Agius Saliba pushes for more funds on COVID relief, hits out at Casa vote

Labour MEP Alex Agius Saliba has secured strengthened funding on flagship programmes for youths, children, women, workers, health, climate, just transition, and recovery from the crisis, in a vote in the European Parliament’s employment committee.

“The budget of the EU is our chance to show citizens, our youth, and children that we stand with them in these difficult times. The COVID crisis will continue to impact and severely affect workers’ and peoples’ health and living conditions. The lockdown measures in many countries have exposed the financial fragility of millions of families, workers, and businesses that have difficulties in making ends meet,” Agius said.

The MEP said the situation required an unprecedented response, and that the EU budget was crucial to ensure social protection and policy initiatives that can smoothen the economic and social impact of the crisis, and secure a just transition and social resilience for European citizens. 

“The Employment Committee’s position is key in this regard given that it is the committee that protects and defends workers’ direct interests,” Saliba said.

The MEP flagged the negative vote from Nationalist MEP David Casa as well as the EPP Delegation, saying that he had instead pushed for more ambitious investments from member states in the Youth Guarantee and the Child Guarantee schemes. He  also managed to secure a call for a permanent European Unemployment Reinsurance Scheme.

“I am proud that other political groups have seen the importance of helping European youth and children and have supported my proposals that will help many. Already before the crisis, more than a quarter of all children in the EU were at risk of poverty or social exclusion, and in the context of recovery from the COVID-19 outbreak, tackling child poverty and youth unemployment will become even more important,” Agius Saliba said.

Agius Saliba also said Casa and other EPP MEPs had voted against his critical remarks on the European Parliament for the dismissal of 60 employees working as external staff in the Parliament’s catering services.

“Most of the sectors which the COVID-19 crisis has hit hardest were essential sectors, some of which have precarious working conditions. The European Parliament should set the example to keep as many essential workers as possible in work during the pandemic, and special efforts should be made to improve employment conditions and recognition of such sectors,” Agius Saliba said.

“It is difficult to understand the EPP opposition to providing sufficient resources and for helping children, youth and essential workers. But I am delighted that despite this, the Committee has accepted all my proposals, and we now have a strong socialist position strengthening finance actions for unemployment, workers, and vulnerable groups such as youth and children. As the full impact of the crisis is yet to come, the next EU budget must mirror citizens’ priorities while also upholding the social dimension that leaves no one behind.”