MEPs call for action as homeless people die of cold and how the European Commission's cash boost for those who are young and unemployed can be maximised.

Helping the homeless / Cutting youth unemployment

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/15865207/n001-120214-002-en_mf.srt

Hundreds have died on Europe's streets  in the cold weather.

There are some three million homeless  people in the EU, maybe more.

MEPs are pressing again for  the Commission to come up with a policy

All the measures we are discussing  are not enough,

are not directed at the real problem  and they don't help.

We need, to my mind,  a European Commission task force.

MEPs also expressed concern  about ending the scheme

to provide food aid to Europe's  18 million neediest people after 2013.

With the economy as chilly as the weather,

the EU is to re-allocate some €82 billion  in unspent Structural Funds

But MEPs are keen to ensure it's properly  used on training that actually works

There has to be far more focus  on the job opportunities that are there,

linking with business,  particularly SMEs.

There are 23 million SMEs across Europe,  there are 23 million unemployed.

If they all took on one extra employee  then we'd have unemployment solved.

Not for the first time, there's a row about  the Common Fisheries Policy.

Plans approved by the EP in 2010 on the  long-term management of certain stocks

remain deadlocked  with Member State governments.

MEPs want that resolved,  but they also want to know

why the Commission and Council  opted for technical measures

to control this year's fishing effort  without consulting them.