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Professor: ‘Stop paying benefits, start paying companies’
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.
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Activist: Jobs creation starts with youth entrepreneurship
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.
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AmCham chair: Panicking will not help us
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.
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Hellenic business chief: ‘Crisis is European, not Greek’
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).
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Fix youth unemployment with good private employment services
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.
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The ageing demographic: Nothing to fear but fear itself
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.
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The Single Market should never be taken for granted
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.
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Europe needs to nurture a new generation of farmers
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.
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European Business Summit highlights skills shortage, climate split
Europe runs the risk of being left behind by its global competitors because of the shortage of engineers and scientists leads to lower productivity and a loss of domestic and international trade. That's one of the key messages given on Wednesday to delegates at the European Business Summit.
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Europeans divided over austerity, want alternatives
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.
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Frustrated young voters could reverse declining turnout in EU elections
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.
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EU budget runs dry on youth, education and research
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.
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Brussels welcomes Greece’s commitment to reforms
The European Commission yesterday (2 August) welcomed Greek moves to bring about structural reforms in its economy.
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Fault lines at EU leaders’ dinner for growth
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.
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Merkel rejects putting growth before reforms
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.
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Survey: Skills investment slashed despite dearth
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.
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European Business Summit: Live coverage
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.
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Van Rompuy calls ‘Dinner for Growth’ with EU leaders
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.
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EU to back job mobility with language classes
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).
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Top-paying jobs grow but that’s not all good news, say analysts
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.
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MEPs to learn about robots in job-swap with scientists
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.
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EU bets on social business to boost growth
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.
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Create your own job, activist tells youngsters
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.
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Crisis slows progress on EU ‘flexicurity’ model
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.
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Italy to launch public administration reforms
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.
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Brussels renews criticism of German trade surplus
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.
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The Internet Economy: Opportunities for Growth
Taylor Reynolds, senior economist for the information economy at the OECD directorate for science, technology and industry, looks at the latest trends in the Internet economy, and discusses the impact of greater adoption of information and communication technologies on economic growth.
Mr. Reynolds visited the Lisbon Council, a Brussels-based think tank, on the eve of the launch of OECD Internet Economy Outlook 2012, where he joined a High-Level Roundtable on Economics of the Internet.
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Gender equality – Is a quota system the best approach?
In its ‘Strategy for equality between women and men 2010-2015’, the European Commission committed itself to supporting the promotion of gender equality in the implementation of all aspects and flagship initiatives of the Europe 2020 strategy, and also to promoting female entrepreneurship and self-employment.
In 2012, the discussion focused intensively on gender balance in the boards of companies, with the aim to reduce the barriers for women to access board positions and to improve corporate governance and company performance. -
French ex-president: EU needs to regain credibility among citizens
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.
