Doc. 9975

13 October 2003

The need to find lasting solutions to reducing unemployment in Europe

Motion for a resolution

presented by Mr Högmark and others

1.       One of the major consequences of the current slowdown in the European, and world, economy is a preoccupying rise in unemployment, sometimes from already high levels and with often dramatic implications for those affected or menaced by joblessness, especially women and young people.

2.       Unlike in earlier times of high unemployment, Keynesian fiscal expansion is practically precluded today due to high national debt – or by the constraints for countries in the European Union’s Economic and Monetary Union imposed by the Stability and Growth Pact. It is therefore high time for Council of Europe member states to identify and address in an unprejudiced manner the fundamental reasons behind current high unemployment – not least in the light of the Assembly’s last major stock-taking and recommendations on the subject, as contained in its Resolution 1098 (1996) on “Unemployment in Europe: causes and remedies”. Europe’s political stability and social cohesion will depend on the solutions found.

Signed ¹:

Högmark, Sweden, EPP/CD

Aguiar, Portugal, EPP/CD

Akçam, Turkey, EPP/CD

Anttila, Finland, LDR

Ateş, Turkey, SOC

Azzolini, Italy, EPP/CD

Bargholtz, Sweden, LDR

Baška, Slovakia, SOC

Bauer, Slovakia, EPP/CD

Bušič, Croatia, EPP/CD

Çavuşoğlu, Turkey, EDG

Coifan, Romania, LDR

Cosarciuc, Moldova, LDR

Dalgaard, Denmark, EDG

Deittert, Germany, EPP/CD

Dimić, Serbia and Montenegro, LDR

Dromberg, Finland, EPP/CD

Duka-Zólyomi, Slovakia, EPP/CD

Ekes, Hungary, EPP/CD

Eörsi, Hungary, LDR

Fehr, Switzerland, LDR

Figel, Slovakia, EPP/CD

Frey, Switzerland, LDR

Gaburro, Italy, EPP/CD

Götz, Germany, EPP/CD

Guardans, Spain, LDR

Gunnarsson, Iceland, LDR

Hancock, United Kingdom, LDR

Haupert, Luxembourg, EPP/CD

Høie, Norway, EPP/CD

Hooper, United Kingdom, EDG

Jařab, Czech Republic, LDR

Kelemen, Hungary, EPP/CD

Kelemen, Romania, EPP/CD

Kocharyan, Armenia, LDR

Martínez Casañ, Spain, EPP/CD

Mas Torres, Andorra, EPP/CD

Melčák, Czech Republic, SOC

Mercan, Turkey, EPP/CD

Milotinova, Bulgaria, LDR

Mincevič, Lithuania, EPP/CD

Patarkalishvili, Georgia, EPP/CD

Pavlidis, Greece, EPP/CD

Pourgourides, Cyprus, EPP/CD

Rauber, Germany, EPP/CD

Russell-Johnston, United Kingdom, LDR

Sasi, Finland, EPP/CD

Scherini, Italy, EPP/CD

Seyidov , Azerbaijan, EDG

Surján, Hungary, EPP/CD

Szalay, Hungary, LDR

Tekelіoğlu, Turkey, EPP/CD

Toshev, Bulgaria, EPP/CD

Van den Brande, Belgium, EPP/CD

Westerberg, Sweden, EPP/CD

Wielowieyski, Poland, EPP/CD

Zapfl-Helbling, Switzerland, EPP/CD

¹        SOC: Socialist Group

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

      EDG: European Democratic Group

      LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers’ Group

      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left

      NR: not registered in a group