Relaunching Europe in Utrecht: „Europe is broken, we have to fix it“

Over the weekend, the S&D Group continued its Relaunching Europe initiative with an event organised jointly with the PvDA with the title ‘What do you want from Europe’. The event in Utrecht brought together the results of a series of local debates where ideas for the future of Europe were discussed and presented to leading politicians for action.

Speaking in Utrecht, S&D Group president Hannes Swoboda said: „We are not questioning the idea of Europe but what is at stake is the reality we face and how Europe works today.

„I agree with PvdA party leader Diederik Samsom that Europe is broken, we have to fix it!“ There are so many problems we face: dramatically rising unemployment – especially among the young – increasing income inequalities and poverty rates, insufficient regulation of financial markets and inadequate respect for social needs and citizens’ concerns.

„We face a situation where Austria and the Netherlands are competing for the lowest unemployment rates. Low unemployment in these countries is good but there is more to do. Real competition is with the countries hit hardest by the crisis such as Spain or Greece. We have to show solidarity with them and jointly get Europe back on track.

„We can only take action together. In today’s globalised world, no country can solve its problems alone. It can only be a common response to common problems.

MEP Thijs Berman, head of the S&D Group’s Dutch delegation in the European Parliament, added: „Our biggest challenge is to tackle youth unemployment, which brings so much poverty and despair. For that we need to invest in jobs – that means investment in education and innovation.

„In Utrecht people are more and more angry about the lack of attention paid to this burning issue“.

Hannes Swoboda concluded: „It is time to stop talking and to act. Together we can make this happen.“