Text tabled : A7-0370/2011

  Julie Girling (ECR). – Madam President, I voted against this report because it will be completely ineffectual in doing what it purports to do. The way to fight poverty is to provide solid, reliable and flexible employment. This can only flow from strong and growing economies. This is where we should be placing our emphasis.

Youth unemployment is a scandal and it will not be resolved by the Commission interfering in Member States’ actions on minimum wages or by any of the other proposals in this report. Micro-management from Brussels has never solved anything. This report has lots of wishful thinking and worthy words, and lets down the people it purports to support.