We have repeatedly said that this is a crucial time for Europe and for the European Union. We, as a Union, have already had the daunting task to make very important decisions regarding the bailouts for Greece, Spain, Ireland and Portugal.
The decade ahead of us may make or break the EU- David Casa
These decisions will affect millions of people throughout Europe and will help model the future for many others. These were not easy decisions but they were necessary in order to keep the EU united and focused on giving the best to its 500 million citizens.
While the spirits are low at the moment, this is a vital opportunity to turn our focus towards economic revival and growth. This is the only option we have if we want to get back on track and devise plausible solutions to the problems that have plagued our economies and hindered our progress for the best part of these last five years.
It may seem challenging to remain positive in such difficult times but we should always remind ourselves that Europe has been through this before and that it has emerged as a stronger and more unified force.
This cycle, albeit long, is bound to end at some point but we cannot just wait for the sky to clear by itself. Unless we are proactive and enterprising, we may not witness any improvements for some time to come. If there is no effort, there will be no progress. We must have faith in our capabilities, make best use of the tools at our disposal and look at the future as a myriad of opportunities rather than as a sea of uncertainty.
As a relatively young nation, Malta joined the EU at a time when the global events around us changed the world that we have known since the end of World War II. New emerging economies such as China, India and Brazil are becoming increasingly influential on the global scene. In order to keep up with the new challenges that this poses, we will have to step up our efforts considerably.
The last European Council meeting, held in June, focused exactly on this pressing issue: “The boosting of our economies to trigger growth in Europe”. Unfortunately, the situation has been met with a certain degree of complacency in recent times, with much blame being placed on the global recession.
The mobilisation of about €120 billion is meant to inject fresh air into our economies.
This should send a strong message to European citizens, showing them that we have the resources and the know-how to use these funds in the best possible way. We must, however, not delude ourselves into thinking that this monetary injection will solve our problems overnight.
Our first and main focus should be the creation of jobs. This is the most important and precious resource that we have. It would be futile to invest money in any type of project or enterprise unless we can guarantee that our citizens are gainfully occupied and that young people have the opportunity to work and study without being marginalised.
I have many a time said that the ultimate aim of Europe is to ensure that no one, irrespective of age, race, orientation or creed, is left behind. Now is the time to put these words into practice and prove to each and every one that this is a Europe where all citizens are treated equally. European citizens do not want handouts and freebies. They do not want dead-end jobs. They want jobs that give them the opportunity to grow along with the enterprise they are working for. They want to be a part of a success story not just a statistic.
The road ahead is not all rosy and there are certain measures we cannot do without if we want to move forward as a Union. We need a stronger and more serious fiscal policy where the monetary union is concerned.
This is the fulcrum of economic growth. We need to stabilise the economy with fiscal consolidation that favours growth. We need to increase competitiveness, lessen the burden of bureaucracy and take into serious consideration the new realities that this Europe is facing.
The decade ahead of us may make or break the EU. We need to think long term but act as swiftly as possible if we want to ensure that the future generations of Europe will have a better Europe, not only from an economic viewpoint but also from a social and environmental perspective.
Mr Casa is a Nationalist member of the European Parliament.