07.09.2001
Speech of the Belgian EU Council Presidency
Mr. Hugues Chantry, embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium
In the name of Laurette Onkelinx, Vice-Prime Minister, Minister of Employment and present President of the European Council Presidency, Mr. Hugues Chantry of the Belgian embassy in Berlin addressed to the participants of the European Capitals Trade Union Conference.
Youth unemployment, as a special problem of the labour market, was not taken seriously enough by the European Union. The coordination of national strategies for the improvement of the employment situation, is an important topic for the Belgian Council Presidency.
Preventive politics, in particular individual concepts - corresponding to the needs and possibilities of the young unemployed people and according to the requirements of the economy - have to be improved considerably, in order to enable all young people to pass from school or the first formation into the active working life.
To the opinion of the Belgian Council Presidency an important condition for the reduction of youth unemployment on a long-term basis, is to halve the school dropout-rate, since a low education level severely limits the access facilities to secured occupation.
The social partners play an important part regarding the elaboration and improvement of the occupation programs on national, as well as on European level. All persons involved have to assume their functions on the different levels, in order to obtain occupation-political success.
The European Capitals Trade Union Conference is a very positive signal for the future fight against youth unemployment in the EU.
Mr. Hugues Chantry called upon the participants to never neglect the quality of employment conditions while making efforts to create new jobs.
In the scope of an uncontrolled competition quality of work as well as social and health security should not become victims of social dumping.
Quantity and quality of work are inseparably connected. The additional jobs necessary in the European Union should in first place guarantee an improvement of the quality of life of the employees.
The complete version of the contribution of Monsieur Hugues Chantry, embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium can be downloaded as * pdf file (Acrobat reader necessary): http://212.222.152.196/cc/doc/GRUSSWbelg.pdf
