madam president no doubt he will be lobbying us too it does not augur well that some member states do not want the employment summit this thursday
nor does it augur well for the future development of a social market economy that a minority of member states blocked a compromise on a revised working time directive last week
if europe's commitment to a social market economy is real we must integrate economic social and environmental policies as equal elements of the whole package
the multiple crises we face right now will not be resolved simply by fixing up the banks with massive amounts of taxpayers <unk> to the exclusion of our citizens needs as social beings
it must go beyond the open method of coordination to coordinate policies on pensions employment education health and indeed the caring services
however some of our member states are clearly incapable of thinking outside the economic box which considers social and environmental policy costly luxuries to be dropped as a restriction on the market
that must change urgently if we are to ensure progress towards our objective of a better society
