E. VENIZELOS: Mr. Andor handles the most critical and sensitive portfolio in the European Commission: Employment issues, which are the focus of society’s and the government’s attention, because there is nothing more distressing than a young person or a more mature person unemployed for a long period of time.
So we talked about the tools at our disposal and what additional efforts we can make in capitalizing on community resources, capitalizing on these new institutional systems that the EU has organized for young people, so that we can fight unemployment all together.
Of course, it is growth that brings new jobs. Of course, the completion of the adjustment programme and our exit from the crisis are what will create many new jobs, but we also need supplementary measures and supplementary funding. And I thank him very much for his sensitivity and willingness to work closely with the Greek government.
L. ANDOR. First of all, I would like to thank the Minister for having the social dimension so high on the agenda of the Greek Presidency.
Europe is now emerging from a very serious crisis. Now we also have growth in the euro zone and unemployment started to fall. But this situation is far from satisfactory. The Commission has to continue to work with the member states to help reducing unemployment, and especially youth unemployment, and this is clearly a priority for Greece but also for other countries that have been hit very hard by this long crisis.
April 29, 2014