Making the EU more competitive without ignoring our social conscience – David Casa

“The European Union must be a social union - we must take more action on social issues. We must have European solutions to social challenges, and our policies and proposals must always be centred on the changing needs of our societies, especially and most importantly when these same policies and proposals affect the jobs and careers of EU citizens”, said David Casa, who is the EPP Group Coordinator on the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL).

Speaking during the European Parliament’s plenary debate in Strasbourg on the European Social Fund, the Partit Nazzjonalista Head of Delegation noted how the new Fund, ESF+, is aimed at getting people into jobs, supporting employers and promoting a healthy investment in education.

Casa explained that the ESF+ ultimately makes the EU more competitive without ignoring its social conscience. “Notwithstanding, one has to keep in mind the realities on the ground and reflect the particular specificities of certain Member States like Malta. In order to achieve this, there should be more flexibility in the use of the resources of the ESF+.”

David Casa called on the budget of the ESF+ to be increased in order to strengthen its reach and effectiveness. The new ESF+ will build on the success of the previous Funds by bringing together four different existing Funds under one umbrella. This will make the new ESF+ more efficient and cohesive, which many citizens throughout the European Union stand to benefit from.

“This Fund invests in citizens, and for this reason it must continuously be adapted to a modernised economy and the changing needs of both employees as well as employers”, David Casa concluded.