Investment in abilities needed for a better Europe - Abela Baldacchino

More investment should be undertaken in people’s abilities for a successful European society, Labour MEP candidate Claudette Abela Baldacchino said.

She was speaking during the presentation of a report she prepared on Equal Opportunities to the Economic and Social committee of the Committee of the Regions.

In her report, Mrs Abela Baldacchino criticised the European Commission for acting slowly on the development of a social policy on a European level.

She said that unity in Europe could only develop if the European Union worked on people focused policies and measures.

In particularly economically tough times, it was essential that the EU ensured that its citizen found a bigger opportunity to develop their abilities. It had to create employment opportunities where they could use their talents and abilities.

At the same time, she emphasised the EU’s obligations to ensure that those who were at a bigger risk of poverty and social emargination found the necessary assistance to integrate in society.

The report says that the European Commission was not reacting quickly enough to the changes taking place, particularly to new challenges such as demographic changes, diversity, change in values and the impact of a global economy on workers and their families.

Unless national governments acted, there was a risk that social acquisitions acquired along the years would be dismantled, she warned.