Jobs and Growth

States should transfer their social security payments for the unemployed to companies, so that they can employ the unemployed and maintain skills - even if this would breach trade laws - according to Ton Wilthagen, one of the pioneers in the 1990s of 'flexicurity', a concept that combines job flexibility with security.

To reduce youth unemployment, training and education might not be enough, turning young people into entrepreneurs is the solution, Peter Matjaši?, president of the European Youth Forum, told EURACTIV in an interview. 

The path to sustainable growth is complex, complicated and any measure proposed will have an uncertain outcome, but this is a time for responsible action not panic, said newly elected Amcham president, Hendrik Bourgeois, in an interview with EURACTIV on the eve of the EU-US summit.

Greece's economy can only be revived when the crisis is recognised as one affecting Europe as a whole, says the board chairman of the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises (SEV).

As the economic crisis lengthens and many industrial sectors restructure, private employment agencies are uniquely well positioned to help young people and redundant workers to find jobs in the new economy, argue Elmar Wiederin and Dennis Pennel.

Sweden's prime minister suggested recently that in future citizens might have to work until 75 before receiving pensions. Fears are widespread about the knock-on effects of the sharply ageing demographic in Europe. Leading demographer Andreas Edel argues that Europeans need to look on the bright side of a longer life.

This week offers us an opportunity to look back at the significant achievements that have been made in opening up Europe's markets. There is no doubt that it has provided new opportunities to businesses and consumers, who can take advantage of a market place that boasts over 500 million consumers, writes Malcolm Harbour.

The Common Agricultural Policy's reform needs to be decoupled from strict, technical standards that will be unappealing to younger generations if we are to have a sustainable farm policy, writes Staffan Nilsson.

As the European Commission is about to present proposals to strengthen the "social dimension of the economic and monetary union", a new poll shows that up to 60% of Europeans believe there are better ways of solving the economic crisis than austerity.

For decades, elections to the European Parliament have been dismissed as secondary affairs, with turnout declining at every ballot since direct polling began in 1979.

The European Commission will present a proposal for a supplementary budget for 2012, probably on 23 October, as EU coffers ran empty for programmes that include priority areas such as education, youth and research.

The European Commission yesterday (2 August) welcomed Greek moves to bring about structural reforms in its economy.

The informal summit for growth tonight [24 May] has been widely touted as a showdown between the ‘austerity’ policies advocated by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and the 'growth agenda' of newly elected French President François Hollande. EURACTIV's network reports.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is opposing economic stimulus policies that rely on new debt, amid calls to relax austerity measures from centre-left opponents in Germany and some European leaders.

Most European employers (86%) cut or froze their investments in training last year despite ongoing skills shortages and must take urgent remedial action, business and political leaders converging in Brussels for the 2012 European Business Summit will hear today.

Skills and growth topped the agenda of this year's European Business Summit, which took place in Brussels on 26 April. This year's conference was attended by Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti, Belgian premier Elio Di Rupo, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, with more than 1,000 European business leaders and policymakers.

European Council President Herman Van Rompuy  may call EU heads of state and government together to discuss growth initiatives before June, he told delegates at the European Business Summit in Brussels yesterday (26 April), which focused on skills and growth.

The European Commission's language learning schemes are set for a multi-million-euro funding boost under the upcoming 'Erasmus for All' programme due to be unveiled today (23 November).

As modest growth figures fail to dim fears of recession and employment data do not restore confidence in a recovery, experts flag a ‘worrying’ crisis outcome if structural reforms are not taken promptly to adapt the workforce to new business needs. 

Scientists developing robots to care for the elderly shadowed members of the European Parliament this week in a skills-exchange scheme designed to provide practical links between policy and science.

Convinced that economic growth patterns of the past will not be viable in the future, the European Commission has started a crucial dialogue with stakeholders to ensure that social enterprises are given the means and the recognition to grow, as it is fully aware that policies alone are not enough.

To reduce youth unemployment, training and education might not be enough, Peter Matjaši?, president of the European Youth Forum, told EURACTIV in an interview. Turning young people into entrepreneurs could be the solution, he said.

Opportunities for new ‘flexicurity’ policies combining job security with flexible working arrangements are limited at the European level by sharp differences between member states over social issues.

Matteo Renzi promised to “revolutionise” Italy. In the wake of his victory in the European elections, he is expected to announce reforms in Italy’s public administration on Friday, 13 June.

In its latest macro-economic survey, the European Commission again pointed the finger at Germany's high export surplus. Serious imbalances were also detected in Italy and France, EURACTIV.de reports.

Former French President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing has called on EU leaders to put forward a vision for Europe to inspire citizens, boost confidence and develop a shared sense of belonging.