European Semester 2013: MEPs call on Member States to continue their reforms

At its plenary session in Strasbourg today, MEPs showed their support for the policy guidelines defined by the European Commission to help Member States boost growth and job creation as part of the European Semester exercise 2013.

"Trying to boost sustainable growth without a sound management of public finances would be like building a house on water lilies. Member States should spare no effort to increase sustainability and balance in their public finances", said Jean-Paul Gauzès, EPP Group Coordinator in the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee of the European Parliament.

"In a globalised world, increasing EU competitiveness through structural reforms is also crucial. Now that the policy measures implemented in the different Member States have already shown first positive signs, it is not the time to relax efforts which are crucial to bringing back growth and job creation", he continued.

Veronica Lope Fontagné MEP, Rapporteur on the Annual Growth Survey in the Employment and Social Affairs Committee, stressed: "We need urgent measures to tackle the crisis and the rise of unemployment and also for growth and job creation. This is our top priority. Of course we are aware of the difficulties that certain Member States are going through. We know that people are suffering. But not implementing structural reforms would be like focusing on the symptoms of a disease without treating its cause. To bring back job creation, Member States must adopt all the structural reforms needed for the labour market", she added.

MEPs also approved Andreas Schwab MEP's Report on the governance of the EU Single Market. "The Single Market has brought about more choice and freedom for consumers and a big market for business. Completing the Single Market is a way to get out of the economic crisis. To do this, Member States must be ready to deliver the full implementation of EU rules anywhere in Europe. This requires a better system for enforcing Single Market laws and monitoring their implementation to the benefit of citizens and enterprises in the European Union", said Andreas Schwab, EPP Group Coordinator in the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee of the European Parliament.