European Affairs Network: EU policies should enable all Member States to work together in solidarity and progress

The Network of National Parliamentarians in charge of European Affairs and Members of the EPP Group in the European Parliament met to discuss the best solutions to fight unemployment, youth unemployment in particular, and the role of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in economic recovery. The situation in Syria was also on the agenda.

Opening the debate, the Vice-Chairman of the EPP Group responsible for Relations with the National Parliaments, Paulo Rangel MEP said: “The European Union is the point where aspirations of European citizens meet, it is the hope that the disadvantaged can have the possibility of recovery and the most advanced can continue on the path of progress. We must be able to define the political ground in the European Union of 28 Member States. We should ensure that the Union is acquiring the institutional and policy programs to enable the North, South, East and West, to be together the cardinal points of growth, solidarity and progress in a cohesive and competitive society.”

Paulo Rangel highlighted as well the role of parliamentary cooperation in the view of the next European elections: “2014 will be crucial for the future of Europe and each of its' Member States. There will be a lot to do and difficult choices to make. Our parliamentary groups must ensure the timely discussion of necessary reforms and prepare to lead the political agenda."

Among the participants of today´s European Affairs Network were:

EPP Group Vice-Presidents Corien Wortmann-Kool, Mairead McGuinness and Gunnar Hökmark, Regina Bastos MEP, Member of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, Paulius Saudargas MP, Member of the Committee for Youth and Sport Affairs, Homeland Union – Lithuania, Csaba Őry MEP, Member of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, Joanna Katarzyna Skrzydlewska MEP,  Member of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs and Rapporteur on Youth Unemployment, Michael Stubgen MP, spokesperson for European Affairs, CDU/CSU – Germany, Paul Rübig MEP, Vice-Coordinator of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, President and founding member of SME Global and Honorary President and founding member of the European Economic Association SME Europe, Paolo Tancredi MP, Vice-president of the European Union Affairs Committee, PDL – Italy, Daniel Calleja, Director General of DG Enterprise and Industry  (European Commission) and Special Envoy for SMEs. Members of national Parliaments from Bulgaria, Cyrpus, Croatia, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden contributed as well to the debates.

The EPP Group's European Affairs Network brings together EPP Group Members of European Parliament and Members of National Parliaments responsible for European Affairs coming from parliamentary groups of parties within the EPP umbrella. These are either the Chairs or Vice-Chairs of the national parliamentary committees dealing with EU affairs or the spokespersons for the Chairs of parliamentary groups. They meet on a regular basis in Brussels. Their aim is to debate current political issues in more detail to further shape the mutual understanding within the EPP family and improve ways of working together.