huge gap between the rights that we demand as eu citizens and the mechanisms that are available to ensure their protection.