United for Jobs

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UNITED FOR JOBS UNITED FOR JOBS UNITED FOR JOBS

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Over the last few years, the Party of European Socialists (PES) has become a key actor in shaping strong, progressive European politics. Together with our members, the Socialist, Social Democratic and Labour Parties of the European Union, we have been fighting for a different Europe that works for its citizens.

Our vision is of a Europe of solidarity. A Europe of growth and jobs. A green Europe and a Europe of equality and rights. We are fighting every day against the austerity policies that are trying to dismantle our welfare states, and putting millions of European men and women into unemployment. We are fighting against policies of social exclusion and discrimination.

I am proud to say that thanks to our parties, to our governments, to our parliamentarians, and to all our activists and citizens who have stood by our side, we have made a real difference. In this short publication, I am happy to present some of our achievements. With this, I want to thank all the Europeans who, through their support, have made this possible, and to encourage each and every one of you to keep up the fight.

Sergei Stanishev PES President

UNITED FOR JOBS INTRODUCTION BY SERGEI STANISHEV UNITED FOR JOBS

UNITED FOR JOBS WHAT WE STAND FOR UNITED FOR JOBS More Jobs, Better Jobs, Fairer Jobs Austerity in Europe did not work and unemployment and poverty rates remain dramatically high in the EU. This is why the PES fights for a change in Europe. We strongly believe Europeans, women and men, must have decent jobs that allow good quality of life.

As the European Union faces the consequences of the economic crisis, more than 5.5 million young people are without a job and often without hope. In some countries, one out of two people under 25 cannot find a job. The PES prioritizes the fight against youth unemployment. On the initiative of a joint campaign by PES Women, YES (Young European Socialists) and the PES, the EU endorsed

a European Youth Guarantee in 2013. Backed by a funding of 6 billion Euro, the Youth Guarantee will ensure that every young person in Europe under 25 is offered a job, further education or work-focused training at the latest four months after leaving education or after becoming unemployed. We will continue the fight for an effective youth guarantee including increased funding.

We are restless in our fight to overcome inequalities, to reduce unemployment and the number of working poor. We are committed to introducing decent minimum wages across Europe.

We successfully pushed for

a better assessment of the impact that employment and social policies would have in Europe, to prevent that fiscal measures aggravate the situations in Member States. We will continue to insist on putting employment and social matters at the centre of European policies, reinforcing Trade Union rights, social dialogue, and anti-discrimination legislation, in order to deliver more decent jobs and more social justice across Europe, as outlined in the PES Ministers for Social Affairs and Employment’s declaration ‘Towards a Social Union’.

We are fighting to put an end to social dumping, by ending the practice of exploiting workers and

precarious contracts. At the same time, we defend the fundamental right of freedom of movement, which must go hand-in-hand with the equal treatment of all workers.

PES Ministers for Social Affairs and Employment have also outlined our proposals to close the existing loopholes that lead to abuses in the declaration ‘For a fair workers’ mobility in Europe’.

UNITED FOR JOBS WHAT WE STAND FOR UNITED FOR JOBS Bringing Back Growth The PES has spearheaded the fight to overhaul the austerity-only approach to the economy. The European Investment Plan was an important first step to get investment back in the agenda.

We are fighting for more flexibility in pursuing investment and responsible fiscal policies. Member States must have breathing space for their public finances, and allow for the implementation of socially fair and progressive policies.

We have also set the frame for the development of a new European industrial policy and

re-industrialisation programme to create sustainable, decent and skilled jobs for women and men, building on the opportunities of the digital and green economy.

To create jobs and relaunch the economy, we will prioritize innovation, research, training and a smart reindustrialization policy.

calling for a re-balancing of the development of the Internal Market, the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) and complementing the fiscal surveillance with a clear social progress and social awareness. We aim at closing the gaps and divergences between and within Member States.

In March 2015, the PES Fair Growth Conference outlined an investment strategy to foster job creation and poverty reduction through economic growth. We have clearly highlighted the need for renewed growth to benefit all Europeans,

The PES has been highlighting the need for true socioeconomic governance in the EMU. The EU is a real Social Union as much as it is an Economic Union : economic freedoms should not outweigh social rights. The

introduction of a strong social union as a concrete EMU pillar which lays down the conditions for effectively sustaining the European Social Model, has been one of our key demands. We have been advocating for the creation of a fair fiscal union that can promote the implementation of progressive fiscal policies that allow for speedy economic recovery, while effectively working towards closing the gap between Member States.

UNITED FOR JOBS WHAT WE STAND FOR UNITED FOR JOBS Economy & Finance The financial crisis of 2008 exposed the shortcomings of European governance and the flaws in the EMU’s economic policy.

High and rising unemployment, sluggish economic growth, high public debts and deficits have become Europe’s greatest challenges. The conservatives pushed austerity, overhauling social expenditure, and export-led growth as the path out of the crisis.

This has failed. As our family grows stronger, the PES is increasingly shifting the focus from austerity-only policies to investment-led growth.

The PES has been engaged since the onset of the crisis in regulating the financial markets, curbing financial speculation, capping bankers’ bonuses, defining an ambitious economic strategy to return to growth and jobs while tackling the issue of public debt.

We have campaigned to curb the power of credit rating agencies, calling for an accountable and transparent European Credit Rating Agency. The PES has brought investment back to the agenda. The European Investment plan is an important step to effectively counter the effects of the crisis and foster economic and social progress.

We want to put in place a real coordination of the economic and fiscal policies in the Eurozone to answer today’s social challenges not only based on the principles of financial and budgetary responsibility but also on the principles of economic and social convergence.

The PES has been at the forefront of the fight against tax evasion and tax avoidance and has been calling for a fair and progressive reform of the tax systems.

The PES campaigned strongly in favour of the Financial Transaction Tax. We worked on the development of Green and Corporate Taxation, the implementation of progressive tax on high income and wealth as key elements towards a fair, equal and redistributive tax system.

UNITED FOR JOBS WHAT WE STAND FOR UNITED FOR JOBS Environment The PES stands for a sustainable, energy-efficient and environmentally-aware European Union.

We support clean technology and environmentally friendly production. For years it has been our goal to combat the effects of climate change and transform the European economy into a modern, knowledge-based, low-carbon, resource efficient economy that is prepared for the challenges of the 21st century.

We want the EU to regain global leadership on these vital issues.

As we approach the 2020 deadline, we will support further binding targets on the reduction of carbon emissions, the increased use of renewable energy and improved energy efficiency.

These positions have been building blocks in the PES’ Common Manifesto during the 2014 European Parliament elections.

The PES will continue to work towards achieving these goals on all European, national, and regional levels.

Energy In the PES Environment Network and the PES Energy Ministerial the PES works to ensure that energy poverty, consumer protection and energy efficiency are addressed effectively in all relevant EU legislation. The PES is committed to increase the use of renewable energy and improve energy efficiency to decarbonise our economies. We want to help citizens to reduce their energy bills and their ecological footprint, and guarantee minimum access to energy for everyone.

The PES endorsed the creation of a comprehensive Energy Union as the framework to master this energy transition, and also as a tool to secure the provision of clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy for European consumers and businesses.

UNITED FOR JOBS WHAT WE STAND FOR UNITED FOR JOBS Gender Equality In order to ensure the maximum impact of our work toward gender equality, the PES follows a twin track. First, through the activities, campaigns, and policies of PES Women which brings together women – MPs, MEPs and activists – from PES member parties. At the same time, gender issues are mainstreamed in all of the PES policy work and activities. The PES and PES Women strive for equal representation in PES bodies and supports the increase of women in decision-making in PES member parties and governments. This has led to an even stronger gender dimension in the PES Statutes, and increased representation of women in the PES Member Parties electoral lists. PES Women has led a series of strong campaigns, including on the gender dimension of the PES

European Youth Guarantee campaign. In view of the European Elections, the gender equality dimension of campaign themes and reaching out to women voters.

While the main focus was on the campaign ‘Equal Pay, it’s about time’, PES Women also campaigned on combating Violence against Women and under the slogan ‘My Body, My Rights’ to ensure Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights across Europe for all women.

We continue our forward looking work in the context of the 2015 celebration of 20 years of the Beijing Platform for Action and with intensified work on the issue of maternity leave, the EU gender equality strategy and Women’s Rights in international and development issues.

Changing Europe Together These great achievements would not be possible without the great collaboration with our members and partners. That spirit of collaboration, of sharing, and the sense that we are part of common effort forms the core of our motivation and our work.

Collaboration with our parties : to exchange on policy priorities, shared visions, and to develop together – through thematic policy network – the forward looking policies that help change Europe.

Collaboration with our governments : the PES convenes on a regular basis our Prime Ministers and Heads of State, as well as our Ministers to foster coordination and support. Over the last years, tens of such meetings have been organised. They help

ensure that our ministers and leaders carry forward strong progressive policies, and that they form a strong team, able to influence the agenda positively, even when in a minority.

Collaboration with our partners : the PES has a long standing tradition of openness and dialogue.

Not only are key partners from civil society and Trade Unions regularly invited to our networks. But all our key political documents have also been based on thorough consultation processes with these partners, including the PES Fundamental Programme and the Common PES Manifesto for the European Elections.

UNITED FOR JOBS WHAT WE STAND FOR UNITED FOR JOBS Ever Growing Cooperation The PES is a dynamic movement with a broad vision. For years now, we have been steadily expanding our areas of cooperation and promoted our progressive ideas on key topics such as education, culture, justice, home affairs and competitiveness.

Our positions and calls for universal access to education, higher investments in culture and research, fair justice for all and the freedom of movement for EU citizens have been formulated in several documents including the PES Common Manifesto for the last European Elections.

The PES is also striving to promote a progressive understanding of key policies, on reforms, competitiveness and growth. An understanding that is not based on a race to the bottom, but on social progress, on fairness, on quality working condition, on the quality, innovativeness and the environmental footprint of European products.

In the near future, the PES will further deepen its efforts in these important fields by strengthening the cooperation of progressives.

Our aim is to have our social‑ democratic ideals reflected at all levels and contribute to making these goals a reality for citizens.

Follow us on www.facebook.com/pes.pse and www.twitter.com/pes_pse. If you have any questions please visit us on www.pes.eu or contact us info@pes.eu.

Party of European Socialists (PES) Rue du Trône 98 1050 Brussels T +32 2 548 90 80 F +32 2 230 17 66 info@pes.eu AISBL-BBCE-Nº0897.208.032 This publication received the financial support of the European Parliament. Sole liability rests with the author and the European Parliament is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.

June 2015

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