Communiqué de presse du groupe S&D
Mardi 23 juin 2015
S&D Euro MPs today welcome the five presidents’* proposals to complete the economic and monetary union but stress that more will be needed to strengthen its social dimension and democratic accountability.
S&D Group vice-president responsible for economic and monetary affairs, Maria Joao Rodrigues stated today:
« We acknowledge that the report co-authored by the five presidents commits itself clearly to further strengthening the economic and monetary union, which is an important and positive political signal. However, the proposals fall short of our expectations in several crucial aspects – including on the social dimension of EMU and on democratic accountability.
« Member states are asked to commit to a reform agenda which remains too limited to labour markets, neglecting innovation, education and energy efficiency as major sources of productivity. We rather need a larger reform agenda coupled with investments and supported by a new fiscal capacity, this way we will be promoting structural convergence.
« The report also neglects the need for a new social pact, stopping the current downgrading of social standards and reinforced by an anti-shock fiscal capacity, otherwise the Eurozone will remain trapped in a deflationary spiral of unemployment and wage competition »
S&D Euro MP Pervenche Berès, author of a report on economic governance added:
« The five presidents’ report fails to match the level of ambition reached through my report. It is hoped that this week’s vote will provide the Commission with more political backing to come up with more ambitious proposals.
« In particular, Parliament will demand substantial improvements in the prevention of macroeconomic imbalances to foster convergence and much stronger democratic accountability, including through the future adoption of convergence guidelines under co-decision.
“It will take the same political will to reform the economic governance of the Union as was necessary to build the banking Union”.
*Five presidents: Jean-Claude Juncker (European Commission), Jeroen Dijsselbloem (Eurogroup), Donald Tusk (European Council), Mario Draghi (European Central bank) and Martin Schulz (European Parliament).