Hillery, P.J.

English

Archive of European Integration

.  PRESSE-MEDDElElSE .  . MITTEilUNG  AN  DIE PRESSE PRESS:..RElEASf. INfORMATION  ALA  PRESS[· INFORMAZIONE  A  LA  STAMPA 0- --- - ----PtlEDfDEliNG·AAN  DE  PEAS Brussels,  1:?  Fe  hru.:'>.ry  197  Ll  .·  11 o  C.~\ D/J_J.:.c- " I c Summ11.ry  of Speech  by Vico  President  Hil.lery in  S:trF~.sbourg on  12  Fob:rv.n.ry  on the "Social in 1973'1 .J.f  -l!l  ~ to  the  Europe.~n Pr,flinment  ' Situation in the Dommunity I  'l.rn  p-l£.d  to he  .".hle  to  S".y  th"'.t  tho  outloo\:  for  employment prospects  -".S  ;:dfocted  by. the energy situ'l.tion  is nm·.r  very much  brighter th...,.n C?.rl ior  forecn.sts.  rrhoro  is nm·!  no  longer ,-,ny  re:-..son  to expect  l•Jidespre8d. unemployment  as  inevitt:>.blo,  provided  the right policies nre  fol1o·.·red  ~nd th:-..t  the m;-..intenn.nco  of  employment  is  f!i ven  priority in  GovernmentFl.l  :-.nd Community  policioso  f.Tcvortheloss,  the  p2.st  fw·J  moPths  hnve  seen  n.  dr;~f11s:ttic ch.-mgc  in  tho  soci2.l  outlook  for the  Community  r.'-nd  the situation is undenial:lly serious ;:md  ohP.llonginp;.  But  it is  R.  ch~.llen&e 1•Ihich  tho  ~-~eml)er  St.q.tes  CP.n t?.ke  on  r>.s  r>.  Community  f  ..... r  more  successfully  th~\n  ~.ny sinp'lo  country could hdpe  to  do  on its own. In those dP.ys  of quostioniPP: the very existence of our  C:ommuni ty it is tvm:th  recr.lling  th~.t  tho  Community  h~s  "~chieved a  grol·rth  in  employment and  1 i ving st.:mdnrds  f",r  oxcoodinrr th:;.  t  of most  other  countries.  Of  course we  must  go  further  ~.nd bring about  more  soci::,l  justice in the  Community  - ~. more  oqui  tn.hle distribution of the fruits of this  {Tm-.rth.  But  Fh:->.t  I  ,,r:->nt  to stress is thr.t  even  from  the  nn.rroHost  point  of vim.r  of sGlf-intorest ·- lo::.vin{! aside for the moment  the  poli  tic~.l  2.nd  other considorn.tions,  no  ~!em  her  St::>.te ~·JOuld  he  n.s  Hell  ::::quipped  to don.l  with  todt\y' s  socin.l  prohloms  on  its mm  n.s it is nS  e..  membor  of tho  Community.  And  if wo  - ".S  He  must  - t<'ke  i.t  r>s  our ':l.im  to reduce  to the  P.bsolut e  minimum  tho  d".mr->f'iY'f'  e:ffects  of this cri.sis  on tho  johs e1rd  living st:->.nd;:trds  of our people,  there is no  other vrrw  of d oin[! this but  by :-..ctin{!  together  .'1.-S  2.  Community  over tho  Hholo  rnnrre  of policies .:ffoctod  by the cnerey si  tun.tion. Even  before the onset  of the  onorpy crJ.SlS,  the  0mploymcnt  prospects for  1974,  thron,tone;d  l)y  nccolor  .... tinp: infl.<">.tion,  hfcro  not  oncour  ..... gin{?'o  The energy situn.tion thrc1.tens  to  give  tho  inflation spiral  r-.  shr1.rp  upvrr>rd  hrist. But  if tho  socin.l  :--.spocts  got  the  priority i11  our policies th,.t  they musts the  employment  eonsoqounce  c."n  ho  kept  vd thin  mr·.TI!'.f.'Cr-.hlo  1 imi ts"  111e  lJOuld.  Pot find  rcn.l  solutions by n.doptinr-: dcfJ,  .  ."'.tion,.,.ry  or  soci8J.l  y  unncoeptn.ble  me,....surcs o These  lt!ould  not  only fr'.il  to  rosol  vo  tho  prohlcms  fr>.oi:nP'  our  oconomios  hut tJOUld  in i",ny  Gr>.S0  intensify our  soc  i-ll  probh:ms. I  11olievo  thr>.t  tho  m:: inten'l.nco  of full  omplovrncnt  :-.s  n.  first priority in n·'.tiom.l  n.nd  Community  policies must  1·:::  tho  very b·'.sis  of our  common strn.tcgy in r>.ppron.chinr.;  tho  problems  cnused.  1w  the  enorey si  tun..tion.  This Hill require  Governments using budf"Otr>.ry  mon.surcs  to inject  mone:;r  :i.nto  those  ro{"ions r:.nd.  sectors ,,Thich  'l.ro  most  throntoncd o  l'.nd  tltere !·Jill  nc::od  to  lJo  r-.  pcrm"'nont policy of contingency  plrmning- for tho  ln.l)our  mr>.rket  i:n  on.ch  of tho  Mcmlx:~r StRtes.  1 ooo  000                                                         2 ~~~l~~~t~t~i1~~~j~~fii~~~~t§t~~K~i~~~fi~1~~~~~~~:~~p~~~iRf~1~~~~tjl;;\". :": ~': -- -- in the_  ComnlUnity  m1d  tho  ~kills required.  - - - · - . -'~~ .  _  .  Tho  soci8,l  pdrtn~rs  'lilso  h:::.Vo  an -importr:nt  role to  pl"Y.  r,.rork  shn.rinp:~ ·-"  'tvith  tllo '-cU::f'tri,ilmarit. of OVCrtirri6  n:n(f  the· ititrocluct1on ()f' short  ere lfllcn'k:ir1(':  houH~  1 is t-Jort}ly  ofs_<.;:rj,q:us  considorr>.tiono -Ip  this  l,'ff!,y  the  emploYment.  drop-~rhich  .qc~ordint; to the 1n.tost- G!"lloulr>:---·  tiona m.:iy- be  .':\,hou:t  0.7%  in tho  short--torm,  vmuld rcsul  t  in  n.  suhst,'l,h~inll;y .lower  figure in terms of the number of persons  losing their jobs.  r~y f3orvices nre n.t  present  exurnining tho  longor..:.term  effects of the  energy-situntto:n on Eimplo;y1Tlent  in ·connection \vi th the  i'oport  which  tho  Commissic:m _hcs  .undort."\ken __  tp  pr~p<tre em this subject.  I~ is _only t•Thon this complex wort:  is·  completed ~ht:J.t  tve  ~vill be  F\ble  1;q  foresee<tho extent to I•Jhich  employment  arm be  affected in tb:e  ·l<mger~term: Bu.t  2..lready ·it is  cle~r thn.t  output  -•- ·""'~ml  consoqucntJ.y ompldyrnent  - ~fill_ gd do1.'>'Yl  in- oe1~t•".in sectors of industr;v Hhilt':  there t·Till  hG exp,q,nsion  in otherso  One  of tho  objects of .our· exe,minP.tion  is "to  identify both categories und  to 8-Ssess  the irnplicP.tions  for  job  ChPP(SC:Sn  rrhis  is obviously  importrmt  in tho  2.sscssmcnt  of future needs  in tr:<.h1ing  r:>.nd  re-training.  The  role which  tho  Socir->.1  ?und  could  plr>.y in assisting this trrdnin{." ~'fill  also  h<WO  to  be  C011Sidorod.  . r.rhe  most vulnerable group  iP  the  f'lco of the uner1lplo:vrnt'mt  thron.t  ("l.ro tho migrant workers,  of whom  thro'J..:.q·_·_,,,rters  come  froin  outside tho  Community. r..1ost  of them  P.ro  doing our most  moni?.l  \'rork  nnd living in doplor."'.ble  soci;o>,l conditions.  Our  Community Nill  be  judged  on hoH  i'Te  trerd  these:  Harkers  in the present si  tua.tiono  Do  'rJe  regard  them  ~-.:.Jt  ~>s  <J,  moans  of  ensurin{'~ our economic prosperity by filling jobs t-rhich  our  cn1 citizens refuse to do?· ,"'.re  they to be disposed  of  1  irresponsibly,  ···hen  t~>0Y become  no  longer uscfuJ.?  If this wore to be  our attitude vJould  we  oursol  vos  be deserving of nn,v  syrop0t.hy  in .the  h,-,_rd competitive '!!Jorld  of supply and.  dom,-,nd? We  must  no1<1  fr>..oo  up to tho quest ion of n6copt inp. res  pons ihil  i ty for tho welfare· of tho  ;..Jorkors  the.t  ~10  bring in to build up our Communi 4.J.  As employers  we  must 1  I  feel  sure 1  n.ccopt  a  rot'.sone.blo  sh;-ire  of tho  financin.l cost  of providing for tho normr\1  human  oxpe:cb.tions  of those. Harkers  ~nd their f,::-..milieso  The  Socin.ll'..ction  Progr2mme  givE;s  "·  prominent  pln.ce  to the  problems of migr:::mt  vmrkors.  The  Commif?sion  l,·d.ll  be  submitting a  first series of n..ctions for migr::tnt  '"'orkers  by  1  April  rmd  2.  soco:nd.  more  comprohonsi  vc  r-"ngo  of  propos~.-·.ls by tho  end  of the yeo..ro As  fn.r  as  socifl:l  policy is concerned,  tho  Community is ccrt:,,inly better equipped novr  -·  vJi th the hdoption of the  Council  Resolution  on  the  Social  Actjm'~ Progrrunme  - to tn,ckle many of tho  problems  Hhich  P.rtsc o  '11his  p.,..:rliP.mord;,  Nhich in tho  very tight timektbl0  lrdd  dmm  by  tl~.:...  Summit  oomplf;tod  its Opinion  on tho  dr."'..ft  resolution the very d".V  hcfore  the'  Cour>cil  Nootinp of  11  Decembor1 hr..s  played  a  very grc-;r.t  p:;>,rt  in tho  success  of the socb.l  policy  o  .A.  yor.r  i:n l<Vhich  nll too  fmv  nmT  policies vJcrc  n,grood  ·hy  the  Council  h'"'G  hrought  1  for  the first time,  a  re."'.lly  comprohonsi  vc·  eommi tmont  by tho  CommurHy to  :".  process of  f~.,:r-i.-:: "ching socin.l  reform. In dr!"'.hd.ng  up  our  propow>.ls  for  implementing the Socinl Action .Pro{:;rammc  lfTO  v>Till  continuo to work  in c1osc  p~.rticipl"',ti<'~~  t,ith tho  socin.l pn.rtners.  The  Commission  fully  suppoi·ts  tlv:;  dem,qnds  of the  Europe.n.n  orgp,nisn.tions of socirLl  pF.l.rhnor->-1  for  gror.ter  p."r-ticipA.tion,  not  just in tho clrmrinr: up  of                                                         3"'  ··_.-':__,  ·- .-~·  .-- ~-·- - ~ ~~· ·=--·-'-·  ~·.  --~- -..  -.  .·  -~- ·- . :c.-- - ~-- ->tpJ1~t  is l•.jhy  we-h:wogiwm.o;xr full support'. to tho-c:fforts l:Jc).rw''madc by  th<> Presic1oncy of j;ho  Gounqil tQ hold  e  tripP.rti  te  conforcnco of Governments, ::Social  Pl".rtnors  t·•.nd-Cornmunity  IPst:ii;utionn  Trd.thin tho  next fol·Tmonthsu  I  1~:"0U1d . ·like to  soc this conforonco ~()"'.l not  onl:r 1,.!:i.th  tho  imp~.ct  of tho  <.-;nerf!Y - sHuc··.tion  on omployrnon·t  but with -tho  whoH..:  question of ti  vinp.:  tho. socin.l partners  :1  ro:-•.1  pP.rtioipb.tion j_n  docision·  .. mnking  in tho  Gommurd.tv. '  .  -Ii'urthormoi'e  ~  thoro  should  bo  n,  tripn,rti  to discussion  - thout~h  porlv:.ps _  moro usefully ::.t  rt  second  conference - on  ·the  broader issues  rr',:i_socl  1)y tho cnort,ry  situe.ttono In the friCO  of present difficulties  ';JO  c;:.nnot  Fl,fford  to d0l:::cy  rmv  lol1[l'C;r giving the  socin.l  pe.rtnors  the dogrco  of p".rticip."..tion l·lhtch  they ,_ro entitled to  from  r-t  soci::-~1  point  of vim''  Y  vrh i.ch  l.s  so  nocess~\ry if He  r>;re  to produce ·sensible policies htwing the  support  of the:  people of tho  Community  2.:nd  which tho P8ris. Summit  h"'.S  domp,ndod. 

Summary of speech by Vice President Hillery to the European Parliament on the social situation in the Community in 1973. Strasbourg, 12 February 1974

. PRESSE-MEDDElElSE . . 
MITTEilUNG AN DIE PRESSE 
PRESS:..RElEASf. 
INfORMATION ALA PRESS[· 
INFORMAZIONE A LA STAMPA 
0- --- - ----
PtlEDfDEliNG·AAN DE PEAS 
Brussels, 1:? Fe hru.:'>.ry 197 Ll .· 11 o C.~\ 
D/J_J.:.c- " I c 
Summ11.ry of Speech by Vico President Hil.lery 
in S:trF~.sbourg on 12 Fob:rv.n.ry on the "Social 
in 1973'1 
.J.f -l!l ~ 
to the Europe.~n Pr,flinment ' 
Situation in the Dommunity 
I 'l.rn p-l£.d to he .".hle to S".y th"'.t tho outloo\: for employment 
prospects -".S ;:dfocted by. the energy situ'l.tion is nm·.r very much brighter th...,.n 
C?.rl ior forecn.sts. rrhoro is nm·! no longer ,-,ny re:-..son to expect l•Jidespre8d. 
unemployment as inevitt:>.blo, provided the right policies nre fol1o·.·red ~nd 
th:-..t the m;-..intenn.nco of employment is f!i ven priority in GovernmentFl.l :-.nd 
Community policioso f.Tcvortheloss, the p2.st fw·J moPths hnve seen n. dr;~f11s:ttic 
ch.-mgc in tho soci2.l outlook for the Community r.'-nd the situation is undenial:lly 
serious ;:md ohP.llonginp;. But it is R. ch~.llen&e 1•Ihich tho ~-~eml)er St.q.tes CP.n 
t?.ke on r>.s r>. Community f ..... r more successfully th~\n ~.ny sinp'lo country could 
hdpe to do on its own. 
In those dP.ys of quostioniPP: the very existence of our C:ommuni ty 
it is tvm:th recr.lling th~.t tho Community h~s "~chieved a grol·rth in employment 
and 1 i ving st.:mdnrds f",r oxcoodinrr th:;. t of most other countries. Of course 
we must go further ~.nd bring about more soci::,l justice in the Community - ~. 
more oqui tn.hle distribution of the fruits of this {Tm-.rth. But Fh:->.t I ,,r:->nt to 
stress is thr.t even from the nn.rroHost point of vim.r of sGlf-intorest ·- lo::.vin{! 
aside for the moment the poli tic~.l 2.nd other considorn.tions, no ~!em her St::>.te 
~·JOuld he n.s Hell ::::quipped to don.l with todt\y' s socin.l prohloms on its mm n.s 
it is nS e.. membor of tho Community. And if wo - ".S He must - t<'ke i.t r>s our 
':l.im to reduce to the P.bsolut e minimum tho d".mr->f'iY'f' e:ffects of this cri.sis on 
tho johs e1rd living st:->.nd;:trds of our people, there is no other vrrw of d oin[! 
this but by :-..ctin{! together .'1.-S 2. Community over tho Hholo rnnrre of policies 
.:ffoctod by the cnerey si tun.tion. 
Even before the onset of the onorpy crJ.SlS, the 0mploymcnt prospects 
for 1974, thron,tone;d l)y nccolor .... tinp: infl.<">.tion, hfcro not oncour ..... gin{?'o The 
energy situn.tion thrc1.tens to give tho inflation spiral r-. shr1.rp upvrr>rd hrist. 
But if tho socin.l :--.spocts got the priority i11 our policies th,.t they musts 
the employment eonsoqounce c."n ho kept vd thin mr·.TI!'.f.'Cr-.hlo 1 imi ts" 111e lJOuld. Pot 
find rcn.l solutions by n.doptinr-: dcfJ, . ."'.tion,.,.ry or soci8J.l y unncoeptn.ble me,....surcs o 
These lt!ould not only fr'.il to rosol vo tho prohlcms fr>.oi:nP' our oconomios hut 
tJOUld in i",ny Gr>.S0 intensify our soc i-ll probh:ms. 
I 11olievo thr>.t tho m:: inten'l.nco of full omplovrncnt :-.s n. first priority 
in n·'.tiom.l n.nd Community policies must 1·::: tho very b·'.sis of our common 
strn.tcgy in r>.ppron.chinr.; tho problems cnused. 1w the enorey si tun..tion. This Hill 
require Governments using budf"Otr>.ry mon.surcs to inject mone:;r :i.nto those ro{"ions 
r:.nd. sectors ,,Thich 'l.ro most throntoncd o l'.nd tltere !·Jill nc::od to lJo r-. pcrm"'nont 
policy of contingency plrmning- for tho ln.l)our mr>.rket i:n on.ch of tho Mcmlx:~r 
StRtes. 1 
ooo 000 
                                                        2~~~l~~~t~t~i1~~~j~~fii~~~~t§t~~K~i~~~fi~1~~~~~~~:~~p~~~iRf~1~~~~tjl;;\". :": ~': 
-- -- in the_ ComnlUnity m1d tho ~kills required. - - - · 
- . -'~~ . _ . Tho soci8,l pdrtn~rs 'lilso h:::.Vo an -importr:nt role to pl"Y. r,.rork shn.rinp:~ 
·-" 'tvith tllo '-cU::f'tri,ilmarit. of OVCrtirri6 n:n(f the· ititrocluct1on ()f' short ere lfllcn'k:ir1(': houH~ 1 
is t-Jort}ly ofs_<.;:rj,q:us considorr>.tiono 
-Ip this l,'ff!,y the emploYment. drop-~rhich .qc~ordint; to the 1n.tost- G!"lloulr>:--
-· tiona m.:iy- be .':\,hou:t 0.7% in tho short--torm, vmuld rcsul t in n. suhst,'l,h~inll;y 
.lower figure in terms of the number of persons losing their jobs. r~y f3orvices 
nre n.t present exurnining tho longor..:.term effects of the energy- situntto:n on 
Eimplo;y1Tlent in ·connection \vi th the i'oport which tho Commissic:m _hcs .undort."\ken 
__ tp pr~p<tre em this subject. I~ is _only t•Thon this complex wort: is· completed 
~ht:J.t tve ~vill be F\ble 1;q foresee<tho extent to I•Jhich employment arm be affected 
in tb:e ·l<mger~term: Bu.t 2..lready ·it is cle~r thn.t output -•- ·""'~ml consoqucntJ.y 
ompldyrnent - ~fill_ gd do1.'>'Yl in- oe1~t•".in sectors of industr;v Hhilt': there t·Till hG 
exp,q,nsion in otherso One of tho objects of .our· exe,minP.tion is "to identify 
both categories und to 8-Ssess the irnplicP.tions for job ChPP(SC:Sn rrhis is 
obviously importrmt in tho 2.sscssmcnt of future needs in tr:<.h1ing r:>.nd re-
training. The role which tho Socir->.1 ?und could plr>.y in assisting this trrdnin{." 
~'fill also h<WO to be C011Sidorod. . 
r.rhe most vulnerable group iP the f'lco of the uner1lplo:vrnt'mt thron.t ("l.ro 
tho migrant workers, of whom thro'J..:.q·_·_,,,rters come froin outside tho Community. 
r..1ost of them P.ro doing our most moni?.l \'rork nnd living in doplor."'.ble soci;o>,l 
conditions. Our Community Nill be judged on hoH i'Te trerd these: Harkers in the 
present si tua.tiono Do 'rJe regard them ~-.:.Jt ~>s <J, moans of ensurin{'~ our economic 
prosperity by filling jobs t-rhich our cn1 citizens refuse to do?· ,"'.re they to 
be disposed of 1 irresponsibly, ···hen t~>0Y become no longer uscfuJ.? If this wore 
to be our attitude vJould we oursol vos be deserving of nn,v syrop0t.hy in .the h,-,_rd 
competitive '!!Jorld of supply and. dom,-,nd? 
We must no1<1 fr>..oo up to tho quest ion of n6copt inp. res pons ihil i ty for 
tho welfare· of tho ;..Jorkors the.t ~10 bring in to build up our Communi 4.J. As 
employers we must 1 I feel sure 1 n.ccopt a rot'.sone.blo sh;-ire of tho financin.l 
cost of providing for tho normr\1 human oxpe:cb.tions of those. Harkers ~nd their 
f,::-..milieso The Socin.ll'..ction Progr2mme givE;s "· prominent pln.ce to the problems 
of migr:::mt vmrkors. The Commif?sion l,·d.ll be submitting a first series of n..ctions 
for migr::tnt '"'orkers by 1 April rmd 2. soco:nd. more comprohonsi vc r-"ngo of propos~.-·.ls 
by tho end of the yeo..ro 
As fn.r as socifl:l policy is concerned, tho Community is ccrt:,,inly better 
equipped novr -· vJi th the hdoption of the Council Resolution on the Social Actjm'~ 
Progrrunme - to tn,ckle many of tho problems Hhich P.rtsc o '11his p.,..:rliP.mord;, Nhich 
in tho very tight timektbl0 lrdd dmm by tl~.:... Summit oomplf;tod its Opinion on 
tho dr."'..ft resolution the very d".V hcfore the' Cour>cil Nootinp of 11 Decembor 1 
hr..s played a very grc-;r.t p:;>,rt in tho success of the socb.l policy o .A. yor.r i:n 
l<Vhich nll too fmv nmT policies vJcrc n,grood ·hy the Council h'"'G hrought 1 for the 
first time, a re."'.lly comprohonsi vc· eommi tmont by tho CommurHy to :". process 
of f~.,:r-i.-:: "ching socin.l reform. 
In dr!"'.hd.ng up our propow>.ls for implementing the Socinl Action 
.Pro{:;rammc lfTO v>Till continuo to work in c1osc p~.rticipl"',ti<'~~ t,ith tho socin.l 
pn.rtners. The Commission fully suppoi·ts tlv:; dem,qnds of the Europe.n.n orgp,nisn.tions 
of socirLl pF.l.rhnor->-1 for gror.ter p."r-ticipA.tion, not just in tho clrmrinr: up of 
                                                        
3
"' ··_.-':__, ·- .-~· .-- ~-·- - ~ 
~~· 
·=--·-'-· ~·. --~- -.. -. .· -~- ·- . :c.-- - ~-- -
>tpJ1~t is l•.jhy we-h:wogiwm.o;xr full support'. to tho-c:fforts l:Jc).rw''madc 
by th<> Presic1oncy of j;ho Gounqil tQ hold e tripP.rti te conforcnco of Governments, 
::Social Pl".rtnors t·•.nd-Cornmunity IPst:ii;utionn Trd.thin tho next fol·Tmonthsu I 1~:"0U1d 
. ·like to soc this conforonco ~()"'.l not onl:r 1,.!:i.th tho imp~.ct of tho <.-;nerf!Y 
- sHuc··.tion on omployrnon·t but with -tho whoH..: question of ti vinp.: tho. socin.l 
partners :1 ro:-•.1 pP.rtioipb.tion j_n docision· .. mnking in tho Gommurd.tv. 
' . -
Ii'urthormoi'e ~ thoro should bo n, tripn,rti to discussion - thout~h porlv:.ps 
_ moro usefully ::.t rt second conference - on ·the broader issues rr',:i_socl 1)y tho 
cnort,ry situe.ttono 
In the friCO of present difficulties ';JO c;:.nnot Fl,fford to d0l:::cy rmv lol1[l'C;r 
giving the socin.l pe.rtnors the dogrco of p".rticip."..tion l·lhtch they ,_ro entitled 
to from r-t soci::-~1 point of vim'' Y vrh i.ch l.s so nocess~\ry if He r>;re to produce 
·sensible policies htwing the support of the: people of tho Community 2.:nd which 
tho P8ris. Summit h"'.S domp,ndod. 


Summary of speech by Vice President Hillery to the European Parliament on the social situation in the Community in 1973. Strasbourg, 12 February 1974

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