- Before the vote:

  Barbara Matera (PPE). – (IT) Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, as rapporteur for the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund I feel obliged to express my concerns about the Council’s preliminary approach regarding the European Commission’s proposal to extend coverage of this Fund to 2013 for reasons associated with the economic crisis.

I believe that the stonewalling by some delegations in the Council, including the Dutch delegation, which are trying to create a blocking minority by opposing this important derogation while at the same time citing the very same economic crisis in order to benefit, today, from several million euros of EGF funds, is irresponsible.

A substantial recovery in European labour market conditions is not expected before 2013, and this assessment is what is prompting us to impose this extension. It would therefore be a serious mistake to significantly reduce this Fund, which the public has told us that it regards as one of the few instruments of genuine EU solidarity in the face of the economic crisis.