Text tabled : A7-0247/2012

  Csaba Sógor (PPE), in writing. – (HU) Considering that we are going through the most serious and prolonged crisis period in the history of the European Union, education and training and the prevention of early school leaving are, in the present situation, an investment that can guarantee successful crisis management. There is a great need to ensure that supply and demand on the labour market are precisely matched, so that the creation of ‘lost generations’ can be avoided. The greatest assistance in this can come from lifelong learning, because through it we can, and must, adapt to the changing opportunities on the labour market. Through a higher quality of education and training, young – and not so young – generations can improve the chances of successfully combating the crisis. Member States are facing a difficult task: it is not easy to create synergies between the supply of labour and the ability of the labour market to absorb it. Highly qualified people can find employment more easily, but we should be cautious of the risk of a ‘dumping’ of high qualifications, as society is in great need of craftsmen and skilled workers, as well as the preservation of traditional trades.