MEPs ponder how to help Member States deal with depressed growth forecasts and support start-up businesses and Arab Spring refugees.

European Semester / Small business / Refugees

at Monday's committee-stage vote  on the European Semester -

the annual cycle of budget and economic  policy coordination for EU states

that begins, late last year,  with an annual growth forecast,

and finishes, in the spring this year,  with country-specific recommendations.

In between: negotiations  between Member States and MEPs.

And here, the biggest sticking point,  according to the rapporteur,

We should use all the room for manoeuvre  that we have within the legal framework

to slow down, if needs be,  the austerity measures

and also to adjust the adjustment path  that we are imposing on certain countries,

according to the results that we are seeing.

The vote in plenary is scheduled  to take place on Thursday.

Few disagree that firing up the small  and medium-sized business sector

is one of the most vital tools  to reviving Europe's economy.

And that access to finance, in a climate  of excessive credit caution, is also key.

MEPs have been examining  how to unlock funds for start-ups

The future success of SMEs and their  contribution to job creation in years to come

will very much depend on governments  putting in place economic policies

which will allow SMEs to flourish and  to develop quality products and services.

The same day, Wednesday,  MEPs will be voting on measures

to increase funding to countries  taking the brunt of the waves of refugees

from the Arab Spring countries  and the Gulf, and South and East Asia.

Greece tops the list, followed by Europe's  other Mediterranean and littoral states.

Nils Thorvalds is guiding  the question through the EP.

What you have there is a structural  problem that exploded in the Arab Spring.

Birth rate that is very high,  lots of redundant youth

and so the problem  will be there for a long time.