Doc. 12869

1 February 2012

Mass-unemployment as a systemic threat for the future of Europe, democracy and human rights

Motion for a resolution

presented by Mr GROSS and others

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only the members who have signed it

In more than five Council of Europe member States, more than one third of all the young men and women under the age of 25, although they have finished school, studies or another vocational training, are without any employment. They are desperate. Their chance to find a satisfactory job in the coming months is very small.

This situation is a “sleeping” bomb. Because what our societies do to these young people expectations and because their future is violence, their chances in life are limited. These young people will never accept this situation forever. Furthermore, this violence undermines all our values. When a democracy cannot guarantee a decent future to so many young people, they will lose their belief and their confidence in democracy and will look for other ways to defend their interests.

That is why the Parliamentary Assembly should elaborate a report analysing the size of the existential difficulties of the young people in the Council of Europe’s member States, exploring their causes and consequences, and developing propositions on ways to overcome them.

Signed (see overleaf)

Signed 1:

GROSS Andreas, Switzerland, SOC

BACKMAN Þuriður, Iceland, UEL

BADEA Viorel Riceard, Romania, EPP/CD

CONNARTY Michael, United Kingdom, SOC

DÍAZ TEJERA Arcadio, Spain, SOC

DOBBIN Jim, United Kingdom, SOC

ERR Lydie, Luxembourg, SOC

HUOVINEN Susanna, Finland, SOC

KOX Tiny, Netherlands, UEL

KYRIAKIDOU Athina, Cyprus, SOC

MARCENARO Pietro, Italy, SOC

MAURY PASQUIER Liliane, Switzerland, SOC

MEALE Alan, United Kingdom, SOC

MOGHERINI REBESANI Federica, Italy, SOC

OHLSSON Carina, Sweden, SOC

PAPADIMOULIS Dimitrios, Greece, UEL

PRESCOTT John, United Kingdom, SOC

SHERIDAN Jim, United Kingdom, SOC

SLUTSKY Leonid, Russian Federation, SOC

STAVROSITU Maria, Romania, EPP/CD

von SYDOW Björn, Sweden, SOC

TOMLINSON John E., United Kingdom, SOC

TOSHEV Latchezar, Bulgaria, EPP/CD

1        EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party

      SOC: Socialist Group

      ALDE: Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe

      EDG: European Democratic Group

      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left

      NR: not registered in a group