Nessa Childers (S&D), in writing. – Statistics are showing minute economic growth and a slight decrease in unemployment; although they could act as signs that we are coming out of recession, these are, however, just statistics. To ordinary citizens we are in just the same situation as we were when we entered the recession. With unemployment stabilising and statistics showing minor economic growth, there are some signs of recovery in the EU. But it is an incredibly feeble recovery. This recovery is a numerical one and the struggling people in Europe have not yet seen improvements. Many of our citizens have no jobs or opportunities, there have been cuts in social protection, and public services such as pensions, education and health. The austerity agenda is not working and is making recovery worse. However, there is a viable alternative. It involves making the multinationals, the banks and the rich pay their fair share in solving the economic crisis they caused, whilst stimulating economic growth through targeted investment and maintaining the living standards of people on low incomes so that economic growth happens. That is how we will start to see real recovery.