ME&EU Report

SPRING 2016

DEBATING EUROPE

REPORT

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Our thanks go to Debating Europe’s community of citizens for sending us their questions, to the MEPs involved for taking the time to respond and, last but not least, to the European Parliament for supporting this project.

The vote options represented to readers were based on general political ideologies, rather than specific European political parties or groups in the European Parliament.

Reproduction in whole or in part is permitted, provided that full credit is given to Debating Europe.

Author: Paul Ames Editor: Joe Litobarski Publisher: Geert Cami Director: Adam Nyman Publication coordinator: Ilaria Dozio Project Manager: Esther Bijl Layout: cerise.be Infographics: Ilaria Dozio, Elza Löw, Nina Van Goeye © Friends of Europe - 2016

This report is printed on responsibly produced paper

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction 5 What would your ideal EU-US trade deal look like?

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How would you solve the EU’s refugee crisis?

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How would you ensure that banks won’t need bailouts again?

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How would you help young graduates find jobs?

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How would you get more young people involved in politics?

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How would you cut CO2 emissions?

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How would you cut social inequality?

36

How would you make Europe more globally competitive?

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How would you cut government debt?

46

How would you grow Europe’s economy sustainably?

51

How would you prevent another terrorist attack in Europe?

56

How would you restore trust in politics?

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Final vote results

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Vote analysis

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INTRODUCTION

MEPs shouldn’t stop listening to young Europeans just because we are between European elections. The issues haven’t gone away and, in fact, the results of the 2014 elections (and the rise of the Eurosceptic share of the vote) demonstrate that now more than ever there is a need to foster a continuous debate between policymakers and citizens on the critical issues facing Europe.

Empowering young Europeans to take part in political debate is at the heart of everything Debating Europe does. If young people don’t vote or participate in political discourse, politicians will have less of an incentive to address the issues important to them. With that in mind, our latest project ME&EU helps facilitate a debate between young Europeans and policymakers on some of the most important questions facing the continent.

ME&EU consists of an ongoing series of citizen-driven online debates between young Europeans and MEPs from each of the main political ideologies in the European Parliament, discussing everything from the refugee crisis, to fighting terrorism, to youth unemployment, to building a sustainable economy.

During the first 12 debates featured in this report, readers were asked to take part and cast their vote in polls on the issues under discussion.

Their votes fed into an aggregated site-wide master poll showing the breakdown of opinion among our users across the range of issues. Over 16,000 people from across Europe have engaged with the debates so far; reading, commenting, or voting on the various political positions.

The following report looks in detail at the contents of each debate, and analyses the vote results.

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© European Union, 2015

WHAT WOULD YOUR IDEAL EU-US TRADE DEAL LOOK LIKE?

If agreed, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) would be the world’s biggest trade deal.

Supporters say the successful conclusion of talks launched in 2013 would give the world economy an annual boost worth over €300 billion, create hundreds of thousands of export-based jobs and make the average European family €500-a-year richer.

Opponents complain of secretive talks that could result in a monster deal that erodes public services and labour laws; weakens health, consumer, and environmental protection; hurts European jobs; undermines key economic sectors; and empowers multinational companies at the expense of parliaments and citizens.

This was one of the most popular topics among our readers, with many commenters concerned that TTIP could undermine consumer, environmental, and labour rights in the EU. We asked MEPs from across the political spectrum to tell readers what they would like to see in a transatlantic trade deal, then threw open the debate to the public.

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THE MEPS’ POSITIONS

ANNE-MARIE MINEUR RADICAL LEFT

BERND LANGE SOCIAL DEMOCRATS

SKA KELLER GREENS

MARIETJE SCHAAKE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS

IULIU WINKLER CENTRE-RIGHT

[TTIP would have a huge] impact on people’s lives and that is something we definitely do not want. It affects democracy, it undermines democracy and eventually we think it’s only beneficial to the huge multinational corporations and not to normal citizens.”

My ideal trade deal with the United States would have clear rules for the globalised economy, but also clear rules confirming high standards for consumer protection and labour rights.”

The challenge with TTIP is that it would not only have huge impacts on our consumer and social standards, but also on the way culture is promoted in Europe. In the US most cultural events are privately funded, whereas in Europe, the state ensures the existence of a diverse landscape.

TTIP threatens state subsidies for culture, because they are an obstacle to the free market access of US companies. We need to maintain cultural diversity and we do not need it to be the victim of TTIP.” TTIP must strengthen the global, rules-based system, and set global standards in the area of human and worker’s rights, consumer protection and the environment. For Europe, it is crucial that TTIP provides European companies more access to the American market. The U.S. should also be more fair, or reciprocal, when it comes to procurement. TTIP must also look to the future. It needs to foster innovation and stimulate the trade and development of new and green technology. In the end, TTIP must create tangible results for all citizens. An ideal outcome would be a win-win.”

We are not speaking only about economies and trade, we are speaking also about geopolitics and we are speaking about who will shape the ongoing process of globalisation. [...] This ideal trade deal should also serve citizens and consumers on the other side of the Atlantic: American industry, research and innovation. In general this trade deal should serve the interests of Western civilization and Western society.”

JAN ZAHRADIL CONSERVATIVES

I’m dreaming of complete removal of all trade barriers between the U.S. and Europe, which of course is hardly achievable. So the ideal step at the moment is to go as far as possible to remove as many trade barriers as we can. I think that TTIP could make a big step forward in this direction.”

TIZIANA BEGHIN EUROSCEPTICS

I think we have to move to a world that is more about ‘convergence’ than ‘competitiveness’. Instead of a ‘win-lose’ paradigm, where we always have to fight and where one partner is unsuccessful, we must try to move to a new world, a new way of life, where we are more convergent; we should move to a ‘win-win’ paradigm...”

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VIEWS FROM THE PUBLIC The views from MEPs triggered a big response from readers and quickly developed into an impassioned discussion on the pros and cons of TTIP - with a clear majority of participants opposing the negotiations.

Antonio from Portugal set the tone: ANTONIO FROM PORTUGAL

No deal of this magnitude should be approved without popular consultation. This TTIP deal is a coup against our individual choices. We don’t trust those dealing in secrecy. Stop TTIP!” James in the UK laid out his concerns about the threat to public services:

JAMES FROM THE UK

My best guess and worst fear is that TTIP will benefit multinationals most, and individuals and small businesses least. In England, we are also concerned that the adoption of TTIP will mean that no UK government will be able to prevent the privatisation of the National Health Service.”

Victor in Sweden feared the erosion of labour protection. His ideal deal would be:

VICTOR FROM SWEDEN

One that doesn’t disregard European work laws to protect corporations’ interests.”

Several readers pointed out worries that a transatlantic trade deal could lead to genetically modified products entering European markets. That prospect did not please Ferenc:

FERENC FROM HUNGARY

No trade deal with GMO products.”

Free trade should be accompanied by citizens’ rights to free travel, argued Yannick in Denmark:

YANNICK FROM DENMARK

Every free-trade agreement should come with a freedom of movement agreement. Failing to do so is just plain wrong and opens the door to exploitation. We should know better in Europe.”

One contributor offering some detailed advice on what should be in a trade deal was Petr in the Czech Republic:

PETR FROM CZECH REPUBLIC

(1) Harmonize regulation on the best objective (scientific; non-political) level; (2) investment protection to reasonable degree, direct expropriation enforceable, indirect expropriation only to some degree; (3) no trade barriers; (4) carbon tax.”

MARCO FROM ITALY

Marco in Italy was one of the few to offer unbridled enthusiasm for TTIP: Can’t wait for it to be signed, it’s going to be good for the economy on both sides of the Atlantic.”

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VOTE RESULTS

Following the debate, our readers took part in a poll in order to register which of the MEP positions they most agreed with. Despite the comments clearly favouring a rejection of TTIP, the vote went overwhelmingly in favour of TTIP, supporting the Liberal Democrat position. It’s possible that critics of TTIP didn’t like any of the options put forward by the various parties, and so didn’t take part in the poll at all, preferring to vocalise their argument in the debate.

Radical Left

20%

Social Democrats

11%

Greens

14%

Liberal Democrats

37%

Centre-Right Conservatives Eurosceptics Other

7% 3% 5% 2%

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© Flickr – Michael Grubl

HOW WOULD YOU SOLVE THE EU’S REFUGEE CRISIS?

Europe is facing its biggest influx of refugees since the Second World War. Last year, over a million crossed into the EU, most escaping conflict in Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan. In the first months of 2016, over 130,000 have joined them.

A plan agreed in September 2015 for 160,000 refugees stuck in Italy and Greece to be relocated around the European Union has yet to prove effective. A new plan agreed at a March 2016 summit involves refugees arriving in Greece being sent back to Turkey. It has been blasted by aid agencies.

Can effective resettlement or relocation processes be put in place? The overall numbers in Europe are still dwarfed by those in countries like Turkey or Lebanon, but can Europe better spread the responsibility for taking in refugees?

We asked MEPs from across the political spectrum to respond to our readers, who wanted to know how they would solve Europe’s refugee crisis in as humane a way as possible.

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THE MEPS’ POSITIONS

MARTINA ANDERSON RADICAL LEFT

[…] We reject without doubt the repressive approach to immigration.

We believe that Europe has a historical duty to develop a more comprehensive and reasonable migration policy that guarantees human rights.”

CLAUDE MORAES SOCIAL DEMOCRATS

First of all, we need emergency provisions, hotspots for reception of refugees. In the medium-to-long-term, we need a permanent relocation mechanism. This is essential, because the problem will not go away.

Finally, we need to have some perspective, and understand where the EU is in global management of these crises in the future...”

JUDITH SARGENTINI GREENS

Well, we’re now doing short-term humanitarian aid, giving people that arrive in Europe shelter; but what we need to do for the long term is look at labour migration. Europe is an ageing society, and we’re surrounded by countries with very young populations. That is actually a very attractive match...”

PHILIPPE DE BACKER LIBERAL DEMOCRATS

The refugee crisis will only be solved if the root causes are being solved, and that means the instability in countries like Syria, Libya and others. So, I think that we, as a European community, really have to invest more to create peace in that region... Secondly, I think that we as Europe have to try to do our best to make sure that people fleeing from war or political refugees receive safe harbour... Thirdly, you need to have clear rules about who can enter and who cannot…”

ROBERTA METSOLA CENTRE-RIGHT

[…] I think the mistake we make is that we look at it just from one angle such as relocation or resettlement, whereas we have to see where we can help those people coming and fleeing war and death, and how are we going to help those people in those countries who have not any option but to flee, to give them the protection they need.”

TIMOTHY KIRKHOPE CONSERVATIVES

[…] It’s a mixture between having government policies in place, that actually allow people to move for legitimate reasons, or because of pressures on them. At the same time, we have make sure that whatever it is we are doing is done in a way that is seen by the world to be a display of proper respect for the people who are moving.”

LAURA FERRARA EUROSCEPTICS

[…] Europe must provide for more legal ways to access the continent, in order to avoid the illegal traffic of human beings and the death of thousands of migrants travelling unsafely. It is also important to apply the principle of solidarity set in the treaties and, in this connection, to provide for a permanent and compulsory mechanism of relocation...”

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VIEWS FROM THE PUBLIC The responses from MEPs sparked one of the biggest - and most polarized - reactions from Debating Europe readers. Many advocated a welcoming policy for refugees, but still more want to shut the door.

Eric said a cautious approach to refugee entry was needed, given Europe’s economic situation: ERIC FROM THE UK

Unemployment in Europe is at an all-time high, take the example of Italy, Spain and Greece to name only three. Where do you propose we employ all these people? There are educated graduates, engineers all over Europe without jobs. I am curious as to where these people will work.”

Europe has to act urgently to save lives, insisted Franziska:

FRANZISKA FROM GERMANY

How can you wait when thousands of refugees without home and with nothing to eat risk their lives out there? It’s winter and we all don’t want more people to die, do we? So what we have to do is help them, right away! It might take a long time until war is over in Syria no matter if we send weapons there or not – during this time, we have to save as many lives as we can!”

OLIVER FROM GERMANY

Oliver cited his direct experience with Syrian refugees to counter stereotypical views: In my village, there have been several proprietors of multi-family homes who have provided space to house refugees ... Of the refugees I am personally mentoring, one is an MD, one is a lawyer, one an engineer, one was studying economics and one is an IT specialist. And that’s very much representative for refugees from Syria.”

DUKE FROM THE UK

Duke pointed to Europe’a legal and moral obligations: Refugees are protected by international law – it is therefore our duty, as civilized people, to provide them with asylum and to intervene and make their countries safe again for them to return to.”

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VOTE RESULTS

We asked our readers, once they had finished debating, to vote for the MEP position that they most supported. Philippe de Backer’s response seems to have resonated most with our readers, as a majority voted in favour of the Liberal Democrat’s position. De Backer explicitly mentions addressing the root causes of the conflict in Syria in his response, which may be what attracted the most votes from readers.

Radical Left

10%

Social Democrats

16%

Greens

9%

Liberal Democrats

41%

Centre-Right Conservatives

7% 2%

Eurosceptics Other

14% 1%

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© Flickr – Glenn Halog

HOW WOULD YOU ENSURE THAT BANKS WON’T NEED BAILOUTS AGAIN?

European governments committed over €1.6 trillion of taxpayers’ money bailing out banks between 2008-2012. The spree has continued even since the financial crisis peaked - Portugal last year used €7.1 billion to resolve two failing banks.

This hasn’t gone down well with voters, who ask why so much money is going to the banks at a time when schools, hospitals and other services have been making cuts.

The European Union has been taking steps to prevent more bailouts.

Instead of taxpayers, the bill for failing financial institutions will be picked up by creditors, shareholders, certain bondholders and savers with deposits over €100,000 who will ‘bail in’ tottering institutions, according to rules that came into force on 1 Jan 2016.

Many of our readers are angry about bailouts paid to banks, and feel that the public was forced to subsidise the risky behaviour of the financial sector. Debating Europe asked MEPs from across the political spectrum to respond to our readers, and offer views on the way to prevent more bailouts.

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THE MEPS’ POSITIONS

FABIO DE MASI RADICAL LEFT

NEENA GILL SOCIAL DEMOCRATS

PHILIPPE LAMBERTS GREENS

[We] must separate the casino banking from the prudent banking which serves financing, investments in the real economy. So banks that speculate should speculate with their own money and we have to avoid that this has feedback loops into the core banking sector...”

[We need to] restructure, ring-fence and to try and limit the riskier elements of bank activities. So, in many instances, we are asking for greater transparency, greater reporting, greater monitoring, to ensure that we are not faced again with a similar crisis, similar situation, as we had in the last financial crisis when we had to bail out banks. I do not believe the taxpayers have an appetite to do so again.”

You have to make sure that any bank can fail without taxpayer intervention.

A number of measures have been taken, but we are still confronted by ‘toobig-to-fail’ financial institutions. We need smaller and less interconnected banks. We need reforms that include splitting investment banks from retail banks … Also, we have to make the portfolios of these banks more diverse, in order to prevent them putting all their eggs in one basket...”

SYLVIE GOULARD LIBERAL DEMOCRATS

We have been working hard for that for years. We have done our best to frame the finance, the banking activity. We have increased the capital requirements. We have created supervision by the ECB. My main concern right now is not that banks could need a bailout, it is that they might not finance enough the economy.”

GUNNAR HÖKMARK CENTRE-RIGHT

My ambition is to ensure that our banks can be competitive and capable of supporting economic growth through credit provision and investment whilst also being stable players in society… European banks must be able to finance investment if we are to return to stable growth, job creation and strengthened competitiveness.”

SANDER LOONES CONSERVATIVES

MARCO ZANNI EUROSCEPTICS

[…] We need to make sure that people’s money is safe, that we can ensure that we have a banking system that is robust... The aim should be making sure that people’s savings are secure and that the banking system can accord credit to our enterprises to grow and to create these jobs.”

Putting and an end to the ‘too-big-to-fail’ [banks] is a hard task: the financial institutions cannot be completely isolated from all external shocks.

Furthermore, there is no strong regulation for the banks’ activities, no substantial bank separation, or adequate supervision … We will continue to fight in order to change regulation measures from passive to active, so that bank activities will be regulated closely, [and] to have the separation of banks.”

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VIEWS FROM THE PUBLIC After reading through the comments from MEPs, few contributors to the debate offered much sympathy for the banks, or the idea of more bailouts.

Paulo in Portugal summed up the mood: PAULO FROM PORTUGAL

If any other company closes, there’s no bailout… the same should happen with banks ... deal (with) private banks as companies. If they close, they close and those who’ve invested in the bank lose money just as they win when their investment has a profit.”

Writing from the UK, Catherine also said the banks should be left to fend for themselves:

CATHERINE FROM THE UK

Force them to buy insurance to cover them in the event of bankruptcy or cut them off at the knees ... In fact all their assets, including liquid should be taken into public ownership.”

Yordan agreed that taxpayers should no longer be left to pick up the tab for bank failures:

YORDAN FROM BULGARIA

I think, that shareholders of the banks have to be responsible not only to collect the earnings of these institutions, but about bailouts too. Not the governments to pay the loans, but the shareholders and creditors.”

In France, Elaine wants banks to be obliged to support the economy not the other way round:

ELAINE FROM FRANCE

Instead of killing the EU middle class and the poor paying taxes, why don’t they go after the rich and control the banks? We have an economic problem here.”

Stella in Greece, however, had little hope that the situation regarding bailouts would change:

STELLA FROM GREECE

This is impossible.”

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VOTE RESULTS

After our community had debated the MEPs’ views, we asked them to vote for the position they most agreed with. Our readers leaned strongly to the political left, favouring the Radical Left, but ultimately the most votes went to the Social Democrats. While the Centre-Right were generally trusted with the economy in general, the “traditional left” were clearly seen as the most credible when it comes to issues such as tackling poverty or reigning in the behaviour of the banks.

Radical Left

20%

Social Democrats

29%

Greens

15%

Liberal Democrats

12%

Centre-Right Conservatives

7% 5%

Eurosceptics Other

10% 2%

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© Flickr – Sinn Féin

HOW WOULD YOU HELP YOUNG GRADUATES FIND JOBS?

The latest figures show 4.4 million people under 25 are without work across the European Union. That’s an improvement - 408,000 escaped the unemployment lines in 2015 - but it’s still far too high. At close to 20%, unemployment amongst the young is almost double the overall rate.

The problem is spread unevenly across Europe. In Germany, just 7.1% of under-25s are jobless, but in Croatia, Spain, and Greece the rate stands at over 40%.

Studies suggest many graduates are taking jobs for which they are over-qualified. Graduates with generalist degrees have an employment rate 19% lower than those with specialist studies that prepare them for specific careers.

Does our education system need to be retooled to ensure students are taking the right courses to prepare them for a fast-changing job market?

Should we be making a closer focus on vocational skills, training and apprenticeships?

We had comments from readers asking how to help graduates find jobs.

We put this question to MEPs from across the political spectrum.

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THE MEPS’ POSITIONS

FABIO DE MASI RADICAL LEFT

JAVI LÓPEZ SOCIAL DEMOCRATS

PHILIPPE LAMBERTS GREENS

SYLVIE GOULARD LIBERAL DEMOCRATS

MICHAELA ŠOJDROVÁ CENTRE-RIGHT

SANDER LOONES CONSERVATIVES

JANE COLLINS EUROSCEPTICS

[Investment] has decreased due to the austerity applied in Europe, so first of all we need a big public investment programme that would also crowd in private investment, and we also need to oblige companies to provide adequate training for young people.”* I am especially trying to improve the budget of the Youth Guarantee, which is the programme we have in the European Union to try and help young graduates and young people find jobs. We are spending €6 billion through this programme, especially in the countries with high levels of unemployment ...” […] Until now, we have merely funded consumption and speculation on debt without investing. We need to make our infrastructure much greener, transition to more sustainable energy, invest in restoring the quality of our ecosystems, invest in social cohesion, invest in education and invest in R&D…” The best thing that we can do for young graduates is first of all to make sure that Europe is more competitive, that we don’t have, on the one hand - as we have in France and some other countries, a very protective social model for the people inside and nothing for the people outside…”

First of all, by strengthening the right skills and competences already in the education process and curricula. Member states must ensure career orientation services work well at all levels to assist young people. The EPP believes that more flexible labour-market rules would help young people to find jobs, rather than rigid protectionism by labour laws.”

I don’t believe in big government programmes creating government jobs or subsidised jobs. What we especially need is to encourage the private sector to make sure they can create these jobs because these are more durable ... We need to make sure that is attractive again for people to start up a business and to work. Now we have too many rules, we need to simplify all the regulations that Europe and all the member states impose on entrepreneurs ...”

UKIP will guarantee employers that they cannot be sued for discrimination if they decide to favour a young unemployed British person (under the age of 25) for a job ahead of a better qualified or more experienced foreign applicant. With youth unemployment still at more than three-quarters of a million, there remains a jobs emergency for our young people. Employers who wish to back British workers and give local young people a chance on the first rung of the career ladder should not face the possible threat of legal action, as they presently do...”* * NOTE: We contacted this political group for comment but they did not reply in time for publication. This text is taken from a public statement made by this MEP

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VIEWS FROM THE PUBLIC Responding to the comments from MEPs, Geoffrey wrote in from the United States to point out that there are plenty of vacancies available despite high unemployment, but applicants often don’t have the right skill sets to fit the job market: GEOFFREY FROM THE UNITED STATES

Workforce management. What is the use having 1,000 macroeconomic students when no one wants to bake bread, fix roads, build buildings, collect trash, etc, et al.? There are a lot of jobs out there.

There’s no excuse.”

Veronica expanded on the idea of better matching education to market needs:

VERONICA FROM ITALY

Act on the education and training systems by providing people with the skills and competences to be successful in the labour market of today. Fill in the gap between school and work. Make the labour market more flexible by organising the working day according to the real working needs. Disseminate among young people the entrepreneurship culture…”

Ed suggested making it cheaper for employees to hire younger staff:

ED FROM THE UK

Lower minimum wage for jobs under 30-32 hours.”

However a reader going by the name of Politis2015 saw low wages as part of the problem: Education has become commercialized and a commodity = low wages, low-paying jobs for the highest level of educational attainment.

That is a free lunch for corporations.”

Yorgos suggested a combination of education and investment measures:

YORGOS FROM CYPRUS

There has to be a way to provide both: a) a specific type of education through most types of university schools in order to strengthen the selfemployed young graduates’ ability, and b) a subsidy that may vary, from (a little) money for ... new professionals, to large (funding) for innovative but sustainable (=promising) professional ideas.”

Writing from Germany, Gaia looked to her own experiences in adapting to opportunities on the labour market:

GAIA FROM GERMANY

As a young person looking for a job I can relate to this article. My solution was to agree to have a job below my qualification and continue to apply. The working atmosphere is great and my team kind. Being active and flexible is my solution…”

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VOTE RESULTS

Once readers had finished debating the MEP positions, they voted for which they the political group whose policies they most supported. The Greens consistently performed well in our polls whenever an issue was connected to young people, and this was again the case as they swept to victory, claiming the vast majority of reader votes.

Radical Left

8%

Social Democrats

21%

Greens

35%

Liberal Democrats

13%

Centre-Right Conservatives

10% 4%

Eurosceptics Other

6% 2%

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© Flickr – Adam Scotti

HOW WOULD YOU GET MORE YOUNG PEOPLE INVOLVED IN POLITICS?

In most EU countries, young people are the age group least likely to vote.

In the 2014 European Parliament elections, just 28% of voters in the 1824 age group made it to the polls. That compares to 51% among over55s. In not a single European country do the young turn out more than older people.

The result is a vicious circle: political parties focus on grey issues since the young are unlikely to vote for them anyway. A study in 2009, found that half the parties running in that year’s EP election failed to offer any youth-specific policies. That makes under-25s feel even more alienated from the political process Engaging young voters has been one of the most popular issues on Debating Europe, with readers arguing that it’s critical for politicians to do so. Debating Europe asked legislators from across the political spectrum in the European Parliament to respond to our readers and set down their views on the best way to counter youth apathy.

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THE MEPS’ POSITIONS

FABIO DE MASI RADICAL LEFT

[…] If basically EU politics is telling young people ‘We don’t care about your future. We don’t care about your opinion’, as they did with the Greek referendum, then people will say: “Why should I even go to vote?”

VICTOR NEGRESCU SOCIAL DEMOCRATS

[…] It’s a big objective of ours, as young politicians and young members of the European Parliament, to try to change to way we are seen and the way we do politics, because we shouldn’t lie to people, we shouldn’t pretend to use nice words only for the sake of it. We should tell people what we believe, what we think, and do as we say.”

TERRY REINTKE GREENS

[…] Voters need to really see a difference between what Social Democrats, Conservatives, Greens or Liberals are doing in the European Parliament. One of the biggest challenges for us as politicians is to create these kind of arenas and have these controversial debates, but at the same time to have a media that is covering this...”

GUY VERHOFSTADT LIBERAL DEMOCRATS

What we have to tell to young people is that a more integrated European Union can fix the economy and can create new jobs for them, for the young people, because it is unacceptable that we have an unemployment figure of 25% and even - for the youth - unemployment of more than 50% in some countries in Europe...”

ROBERTA METSOLA CENTRE-RIGHT

Get them while they are young. I think what we as politicians tend to think is that people will enter politics when they are older, when they have had their children, when they have bought their house. I think the more we look at engaging people already in senior schools, identifying what their interests are, then theoretically they should grow up a little bit more, in order to understand that the only way they can effect change is if they themselves are the vehicles of that change.”

TIMOTHY KIRKHOPE CONSERVATIVES

[…] It’s terribly important to realise that whatever is happening now, it ... future generations, young people that are growing up now, that are going to have to make those difficult decisions and they can only make those decisions if they get involved, they get interested and they know what the challenges are.”

LAURA FERRARA EUROSCEPTICS

[Apply] the principle of direct democracy through the [Internet]. The 5 Star Movement, to which I belong, is strongly committed to applying the principles of e-democracy, and the results are clear as day: we are, in Italy, the youngest political movement ever, and we are also the youngest delegation both in the national and in the European Parliament.”

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VIEWS FROM THE PUBLIC Reacting to the arguments from MEPs, readers sent in a wide range of suggestions and ideas to get young people more involved.

Writing from Canada, Dagmar looked at the recent success of 44-yearold Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in mobilizing the youth vote during his successful election campaign last year: DAGMAR FROM CANADA

The Liberals in Canada were able to drum up young people in very large numbers this time around, but they only stick around when politicians keep or regain their trust. This starts with honesty, truthfulness, openness, transparency, enabling the young, letting (go) of party politicking, backroom arrangements etc. All the dirty party plays, that parties have been known for, need to go. If parties don’t learn that lesson, a whole generation of young voters will be lost maybe forever.”

Many stressed participants the importance of politicians to be honest with the electorate, whatever their age. One was Nando from Brazil:

NANDO FROM BRAZIL

Young people, and many adults who can think, do not believe in politicians or their politics. No wonder they do not vote. It is not good, but to go and vote for people who never comply with their campaign promises is demoralizing ... Our schools do not teach anything about the power of the ballot box either.” Ángel in Spain was another who called for change in politics:

ÁNGEL FROM SPAIN

Politicians just look (after) their interests, they try to divide society.

That’s really sad, but it’s the reality. We need to change the model or better, politicians should change their attitudes. In electoral debates and campaigns they are only fighting between themselves. Where is the democratic feeling? The democratic behaviour?”

Writing from Britain, Sendi took up a similar theme:

SENDI FROM THE UK

The best way would be for politicians to be sincere, but that would never happen. Young people do not only think that their opinion or vote is insignificant, but they also mistrust the political class, and see them as elitists.”

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VOTE RESULTS

Following the debate, our community had the opportunity to cast their votes in a poll, asking them which MEP position they most agreed with. The Greens were the big winner in our poll, with the Eurosceptics claiming second place. Both groups consistently performed well in polls related to young people, and to issues of trust in politics – possibly because they are seen as being “outsiders” when it comes to mainstream politics.

Radical Left

13%

Social Democrats

15%

Greens

24%

Liberal Democrats

11%

Centre-Right

7%

Conservatives

9%

Eurosceptics Other

20% 2%

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© Flickr – Louis Vest

HOW WOULD YOU CUT CO2 EMISSIONS?

In December, representatives of almost 200 nations sealed a deal in Paris designed to commit almost the whole planet to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions blamed for global warming and stave off the impact of climate change.

Under the Paris commitments, governments agreed to limit warming to below 2C and strive to keep temperatures at 1.5C above pre-industrial levels.

There are plenty of options out there: switching to no- or low-carbon energy sources like solar or wind power, replacing coal and oil with natural gas or bio-fuels; using carbon capture to pull CO2 from the atmosphere and store it; simply planting more forests.

Then there are improvements to energy efficacies to ensure our homes, workplaces and vehicles burn less fuel; or cap and trade systems - like Europe’s ETS - that offer economic incentives to reduce emissions.

Debating Europe asked legislators from across the political spectrum in the European Parliament to respond to our readers on this issue, and spell out what they see as the best way to cut emissions.

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THE MEPS’ POSITIONS

FABIO DE MASI RADICAL LEFT

BRANDO BENIFEI SOCIAL DEMOCRATS

BENEDEK JÁVOR GREENS

PHILIPPE DE BACKER LIBERAL DEMOCRATS

BENDT BENDTSEN CENTRE-RIGHT

IAN DUNCAN CONSERVATIVES

ROGER HELMER EUROSCEPTICS

We need to completely revamp the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). It does not work. It granted too many emissions rights to large corporations and they actually made a huge profit through the trading scheme without having a tangible impact on CO2 emissions. We need a big new deal and investment programme which kickstarts renewable energy but which also transforms, for example, our public transport systems...”

We have to continue supporting policies that are more energy friendly and, also at the member state and local authority level, support those who work for energy efficiency to reduce consumption ... At the same time, we must work to ensure a global approach to tackling climate change...” […] The EU should raise and increase its ambitions on the European level and member states should do everything to cut CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions. This is also essential to keep the EU’s role as the global forerunner of climate efforts...”

First of all we have to make a very strong commitment to CO2 reduction with all EU countries. We have to have binding rules, which we have done last year. Now I think we have to find ways in order to get the broader public involved and also to make sure that energy companies all participate in the same way. So we have clear rules, it’s now up to the European Commission and the European Parliament to develop tools and regulations to make sure that we can cut CO2 emissions.”

I think it’s necessary to get new rules on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). Without that, we can’t get the system to function, so that’s very important. But, on the other hand, one of the big tools we can use to reduce CO2 emissions is energy efficiency. There are a lot of “low-hanging fruit” to lower energy consumption. At the same time, we can lower our dependency on Mr. Putin and his gas and also oil from the Middle East.”

The Emissions Trading Scheme as it stands is broken. This may be our only chance to prove to Europe and the rest of the world that emissions trading systems can work. We need to strike the right balance between protecting industry and jobs, and meeting our climate change obligations.

I don’t think those goals are mutually exclusive, but I do know that the EU ETS as it stands is not delivering either.”* The Paris agreement is a damp squib. It is little more than aspirational.

There is no implementation or enforcement mechanism. That leaves the EU competitively disadvantaged as the only area with legally-enforceable emissions obligations…”* * NOTE: We contacted this political group for comment but they did not reply in time for publication. This text is taken from a public statement made by this MEP

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VIEWS FROM THE PUBLIC In response to the MEPs arguments, Debating Europe readers produced a stream of practical ideas suggesting how they would cut CO2 emissions.

Bart from Belgium said thinking small is the best way forward: BART FROM BELGIUM

Big-scale renewables are not going to cut it. I think we should aim much, much more for local, personal renewables. Every home should have its own ways of generating power, thus cutting out the need for large-scale power transportation and power storage. It will hopefully also make people more aware of their own power consumption.”

Writing from Croatia, Rudi said some of the EU’s eastern members needed to rethink their energy policies to push the low-carbon agenda:

RUDI FROM CROATIA

Investments and research for new energy should be primary target.

Eastern EU governments don’t want, and don’t know how, to do it .

They’d rather keep and pay huge bureaucracy, which is state ownership.”

Gergő had a simple solution:

GERGŐ FROM HUNGARY

Support and use renewable resources!!!”

While Chris in Cyprus said more thought had to be given to the whole issue:

CHRIS FROM CYPRUS

This is a time for study. Why do we pollute? How do we pollute?

What alternatives are proposed for each polluting social group, if any such proposals are made? What are the positions of the (other) countries in the world? What is the risk? What are the alternatives? What can be done to lower global temperature?”

Mauro urged greater development of green technology, particularly for transport:

MAURO FROM ITALY

More investment in clean technology and renewables, electric vehicles and smart mobility, energy efficiency.”

Writing from Canada, Bulgarian citizen Vitaliy took the clean transport idea a stage further:

VITALIY FROM CANADA

Bicycle highways are a good start.”

Adrian from Romania agreed. He looked to the Netherlands for inspiration:

ADRIAN FROM ROMANIA

Do like the Dutch - go full crazy with bicycles. You cannot believe how CLEAN the streets are and how CLEAN the air is. And for long distances?

TRAINS. Trains are the future.”

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VOTE RESULTS

After the community had debated MEP views, how would they vote in our poll? Unsurprisingly, the Greens convinced the most readers in our poll, claiming a relative majority of votes for their political position.

In fact, the Greens consistently polled well among our readers when it came to environmental issues.

Radical Left

10%

Social Democrats

15%

Greens

30%

Liberal Democrats

8%

Centre-Right Conservatives

18% 5%

Eurosceptics Other

13% 3%

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© Flickr – 2nd_Order_Effect

HOW WOULD YOU CUT SOCIAL INEQUALITY?

A 2015 report from Oxfam found the European Union is home to 342 billionaires. At the same time, 123 million Europeans are living in risk of poverty - a figure representing one quarter of the EU’s population.

The number of Europeans suffering “severe material deprivation” - lacking funds to heat their homes or handle unforeseen expenses - rose by 7.5 million to 50 million people in the five years up to 2013, Oxfam said.

Not surprisingly, countries hard hit by the crisis are among those with the fastest growing inequality rates.

Ireland saw the percentage of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion rise from 23.1% to 27.6% from 2008 to 2014, according to Eurostat figures. In Spain the rise was from 23.8% to 29.2% and in Greece from 28.1% to 36%.

Many of our readers, including JM, blamed widening social inequality for the rise of Eurosceptic and anti-immigrant parties across the European Union. We took JM’s argument to MEPs from across the political spectrum, asking them how they would respond.

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THE MEPS’ POSITIONS

STELIOS KOULOGLOU RADICAL LEFT

JAVI LÓPEZ SOCIAL DEMOCRATS

TERRY REINTKE GREENS

SYLVIE GOULARD LIBERAL DEMOCRATS

MICHAELA ŠOJDROVÁ CENTRE-RIGHT

SAJJAD KARIM CONSERVATIVES

LAURA FERRARA EUROSCEPTICS

We need to find a mechanism of redistributing wealth according not only to who is the most powerful, but also who needs more. We need to do that, as well as going back to one of the founding principles of the European Union, which was the principle of social justice...” […] The face of poverty in Europe today is the face of a child.

Concretely, we are also trying to debate the possibility of starting a sort of “child guarantee programme”, which would ensure the guarantee of benefits for children.”

I would say that taxation is a very, very important policy field to tackle here. We need more coordination on a European level in order to create fiscal policies that don’t create more inequality but give the state space to manoeuvre with regards to expenditure, to fight against problems like unemployment, to invest in the economy, and to do other important things that are relevant at the moment, such as the fight against climate change...” […] The best thing … would be to get the European Commission and the member states to accept a corporate tax base throughout the European Union, because right now there is such a competition among the member states that the level of tax is decreasing for the big groups and only households and SMEs are paying their taxes. If you really want to fight against inequalities, you need to finance education, and to finance education and professional training, you need money.”

The EPP would cut social inequality by assisting families with targeted help, fighting discrimination and helping disadvantaged groups, and by ensuring level playing field conditions for all.”

[...] Unless people feel a genuine inclusion, unless people feel that they have a stake in the society, then you are never going to arrive at a point of cohesion and without that your society can never progress in the way that you would want it to.”

An easy, immediate and efficient solution to this problem is to introduce a guaranteed minimum income. It could help people who are falling into poverty and it is a real economic measure. It could increase consumption of primary goods and, therefore, could have a direct impact on Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises that could increase their profits by triggering a virtuous circle for workers and companies.”

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VIEWS FROM THE PUBLIC Responses to the MEPs from our readers were split over the idea of some sort of universal basic income, or higher minimum wages as tools to fight inequalities.

Borislav in Bulgaria had no doubt UBI could be part of the solution: BORISLAV FROM BULGARIA

Unconditional basic income with state aid for small and medium-sized enterprises.”

He received support from Portugal, where Jaime wrote:

JAIME FROM PORTUGAL

Unconditional basic income to all members of the EU. The right to have a decent life.”

Paul from the United Kingdom was sceptical:

PAUL FROM THE UK

What about the right of those who want to work hard to earn more money for their own family to keep this money, instead of subsidising those who cant be bothered getting out of bed in the morning? UBI has to come out of someone’s pocket.”

DARIN FROM MALTA

Darin in Malta suggested a “decent minimum wage to all members of the EU.” That didn’t go down to well with Marcel:

MARCEL FROM THE NETHERLANDS

A minimum wage across the whole of the EU is not really very sensible.

What you really need to do to decrease inequality is to CREATE JOBS!” Ricardo also expressed doubts about common minimum wage levels across the EU:

RICARDO FROM SPAIN

What about real income tax across the union? … Income varies widely throughout the union and this is one of the main causes of stress for a shaky monetary union. A minimum wage will mean nothing and will indeed be counterproductive with these differences. Levelling from the top is much more realistic economically.”

Writing from Finland, Tony also recommended improvements to the tax system:

TONY FROM FINLAND

Reformation of taxation is at the heart of change. When this is solved, the rest will fall into place.”

Targeting fat cats was the solution offered by Luigina in Italy:

LUIGINA FROM ITALY

By cutting all privilege benefit pensions to politicians and super-payed managers.”

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Perhaps the most fatalistic conclusion was sent in by Mateusz from Poland: You cannot cut social inequality ;) People are different and always will.

We can try to be better in every day life. That’s all.”

MATEUSZ FROM POLAND

VOTE RESULTS

When our readers had debated the MEPs’ positions, they turned to our poll to vote for the position they most agreed with. This was an issue in which left wing parties performed very strongly, with the Social Democrats topping the polls and the Radical Left coming in second.

The Centre-Right did badly, despite commanding trust more generally when it came to the economy – suggesting that many readers might believe economic growth and social equality do not necessarily go hand-in-hand.

Radical Left

19%

Social Democrats

27%

Greens

17%

Liberal Democrats

15%

Centre-Right Conservatives

6% 4%

Eurosceptics Other

10% 2%

Spring 2016

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© Flickr – Aurorion

HOW WOULD YOU MAKE EUROPE MORE GLOBALLY COMPETITIVE?

Compared to the United States and other advanced economies, the European Union under-performs in the race to build a smart, innovationbased, knowledge-driven economy.

It falls behind in all four “smart areas” identified by the EU’s Europe 2020 economic modernisation strategy. Europe has less-competitive markets; more regulatory requirements; fewer sources of finance; and is lacking the digital infrastructure and innovative capacity needed for the economy to unlock new sources of growth.

As Europe starts to emerges from the worst financial and economic crisis of the past 80 years, should it focus on strategies to boost competitiveness even at the expense of cherished labour market and welfare protection?

Is there a way to preserve the European social model while boosting the EU’s ability to do well in evermore competitive world markets?

We asked MEPs from across the political spectrum to respond to comments from several of our readers, who wanted to know how they would transform Europe’s economy into a globally competitive powerhouse.

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THE MEPS’ POSITIONS

STELIOS KOULOGLOU RADICAL LEFT

AFZAL KHAN SOCIAL DEMOCRATS

REBECCA HARMS GREENS

PHILIPPE DE BACKER LIBERAL DEMOCRATS

PETER LIESE CENTRE-RIGHT

SANDER LOONES CONSERVATIVES

ROGER HELMER EUROSCEPTICS

I believe that Europe has other advantages: culture and the sciences, and a very highly skilled workforce. So, Europe shouldn’t aim to become China by reducing our wages in order to compete that way. Instead it has to use its own advantages to combat China on a higher level...” […] We have to make sure that we remain at the forefront. The EU is the most powerful economy in the world and our strength lies in our unity, by working together. We’ve seen how the investment in Horizon 2020 develops into the research side of things (which) will help us...”

The top priority ... should be to create a green energy union (based on energy efficiency and renewable energy), to reorient our economy and to stimulate social and green innovation...”

[…] In order to keep Europe competitive, we have to invest in innovation.

So, investment in development at universities and research centres and also to make sure that we can have a lot of start-up companies. We can make sure they have appropriate finance to grow very fast and we have to integrate our markets much better...”

We can stay globally competitive if we invest in innovation and if we let entrepreneurs be creative and find new solutions. Of course labour costs are important and we shouldn’t increase them too much, but they are not the only important factor. In a competitive world, having new products that your competitors don’t have is key to being successful.”

On an international level, there’s a battle raging for the creation of jobs.

The EU and its member states should use all of their powers to attract international investments, businesses and employment. This requires ambition and realism together. Everyone who ignores the reality that the markets have become global puts himself in a weaker competitive position.”* […] It’s time to recognise that the huge discrepancy in energy prices arises from our gross over-commitment to expensive, inefficient and intermittent renewables, while our competitors rely largely on cheap coal or (potentially) cheap gas.”*

* NOTE: We contacted this political group for comment but they did not reply in time for publication. This text is taken from a public statement made by this MEP

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VIEWS FROM THE PUBLIC Inspired by the MEP contributions, our readers likewise put forward a series of concrete measures to boost European competitiveness. Among them, Pieralessio Maurizio in Italy wanted more economic freedom within the euro-zone along with: PIERALESSIO FROM ITALY

Investing in innovation, development and more political union.”

Writing from Belgium, AC also had a three-point plan for improving competitiveness:

AC FROM BELGIUM

Open minds; stopping austerity; investing in innovation and development.”

Nando in Portugal suggested Europe could do better if it adopted Germany’s model of strong, family owned medium-sized businesses:

NANDO FROM PORTUGAL

Implement an European-wide ‘mittelstand’.”

Writing in from Croatia Domagoj also focused on the importance of making life easier for smaller enterprises:

DOMAGOJ FROM CROATIA

Keep the social safety net, but get rid of 90% of bureaucracy and unnecessary laws and regulations. Force banks to extend credit for startups (maybe a mandatory percentage of all credit extended for consumption needs to go to startups and small business). Simplify tax codes, get rid of local, communal and special taxes for small business, just tax profit. Maybe even avoid taxes at all for the first 3 years for startups. That would help them bud.”

Martin emphasised the need to mobilise investments that improve the economic backbone on which business relies:

MARTIN FROM SWITZERLAND

Launch an investment program for infrastructure (logistics, energy and internet) that is financed exclusively by private equity capital. This reduces the extremely high level of debts in the system.”

From Britain, Satsuma highlighted one specific weakness that she sees holding back European competition with the United States:

SATSUMA FROM THE UK

In the US immigrants are an asset, in Europe they are hated. Without immigrants there would be no Steve Jobs and no space agency. Stop racism towards immigrants.”

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VOTE RESULTS

Having debated the issues raised by each MEP, we asked our community to vote for the group they thought provided the most credible policies on this issue. The Liberal Democrats narrowly won our poll, with the Centre-Right coming in second place, suggesting that liberal, free market policies won over the relative majority of readers.

Radical Left

11%

Social Democrats

17%

Greens

13%

Liberal Democrats

24%

Centre-Right

22%

Conservatives Eurosceptics Other

7% 4% 2%

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© Flickr - Cathrine Idsøe

HOW WOULD YOU CUT GOVERNMENT DEBT?

The debt-to-GDP ratio of euro-area countries hit 94.5% in 2014. Although it’s set to decline to 91.3% by 2017, it’s still way above the 60% target set by the treaty that underpins Europe’s economic and monetary union.

For some Eurozone members, public debt is way higher, despite years of austerity policies designed to bring order to national finances.

Greece’s 2010 bailout programme included cuts to government spending worth 7% of economic output and tax hikes equivalent to 4% of the GDP. Yet its debt-to-GDP ratio has kept on rising. It’s forecast to peak at 185% in 2016, compared to around 127% before the bailouts began.

Italy’s debt topped 132% in 2015, Portugal’s stood at 129%.

So what’s to be done? Is austerity the only way? Do governments have to increase taxes and cut government spending to reduce the deficit and debt?

Have some euro-zone countries racked up debt levels so high that they need radical solutions like restructuring, forgiveness, or mutualisation?

Should their better-off partners share some of the debt burden?

We asked MEPs to respond to a question from Tony, who wanted to know how they would cut government debt. We approached politicians from every side of the political platform for their ideas.

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THE MEPS’ POSITIONS

STELIOS KOULOGLOU RADICAL LEFT

NEENA GILL SOCIAL DEMOCRATS

TERRY REINTKE GREENS

SYLVIE GOULARD LIBERAL DEMOCRATS

MICHAELA ŠOJDROVÁ CENTRE-RIGHT

SAJJAD KARIM CONSERVATIVES

LAURA FERRARA EUROSCEPTICS

Well, you know debt is not the problem, it only became the problem because of Germany. Over the centuries, countries have always had debts and they reduced their debts by borrowing more money. Today, however, it has become a major problem because Germany has imposed its own rules of governing that have more to do with family economics than the science of economics…” […] Clearly, the way to address it is by fostering greater economic growth and so we have been looking at how we can enable more growth and more money in the real economy. The second element is clearly looking at the restructuring of some elements of public debt. I think that’s definitely needed in some places, like Greece…” […] We, as Greens, would rather look at how we can increase the income side of the equation. So, for example, when we look at a Financial Transactions Tax, or a common corporate tax base, or wealth taxation inside the EU, we are looking at ways to increase public budgets in order not to create more debt, and at the same time to have the expenditure needed to boost the economy in a sustainable way…”

Well you have the good debt and the bad debt. If you borrow money to invest in the future, to increase the levels of education, to invest in sustainable energy, then it is good for the economy, it is productive investment and then, in the future, it’s easier to reimburse your debt. What we should really stop are debts dedicated to financing old-fashioned public administrations or social security systems that have not been reformed...”

The European People’s Party would cut government debt by promoting budget responsibility and measures supporting economic growth.”

[…] We have got to make sure that all of our member states are working within agreed guidelines and limits and there can be no room … to turn a blind eye when we know that one of our member states is behaving in … a highly irresponsible manner.” […] The European currency – a de facto foreign currency – is the main reason behind the high government debt in many member states, such as Italy. If the state is free to issue its own currency with which it must repay its debts, it can always guarantee the payment of government bonds it has sold. If it cannot issue its own currency, it must procure money abroad to repay both bonds and interest. To do so, the state will have to tax citizens, cut public spending and go further into debt.”

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VIEWS FROM THE PUBLIC After MEPs had had their say, citizens weighed in on the benefits and drawbacks of the austerity model as a way to ensure tight finances and reduce debt. Many expressed doubts about the rigorous budgetary measures applied across much of the euro-zone over recent years.

From Hungary, Roderick pointed to structural problems holding pack the European economy: RODERICK FROM HUNGARY

It is partly due to excessive austerity. The US recovered much faster than Europe because there was less austerity. Also Europe has an obsolete system with excessive taxes, excessive protection for incumbents in business and labour, and rigid labour markets.”

Taking the opposite tack, Ned called for tighter measures to stop politicians from plunging their countries deeper into debt:

NED FROM THE UK

Make it illegal for any government to run up debt or even sell debt on the bond markets. This will mean they will have to live within their means and have an incentive to make the economy grow so they can fund their spending plans.”

A number of participants suggested specific measures that could help reduce debt levels. Among them, Marco stressed the importance of cracking down on abusive practices lead to higher debts:

MARCO FROM ITALY

In the short term, Europe should come together to properly address the problem of tax evasion. If large companies and fortunes would actually pay the taxes they are due, like everyone else, we would not have the budget deficits that lead to ever-,increasing debts, or the competitive disadvantages that lead to increasing inequalities. We don’t need new taxes, just that everyone pay their fair share.”

Calin in Poland agreed:

CALIN FROM POLAND

Businesses avoid to pay taxes, being in the black market and protected by local government and authorities including politicians. I see illegitimate debt due to corruption and abusive interest is against democracy.”

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VOTE RESULTS

Following the discussion on the MEP contributions, we asked readers to take part in a poll, voting for the policy positions they most agreed with.

Interestingly, the Social Democrats gathered the most support among our readers, with the Centre-Right in second place. Both groups have very different approaches to austerity and debt, suggesting that opinion is broadly divided among our readers.

Radical Left

15%

Social Democrats

22%

Greens

11%

Liberal Democrats

17%

Centre-Right

19%

Conservatives

6%

Eurosceptics Other

9% 2%

Spring 2016

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© Flickr - Activ Solar

HOW WOULD YOU GROW EUROPE’S ECONOMY SUSTAINABLY?

“Europe is the best place to grow a sustainable and environmentallyfriendly business,” European Commission Vice-President Jyrki Katainen said recently. “If we can be more resource efficient and reduce our dependency on scarce raw materials, we can develop a competitive edge.”

The European Union is seeking to encourage sustainable growth that generates prosperity, without destroying natural resources, pushing up global temperatures, or harming the environment.

Environment and energy efficiency-linked jobs in the EU experienced a 20% rise between 2007 and 2011, despite the recession. It’s estimated good environmental practices can boost total employment by 30% up to 2030.

Are the fundamental changes in production and consumption needed to reduce pressure on the environment too costly as Europe struggles to emerge from such a long economic downturn?

We had a comment from Marcel, who believes that economic growth and environmental sustainability are mutually exclusive. To get a reaction, we approached MEPs from all sides of the political divide.

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THE MEPS’ POSITIONS

STELIOS KOULOGLOU RADICAL LEFT

KATHLEEN VAN BREMPT SOCIAL DEMOCRATS

BENEDEK JÁVOR GREENS

CECILIA WIKSTRÖM LIBERAL DEMOCRATS

PETER LIESE CENTRE-RIGHT

MAREK GRÓBARCZYK CONSERVATIVES

ROGER HELMER EUROSCEPTICS

[…] If we promote these kinds of alternative sources of energy, then we can produce new opportunities for people to work at the same time as preserving the environment. In fact, there are countries that have already done this, such as Denmark, which prove that you can have economic growth and protect the environment at the same time.”

There is no contradiction between growth and sustainability. The EU 20/20/20 policy delivered quite well. We will manage to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions in the EU by more than 20% by 2020, achieving this while the European economy has grown by 45% since 1990...”* We need massive investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency in order to boost Europe’s green economy … I’m completely convinced that sustainability and economic prosperity are not in conflict with one another. The only way to sustain the wealth of the continent is to turn our economy into a low-carbon, very efficient economy, particularly as Europe has few natural resources...”

There is a big challenge ahead of us in order to make the shift from where we are today to a green economy. We need to invest huge amounts into the green sustainable sector so that we can phase out things like petrol-powered automobiles … It will cost a lot of effort, money, and investment. I think we should have done a lot already and if we wait too long it will be too late...”

I think it’s possible to achieve both, because we have the technology available to produce goods and services with less energy. I think energy efficiency is a key point, and it would create jobs. The money that is now being sent to the oil producers in Saudi Arabia and to Mr. Putin could instead be spent on the European economy, which would serve both the environment and economic growth.”

EU climate policy has in the past been too confrontational with industry – emissions reduction has come at the expense of competitiveness.

Proposed safeguards to help firms and investment from being forced to move abroad are particularly welcome...”* We should remember that there is still a great deal of uncertainty about theory. It is not clear that the rise in atmospheric CO2 is anthropogenic, or that atmospheric CO2 has anything like the effects postulated by the IPCC. Nor is it clear that the climate policies we are pursuing will have any material affect on levels of atmospheric CO2, or indeed on the climate...”* * NOTE: We contacted this political group for comment but they did not reply in time for publication. This text is taken from a public statement made by this MEP

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VIEWS FROM THE PUBLIC Among the replies from the public, were many suggestions on how Europe can pursue growth in a sustainable manner.

One was from Julia in Cyprus: JULIA FROM CYPRUS

Oil and gas obviously causes damage to the earth, harmful and toxic emissions, blackmail from producers, lobbying from suppliers, subsidies in the billions from taxpayers money and wars over pipelines. It’s time to put people and sustainability at the heart of the EU. Boost the economy by using taxpayers oil subsidy money for a universal income, green energy and green jobs instead.”

Larry in Ireland agreed on the need for more green investments:

LARRY FROM IRELAND

Modernising infrastructure with technology can also cut down much of the power waste, subsequently emissions. Incentives for development and integration of smart technologies could go a long way to help.”

Mobilising the public participation was the way ahead highlighted by Hugo:

HUGO FROM PORTUGAL

The only way I could see this going is that if we really followed through with the digital revolution. A social network to volunteer in projects, in urban and rural communities accompanied with a global open source research on the projects one should participate to live sustainably.”

For Stefania from Italy changes to the economic system are needed to ensure growth that is truly sustainable:

STEFANIA FROM ITALY

To grow in a sustainably way, what we need first of all is a public central bank that provides finance without speculating, then a good, HONEST policy that supports projects and the realisation of good ideas for the wellbeing of people and the environment.”

The need for change was was also taken up by Georgios in Greece:

GEORGIOS FROM GREECE

The EU is wealthy enough to sustain a good life for every European citizen.Tales of growth are used only to hide the policies of unfair distribution of wealth that causes poverty and all related problems.”

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VOTE RESULTS

Based on the debate, our community decided which MEP position they most supported, and they had a chance to vote for that position in our poll. When it comes to growing the economy in an environmentallysustainable way, our readers clearly believed the Greens were the best placed. This is consistent with our other polls, showing that the Greens are most trusted by our readers when it comes to the environment.

Radical Left

6%

Social Democrats

17%

Greens

38%

Liberal Democrats

13%

Centre-Right

11%

Conservatives Eurosceptics Other

9% 4% 2%

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© Flickr – Sr. X

HOW WOULD YOU PREVENT ANOTHER TERRORIST ATTACK IN EUROPE?

After the recent attacks in Paris and Brussels, security experts have been warning of a “new normal” of terror, with the threat of shootings and bombings forcing Europeans to adapt their lives to intrusive security measures, disruption and the worry that their city could be the next target.

Paris showed the capacity of ultra-violent groups such as ISIS to wreak carnage on the streets of Europe, striking at the media, shoppers, concert goers, football fans, and young people out for a Friday night drink.

Should Europe focus on security crackdowns, immigration restrictions, increased surveillance and beefing up the military response?

We had thousands of comments on this topic, but one of the most pointed came from Ljubomir, asking simply: “What are you going to do to prevent such attacks in the future?”

Debating Europe asked legislators from across the political spectrum in the European Parliament respond to Ljubomir, setting down their views on the best way to counter the terror threat.

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THE MEPS’ POSITIONS

TANIA GONZÁLEZ PEÑAS RADICAL LEFT

The EU’s deliberate strategy in the fight against terrorism is the restriction of democratic freedoms and individual liberties, based on a false dichotomy between freedom and security…”*

JEPPE KOFOD SOCIAL DEMOCRATS

First of all, we need to ensure that we have strong cooperation in Europe between police and national intelligence agencies, and at the European level with Europol… Secondly, Islamic State and other terrorist groups [need] to be defeated and dismantled… Finally, citizens and authorities need to work together to keep an eye on whether there’s radicalisation in our society, and to report it...”

REBECCA HARMS GREENS

Terrorism and asymmetric attacks against free and democratic societies are a real threat for those societies. There are ways to protect ourselves better. We could have better cooperation between police agencies. We could do more to prosecute or monitor people who belong to, or are associated with, terror networks...”

CECILIA WIKSTRÖM LIBERAL DEMOCRATS

Well, the main duty for any government is to make sure that citizens are safe, and they can rest assured that the government is taking the appropriate measures to ensure security and stability. [But] I don’t like that we mix up refugees with the question of terrorism, because people who are fleeing from wars and persecution are just people like you are me...”

MANFRED WEBER CENTRE-RIGHT

ANNA FOTYGA CONSERVATIVES

MIKE HOOKEM EUROSCEPTICS

We need to act calmly but also be decisive in our actions. We need an agreement on PNR (Passenger Name Record), but we also need a review of the EU Data Protection Directive. We need EU data storage legislation and we need to stop the funding of terrorism...”* The most important thing is tightened cooperation, sharing of information and tightened procedures. What troubles me still is the attempt to speak, here in the Parliament and in other institutions, in terms of political correctness in a situation of really very difficult security challenges...”

There is never a simple answer to avoiding a terrorist attack as we saw in Paris but we have to have a series of combined solutions including a properly funded military and security services, and the ability to know who is in our country. We know from Paris that some of the murderers came into Europe by disguising themselves as refugees, taking advantage of the non-existent border checks in Greece and Italy…”

* NOTE: We contacted this political group for comment but they did not reply in time for publication. This text is taken from a public statement made by this MEP

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VIEWS FROM THE PUBLIC After the MEPs had set out their arguments, thousands of people followed the subsequent debate, with almost one hundred people participating directly by writing in to give their views on the best way to reduce the terrorist threat.

They ranged from appeals for pacifism and an end to Western intervention in the Middle East, to calls for a tougher military response against ISIS and a crackdown on migration.

José in Spain was one who thought Western military action is making things worse: JOSÉ FROM SPAIN

Terrorism is created by ... Western countries to destroy and to exploit oil from Middle East countries. Stop bombing Syria.”

Among readers taking a different line was Dimitris in Austria:

DIMITRIS FROM AUSTRIA

Intervene with [the] military and stabilise the Syrian region. Then people will have a reason to stay there! They deserve democracy. Assad is dangerous as well as ISIS.” Offering some practical advice, Andrej in Belgium suggested Europe should follow the example of the U.S. National Security Agency as part of a campaign of toughening up the internal response to terrorism:

ANDREJ FROM BELGIUM

Only by means of a massive surveillance campaign (a European version of the NSA) can we be effective in preventing both the recruitment of potential terrorists and the planning of attacks. Data protection and privacy should be ALWAYS subordinated to public security. The second step is repression: I would suggest an iron-fist policy exactly like in Israel.

Terrorists should live in total terror.”

Dobromir from Bulgaria provided one specific area where increased surveillance could be effective:

DOBROMIR FROM BULGARIA

We should trace all money transfers, and the secret services should investigate who is sending the money, who is receiving and for what purpose. Money can be used to recruit people for criminal activities such as terrorism.”

Writing from Italy, Mario was one of several participants who said action was needed to prevent terrorists slipping in among migrants heading to Europe.

MARIO FROM ITALY

To prevent attacks by Islamic terrorists, you must block the influx of illegal immigrants, to restore the frontiers and related controls. Other than Schengen !!!!”

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VOTE RESULTS

After debating the arguments put forward by the MEPs, our readers had the opportunity to vote in a poll for the MEP position they most agreed with. Despite the fact that our readers lean strongly to the left of the political spectrum in general, it was interesting to note that a relative majority trusted the Centre-Right as the most likely to protect Europe from the threat of terrorism.

Radical Left

5%

Social Democrats

22%

Greens

16%

Liberal Democrats

11%

Centre-Right

30%

Conservatives Eurosceptics Other

8% 5% 3%

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Š Flickr – Manuel Gordiani

HOW WOULD YOU RESTORE TRUST IN POLITICS?

Turnout in national parliamentary elections in European Union countries averaged 83% between 1945 and 2002. However, the average has been falling, and for the most recent parliamentary votes in the 28 member states it was just 67% In nine EU members, less than 60% of registered voters turned out to cast their vote.

Things are even worse in European Parliament elections, where just 42.5% voted - ranging from 89.6% in Belgium (where voting is a legal obligation) to 13.1% in Slovakia.

The latest Eurobarometer poll found just 31% of EU citizens trust their national governments or parliaments, while only 16% expressed trust in political parties.

Will the emergence of major new parties in several EU countries rekindle public confidence? Or does the increasing fragmentation of politics set the scene for weak government and greater dissatisfaction?

We started the debate with a comment from Alex, who said politicians had lost the public trust. We asked MEPs from across the political spectrum to respond, putting forward ideas on how they would win back public trust.

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THE MEPS’ POSITIONS

GABI ZIMMER RADICAL LEFT

JEPPE KOFOD SOCIAL DEMOCRATS

The EU destroys the trust of its citizens by ignoring their concerns and expectations and representing mainly the interests of banks and corporations. Only a democratic EU dedicated to growth, employment and fair living standards can counter the appeal of these racist parties masquerading as defenders of the rights of ordinary citizens.”* First of all, on the European level they can start with real cooperation, with all 28 member states solving common problems together… Then people will see that their politicians can solve problems instead of creating more problems…”

JUDITH SARGENTINI GREENS

The only thing I can do is do my job as well as I can, be transparent in what I do, and show citizens that it’s a difficult decision-making process.

It’s not ‘black and white’, it’s not ‘right or wrong’, there is a lot of grey, and there are a lot of ethical decisions you have to think through and then try to make the right decision…”

HILDE VAUTMANS LIBERAL DEMOCRATS

[…] I think Europe talks a lot, but I think to gain the trust of the people, Europe has to show action. I think we have to show that we are capable of preventing young people from [falling victim to] radicalisation, that we can protect people against terrorist attacks, that we have to make sure that we can really fight the crises about migrants and asylum in Europe.”

DANUTA HÜBNER CENTRE-RIGHT

ANNA FOTYGA CONSERVATIVES

NIGEL FARAGE EUROSCEPTICS

We see – at national level – an increasing number of governments that are unable to think in a pro-European way or act in a pro-European way… Even some mainstream parties have elements of populism and some relation to extremists parties. [Political radicalisation] is generating fear and people feel threatened. And lack of trust in leaders is fuelled by radicalisation. This is a big threat to European liberal democracy.”* I think it’s maybe not for political groups, it’s for individual politicians.

First of all we have to stay honest in personal terms, true to what we speak publicly and what we do privately. For example, I’m a Polish politician, so it is also extremely important to assure people that I care for them, for Polish considerations, that I’m close to my constituents. I think that’s very true for any politician, especially at the European level…”

This EU faces an existential crisis, indeed there is an outbreak of a contagious disease… In my own country, despite decades of our political establishment denying its existence, a recent opinion poll showed that sufferers may now be actually in a majority… the disease is called democracy and people want to have a say on their future.”* * NOTE: We contacted this political group for comment but they did not reply in time for publication. This text is taken from a public statement made by this MEP

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VIEWS FROM THE PUBLIC In response to MEPs, Debating Europe participants provided the politicians with a lengthy to-do list.

Tobias in Germany had a number of ideas: TOBIAS FROM GERMANY

Solve the current crisis, stop the war for resources, introduce direct democracy beginning in small communities, fix the unfair taxation (aka introduce more taxes for the super-rich and enforce them internationally), end corruption by making government work more transparently, etc. So much to do!”

Several respondents said rooting out corruption would go some way to rebuilding public trust, among them Vlasta from Croatia:

VLASTA FROM CROATIA

All varieties of corruption are very deeply rooted in all levels of politics - from the local to the national. Power to the people!”

Reduced incomes will make politicians better people, said Tina:

TINA FROM THE UK

Give lower wage, then only people who care [will] become MPs.” Writing from France, Olivier said traditional parties needed to change tack before they win back his vote:

OLIVIER FROM FRANCE

If they start doing the job for what they are paid instead of thinking to themselves, if they care about the people’s good: safety, employment, less taxation … then I’ll start to reconsider my vote to the National Front, the so-called extreme right.”

Joseph in the UK suggested Brexit would be a step in the right direction:

JOSEPH FROM THE UK

Start by dismantling the EU and returning power to national parliaments.”

Delyan agreed that trust could be built up over time, provided politicians don’t spoil it:

DELYAN FROM BULGARIA

Trust in politics is no different than other trust, it takes time and actions of trust with no space for screw up.”

Urvàtatnara concluded that politicians need better PR. His solution:

URVÀTATNARA FROM BANGLADESH

Getting better publics relations managers and ignoring the corporate lobbyists.”

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VOTE RESULTS

After the debate, our readers voted for the MEP position they most agreed with. The Greens and the Eurosceptics were tied in our poll, with readers voting for each in equal numbers. Both groups did well whenever issues revolving around trust or young people were brought up, possibly because they are seen as being outside the mainstream.

Radical Left

14%

Social Democrats

9%

Greens

19%

Liberal Democrats

16%

Centre-Right Conservatives

12% 7%

Eurosceptics Other

18% 5%

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FINAL VOTE RESULTS Throughout the debate series, we ask readers to see what the different MEPs have to say, then vote at the bottom of each debate for the policies they most agree with.

The results of all these polls are tallied up into an overall result, which you can see on this page. This is just a snapshot of the final poll, after over 16,000 people have engaged with the debates. We intend to keep running the poll, and allowing readers to vote and express their opinions as the series continues.

Radical Left

14%

Social Democrats

17%

Greens

19%

Liberal Democrats

22%

Centre-Right

Conservatives

12%

5%

Eurosceptics

Other

9%

2%

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VOTE ANALYSIS

After 12 debates and over 16,000 unique users, the result of the overall poll shows our readers lean strongly to the left of European politics. The Green, Social Democrat, and Radical Left ideologies all polled consistently strongly throughout. However, the more centrist Liberal Democrat policies ultimately attracted the most support overall, topping our aggregated poll.

Surprisingly, the Eurosceptic position attracted less than 10% of the overall vote (though Eurosceptics did very well on the issue of restoring trust in politics, as well as on the question of getting more young people involved in politics). Eurosceptics have been riding a wave of popular support across Europe, but the results suggest that our readers are largely pro-European.

In general, the Centre-Right views were much more likely to be trusted on traditional “big issues� such as security and the economy, while the Green ideology was seen as having the strongest answers on the environment and on youth unemployment.

In terms of cutting government debt, the results were surprisingly close; the Social Democrat position came in first, but the Centre-Right was just behind them. However, the Social Democrat approach was seen as most likely to cut social inequality, and was the most-supported when it came to reforming the banking sector.

The overall winners was the Liberal Democrat position, which was seen as the most likely to make Europe more globally competitive, and was by a wide margin the most-supported on the refugee crisis, as well as on the TTIP trade deal with the U.S.

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