Activities of Ilda FIGUEIREDO related to 2010/0115(NLE)
Plenary speeches (1)
Guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States (debate)
Amendments (10)
Amendment 4 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) The Lisbon Strategy, launched in 2000, was based on an acknowledgement of the EU's need to increasemaintain its productivity and competitiveness, while enhancing social cohesion, in the face of global competitioneconomic difficulties and changes, technological change and an ageing population. The Lisbon Strategy was re- launched in 2005, after a mid-term review which led to greater focus on growth, more and better jobs. The Lisbon Strategy failed ultimately to achieve its targets. With its focus on 'competitiveness', cost-cutting, dismantling of the welfare state, ever more flexible labour markets, liberalisation of markets in general and deregulation of financial markets, in particular, it aggravated inequality in the distribution of income and wealth, the growth of poverty, social exclusion, low- paid work and precarious employment conditions. It is now time for an alternative strategy of the European Union for sustainable development, social justice and full employment.
Amendment 5 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) The Commission proposed to set up a new strategy for the next decade, the Europe 2020 Strategy, to enable the EU to emerge stronger from the crisis, and to turn its economy towards smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. In this context the Commission must recognise that changes to existing macroeconomic policies are necessary (i.e. the stability pact should be discontinued, privatisation and liberalisation processes stopped etc), in order to give priority to the creation of quality work with rights for women, better wages, reducing poverty levels and increasing social inclusion and progress. Five headline targets, listed under the relevant guidelines, constitute shared objectives guiding the action of the Member States and of the Union. Member States should make every effort to meet the national targets and to remove the bottleneckobstacles that constrain growth. the creation of more quality jobs.
Amendment 7 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) As part of comprehensive ‘exit strategies’ for the economic crisis, Member States should carry out ambitious reforms to ensure improved macroeconomic stability and the sustainability of public finance, improvperformance targeting socially and environmentally sustainable development. With this in mind, the cCompetitiveness, reduce macroeconomic imbalances and enhance labour market performance. The withdrawal of the fiscal stimulus should be imission should change the current macroeconomic frameworks, to ensure public and private investment and increased production, to give priority to more jobs and better working conditions, in particular for women, social progress for all, and ensure that economic, empleoymented, and coordinated within the framework of the Stability and Growth Pactsocial reforms contribute to increase the quality of life for people and giving young people a better future.
Amendment 24 #
Proposal for a decision
Annex - Guideline 7 a (new)
Annex - Guideline 7 a (new)
Amendment 34 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) The Lisbon Strategy, launched in 2000, was based on an acknowledgement of the EU's need to increase its productivity and competitiveness, while enhancing social cohesion, in the face of global competition, technological change and an ageing population. The Lisbon Strategy was re- launched in 2005, after a mid-term review which led to greater focus on growth, more and better jobs. Ultimately, the Lisbon Strategy failed to achieve its targets. With its focus on competitiveness, cost-cutting, dismantling of the welfare state, ever more flexible labour markets, liberalisation of markets in general and deregulation of financial markets in particular, it aggravated inequality in the distribution of income and wealth, the growth of poverty, social exclusion, low- wage work and precarious employment. It is now time for an alternative strategy of the European Union for sustainable development, social justice and full employment.
Amendment 48 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) The Commission proposed to set up a new strategy for the next decade, the Europe 2020 Strategy8 , to enable the EU to emerge stronger from the crisis, and to turn its economy towards smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, and in this context the Commission must recognise that changes of existing macroeconomic policies are necessary (e.g. discontinuation of the stability pact, stopping privatisation and liberalisation processes, etc) to give priority to the creation of quality work with rights for women, with better wages, less poverty and more social inclusion and progress. Five headline targets, listed under the relevant guidelines, constitute shared objectives guiding the action of the Member States and of the Union. Member States should make every effort to meet the national targets and to remove the bottleneckobstacles that constrain growththe creation of more and high-quality jobs.
Amendment 53 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) As part of comprehensive "exit strategies" for the economic crisis, Member States should carry out ambitious reforms to ensure an improved macroeconomic stability and the sustainability of public finance, improve competitiveness, reduce macroeconomic imbalances and enhance labour market performance. The withdrawal of the fiscal stimulus should be implemented and coordinated within the framework of the Stability and Growth Pacperformance targeting socially and environmentally sustainable development, reduce macroeconomic imbalances and enhance high-quality employment and social protection. The fiscal stimulus should be continued over the next three to five years to overcome economic stagnation and rising unemployment. Coordinated fiscal stimulus at Member State and EU level must be oriented towards economic recovery via a targeted EU Recovery Plan which is streamlined in terms of gender-equality in all of its components, mobilising one per cent of EU GDP each year for investing in environmentally, socially and economically sustainable development, thus providing for an entry strategy for new quality employment.
Amendment 137 #
Proposal for a decision
Annex – Guideline -7 (new)
Annex – Guideline -7 (new)
Guideline: Gender equality Member States will, through specific gender equality targets, gender mainstreaming and specific policy actions, increase female employment that fully respects women's rights and eliminate the gender pay gap, discrimination, and gender gaps in employment and unemployment rates; Member States should aim to achieve a 75% employment rate for women and men (based on full-time equivalents) by 2020, through, inter alia, - more public and private investment, more quality public services and support for families and individuals; - ensuring accessible, affordable, flexible and high-quality services, in particular, access to child care facilities by aiming to ensure conditions for 50% of necessary care for 0-3 year-old children and 100% of care for 3-6 year-old children, and improved access to care for other dependents, in particular older persons; - addressing precarious working conditions since the majority affected by them are women; - more and better use of skills of women belonging to minorities and migrants; - recognition of the rights of assisting spouses and life partners, who in majority of cases are women, who provide help in handicrafts, trade, agriculture, fisheries and small family businesses, to appropriate protection in the field of social security and of their work; - improving working conditions and the valuation of work in sectors where mostly women are represented (i.e., care and domestic work, certain service sectors,); Member States should step up their efforts to fully apply the principle of equal pay for equal work and aim to reduce the gender pay gap to 0-5% by 2020. These targets will be supported by the Commission revised Directive 75/117/EEC, a legislative proposal which is more effective than the existing legislation and which provides for measures in the event of a breach of the right to equal pay, and to ensure that these are dissuasive and proportional (for instance, higher sanctions in case of repeat offences);
Amendment 150 #
Proposal for a decision
Annex – Guideline 7 – paragraph 1
Annex – Guideline 7 – paragraph 1
Member States should integrate the flexicurity principles endorsed by the European Council into their labour market policies and apply themand apply the concept of GOOD WORK, making full use of European Social Fund support with a view to increasing labour market participation and combating segmentation and involuntary inactivity, gender inequality, whilst reducing structural unemployment. Measures to enhance flexibility and security should be both baThe concept of GOOD WORK puts a strong focus on promoting quality in work, improved social security and social inclusion, enhancing existing workers' rights and introducing new ones, promoting health and safety at work, better social risk management and the reconciliation of work and non-work life. Measures to enhance security by phasing out precarious employment and those atypical contractual arrangements related to such insecure forms of employment should be strongly launched and mutually reinforcingby Member States, with a view to restricting and reducing atypical forms of employment, whose misuse should be punished. Member States shouldmust therefore introduce a combination of flexiblsecure and reliable employment contracts, active and integrative labour market policies, effective lifelong learning, policies to promote labour mobility, and adequatesupport the right to voluntarily chosen labour mobility, and effective, high quality social security systems to secure professional transitions accompanied by clear rights and responsibilities for the unemployed to actively seek work. for the unemployed to be entitled to adequate benefits and tailor- made measures for finding quality employment or training and upgrading of their skills and competencies if needed.
Amendment 186 #
Proposal for a decision
Annex – Guideline 7 – paragraph 3
Annex – Guideline 7 – paragraph 3
In order to increase competitivenesspromote environmentally and socially sustainable development and raise participation levels, particularly for the low-skilled, and in line with economic policy guideline 2, Member States should reviewadapt tax and benefit systems and increase the capacity of public services to provide the necessary support. Member States should increase labour force participation through policies to promote active ageingthe concept of GOOD WORK, gender equality and equal pay for equal work or work of equal value, and labour market integration of young people, disabled, legal migrants and other vulnerable groups. In that respect a European Youth Guarantee securing the right of every young person in the EU to the offer of a suitable well-paid job in line with their qualifications and skills, an apprenticeship, additional training or combined work and training immediately upon facing unemployment is necessary. Work-life balance policies with the provision of affordable care and innovation in work organisation should be geared to a reduction of working time without loss of pay and thus raising employment rates, particularly among youth, older workers and women, in particular to retain highly- skilled women in scientific and technical fields. Member States should also remove barriers to labour market entry for newcomers, support self-employment and job creation in areas including green employment and care and promote social innovationFurthermore, work-life balance policies should strengthen transition security based on good job protection by enhancing social rights and social protection to prevent income risks and to ensure the maintenance and acquisition of pension rights and health care coverage etc. during employment transitions, and also during leave periods (e.g. for caring for dependent persons, further training and education, sabbaticals etc.). Member States should promote the reconciliation of work and non-work-life also by a clear reduction of the average weekly working time as well as a clear lowering of the weekly statutory maximum working hours and a strict limitation of overtime hours. Member States should also remove barriers to labour market entry for newcomers, support self-employment and job creation in areas including green employment and high-valued, in particular, social services, and promote social innovation. Access to the labour market for young people and newcomers should be enabled by limiting effectively working life.