Defending Social Europe: the European Parliament leaves the negotiating table

"The EU Council does not respect the European Parliament's co-legislating power and is playing a dangerous game which could prevent the European Social Fund from entering into force on 1 January 2014", said Elisabeth Morin-Chartier MEP, EP Rapporteur on the European Social Fund.

"In these times of economic difficulties, while the situation of young people on the labour market is more fragile than ever, we cannot afford to play with the future of the European Social Fund. In helping the professional integration of young people and of those people who have stayed away from the labour market for a long time, the European Social Fund is a major tool in the fight against unemployment and poverty", she said.

The purpose of the ongoing negotiation is to define which policies will be supported by the European Social Fund from 2014 to 2020.

"In view of the striking bad will on the Council of Ministers' side and of the disastrous consequences this could have on social Europe, the European Parliament negotiation team as decided to leave the negotiating table and stop all negotiations until further notice", she said.