Tuesday, 5 July 2011 - Strasbourg

Explanations of vote:

Report Proinsias De Rossa

Pino Arlacchi (S&D ), in writing . − I voted in favour of this report as I value its proposal on the establishment of a high-level multi-stakeholder working group, co-chaired by the EP and the Commissioner on Social Affairs. I strongly support its final aims to identify and find solutions to the problems faced by users and providers of social services of general interest.

We need to prevent the current financial and economic crisis from putting the development of social services of general interest at risk. In the long term this would harm the growth of employment, the increase in fiscal contributions and the aggregate consumption. It seems also urgent, as stressed by the report, to conduct an assessment of the social consequences and impact on people’s lives of liberalisation measures in sectors that are essential to social progress (transport, energy, water, postal services, telecommunications, etc.). The Commission should prevent any further liberalisation measures from being taken until this assessment has been submitted.

[source: www.europarl.europa.eu]