Debate during the plenary session of September in Strasbourg on the need for a European reindustrialisation policy in light of the recent Caterpillar and the Alstom cases. Statement by Ivan KORCOK, Slovak Presidency, Marianne THYSSEN, Member of the EC in charge of Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, Helga STEVENS (ECR, BE), Javi L&Oacute;PEZ (S&amp;D, ES), Fran&ccedil;oise GROSSET&Ecirc;TE (EPP, FR), G&eacute;rard DEPREZ (ALDE, BE), and Thomas H&Auml;NDEL (GUE/NGL, DE).&nbsp;

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

STEVENS, Helga (ECR, BE)

GROSSETÊTE, Françoise (EPP, FR)

INTERNAL MARKET AND INDUSTRY (T1)

HÄNDEL, Thomas (GUE/NGL, DE)

DEPREZ, Gérard (ALDE, BE)

KORCOK, Ivan (SK)

LÓPEZ, Javi (S&D, ES)

The need for a European reindustrialisation policy in light of the recent Caterpillar and the Alstom cases: extracts from the debate

SOUNDBITE (English), Ivan KORCOK, Slovak Presidency, The reason cases of Caterpillar and Alston are a reflection of a more widespread phenomenon of mass redundancies across the EU is a result of a changing economic environment with deep employment and social effects. The recent crisis in the steel and automotive industry as well as the announced restructuring shows that serious reflection and action is needed in the Member States and at EU level.

SOUNDBITE (English), Marianne THYSSEN, Member of the EC in charge of Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, In cases like these, the immediate priority of the EC is to support those directly affected. It is absolutely necessary to quickly establish a perspective for the workers, and their families, as well as the local economy. Europe must not stay on the side-line. We must work together at all political levels to help the workers who have lost their jobs and to assist the regions in overcoming this difficult economic and social situation.

SOUNDBITE (Dutch), Helga STEVENS (ECR, BE), We must not give way to protectionist temptations. International competition actually leads to more job creation and job losses on balance. We have to give priority to maintain employment rather to maintain individual jobs. In times of rapid technological change, our labour market needs to readapt rapidly in order to maintain jobs and prosperity.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Javi L&#211;PEZ (S&amp;D, ES), I am sick and tired of meeting with people in Catalonia. Particularly, companies, trade unions, European workers councils that are undergoing restructuring plans, using closures. We also have an Alstom plant there. We are all suffering an aggressive labour market policy reform that allows for more profits and the greed to rise more. We need to act and we need common rules that protect workers during restructuring process. We also need common harmonised standards for information and consultation procedures.

SOUNDBITE (French), Fran&#231;oise GROSSET&#202;TE (EPP, FR), There are more closures than creation of industrial businesses in Europe. That is alarming and rather a trigger creating anxiety and anger. Nevertheless, the public authorities were aware of the difficult situation of this site. Unfortunately, the public authorities are getting ahead at the last minute and trying to come up with a last minute plan. The real problem is the lack of competitiveness among companies and also the lack of will from the part of some Member States to create the right environment.

SOUNDBITE (French), G&#233;rard DEPREZ (ALDE, BE), It is incredibly unfair the region has suffer industrial decline with very high unemployment. It is very unattractive, that is what we are worried about. There is the budget to constraints from Stability Pact, which weight on the actions of the Wallonia and Brussels governments. We should require Caterpillar to respect the Renault procedure. That means that the first and most unbelievable justification is the reason behind closing the plant, that was actually doing well, by a company that is generating profits and it is not highly indebted.

SOUNDBITE (German), Thomas H&#196;NDEL (GUE/NGL, DE), If we had a forward looking long term industrial policy in the construction sector and the public transport, we could perhaps address these concerns. We do not see any signs of such a policy at national level or the European level. We are simply reacting and slapping a sticking plaster in cases where this goes wrong, but it is not enough. We need to think for the long term about calling a profitable companies to account for the social damages that they cause. We should start thinking about this right now.