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EU Commissioner László Andor calls for stronger focus on jobs as Europe faces “turbulent and tough times”

The European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, László Andor, called for a reinforced focus on job creation as Europe struggles to stave off the worsening economic outlook.

News | 14 November 2011

GENEVA (ILO News) – The European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, László Andor, called for a reinforced focus on job creation as Europe struggles to stave off the worsening economic outlook.

In an address to the Working Party on the Social Dimension of Globalization of the ILO’s Governing Body, Mr. Andor said the European Union was going through “turbulent and tough times”, and referred to the increase of long-term unemployment, rising levels of job precariousness and high youth unemployment as the most pressing issues.

“At EU-level, 43 per cent of all unemployed people are looking for a job for more than a year. In some Member States, however, this ratio is above 50 per cent”, he said. “With such high rates, coupled with weaker growth perspectives, there is a serious risk of a lasting exclusion of individuals from the labour market, with serious social consequences”.

Introducing Mr. Andor, ILO Director-General Juan Somavia warned that “the employment, social protection and social dialogue challenges this year are going to grow exponentially”, and called on governments to move from words into action by putting the recovery agenda into practice.

Mr. Andor said it was time to consider different policy options, including measures aimed at securing decent incomes for everybody, promoting youth employment prospects and combating precarious contracts. He also said it was important to address the revenue side of the equation by shifting part of the tax burden away from labour.

Mr. Andor said the EU was confronted with the “complex interplay between their fiscal policy, their growth outlook, the strength of the financial sector and the market assessments of these variables … Nevertheless fiscal consolidation efforts should not hamper the labour market prospects as they are a key pre-requisite for growth”.

Earlier in the day, Mr. Somavia and Commissioner Andor presented two new publications prepared as part of a three-year collaboration between the EC and the ILO International Institute of Labour Studies: Building a Sustainable Job-Rich Recovery, examines the origins of the 2008 financial crisis and provides an overview of immediate policy responses across both developed and developing economies. Towards a Greener Economy: The Social Dimensions, aims to promote understanding of the nature of the green economy and its implications for labour markets.

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