With more than 6.4 million jobs lost since the beginning of the crisis, how to make sure that workers' interests are respected? Two MEPs respond.

Talking point: Dampening the impact of globalisation

Factories closed down, production  relocated to cheap labour countries,

Four and a half years into the crisis,  the topic continues to dominate headlines.

More than 6.4 million jobs have been lost  throughout Europe so far.

When every case is an unwanted exception,

how to ensure social partners  have their say in the process?

How to anticipate coming developments  in order to better react when it's time?

The EP has made  a number of recommendations

that it wants the EU Commission  to integrate into its overall strategy.

We've asked two MEPs what,  in their opinion, has to change.

It must guarantee quicker  and more efficient restructuring

that is in the interests of workers, of course.

So a modus vivendi, a compromise,  has to be found.

There must be coherent legislation -  which today is incoherent and fragmented -

and an intelligent  and socially responsible approach.

Why doesn't the report contain  any binding recommendations?

This is what the EP  is asking the Commission for -

legislation in accordance  with the Lisbon Treaty

so that the Member States  mandatorily implement these guidelines

which is more intelligent  than what we have had until now.

A directive, which was demanded by  the rapporteur and our socialist colleagues,

would mean more bureaucracy,  more difficulties,

By the time that this will be law, won't it  effectively be a post-crisis measure?

Unfortunately, in that timeframe, we can't  accept all supposedly ideal solutions.

The Treaty says the Commission  has three months

Unfortunately, I believe we'll be  with the crisis for quite a while longer.