Guarantee security for young people in flexicurity concept by Nils Hindersmann, Ecosy Vice-President

The EU Commission has recently published a communication called "Towards common principals on Flexicurity - more and better jobs through flexibility and security." With this document the EU Commission has started a debate about the mostly in the Scandinavian countries adopted combination of evitable necessary labour market flexibilisation and additional social security. Only by using the term flexicurity a lot of political reflexes have been generated already, although it is not clear yet which concrete political measures will be undertaken.
Thus, we as ECOSY - Young European Socialist clearly state that further flexibilisation of European labour markets alone will lead to more precarious working conditions in many European countries. It is not a secret that young, female and migrant workers are those who are mainly affected by precarious working conditions. The amount of limited working contracts in the EU has risen from 63 million to 104 million in the time period 2002-2006. This is an increase of 10 million limited contracts per year. A new generation of working poor has been created in Europe. In many European countries many young people in certain branches of the service sector work for less than the guaranteed social benefits. Although an economic downturn has hit many European economies in the recent years, the employment rate has risen. But the jobs, which have been created, are paid low, are part-time and are on a limited contract basis. In addition the productivity of the labour force has recently not increased as much as in other economies. That shows that the flexibilisation of working time and working contracts has neither led to better jobs nor led to higher productivity rates compared to other economies. But still the EU Commission is claiming in their recent communication that "a more flexible labour market" is needed for the "employers and employees".

The EU Commission claims also that the dynamic, successful knowledge based European economy needs to adapt more rapidly to change in a globalised world. For us as ECOSY - Young European Socialists this objective can only be achieved with a well educated, highly skilled and socially secured workforce. In order to achieve this social minimum standards are necessary. Although the Commission admits that more social security is an important factor for highly productive workforce, concrete political measures which should be undertaken are missing. Thus, we as ECOSY - Young European Socialists call for a European minimum wage and a maximum working time of 32hours. It seems also necessary to develop further instruments to combat chains of limited working contracts and a better protection of interns who are mostly highly skilled young workers without being paid or any social security.

In addition to this, a review of the Integrated Policy Guidelines of the Lisbon Strategy is necessary. For the next three-year-cycle of the Lisbon Agenda stronger guidelines linked to employment and social policy are needed. Thus ECOSY - Young European Socialists call for:

· more support for new skills, lifelong learning and modern education/training systems which is granted for free,
· more vocational training
· a youth guarantee (job offer or training activity),
· and promotion of an active migration policy,
· a parental leaf systems, which allows parents better re461
entering of the labor market,
· more investments in childcare.

Additionally, the broad macro-economic guidelines of the next three year-cycle have to be readjusted. Thus ECOSY - Young European Socialists call for:

· more investments in research and development as well as in innovations,
· integrative policy-led approach between the reformed Stability and Growth Pact and the new generation of IPGs
· more high-quality public spending for more sustainable development,
· strengthening and broadening coordination within the Euro-area.