Debate contributions by Isilda GOMES

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, at the Porto Social Summit, the European Union set three headline targets for the European Pillar of Social Rights: increasing the employment rate, increasing lifelong learning, reducing poverty by at least 15 million people. It is our duty to acknowledge that we have failed in the last two. Lifelong learning, despite efforts, remains inaccessible to millions of workers. Poverty and social exclusion are on the rise: more and more workers living in poverty and homeless people. In view of these problems, it is necessary to strengthen social policies and, in particular, the European Social Fund. However, the European Commission's proposal weakens the European Social Fund and reduces its funding. I therefore ask a simple but essential question: will the Commission revise its proposal and bring it up to the real needs? Or leave the European Pillar of Social Rights as an action of marketing, without concrete actions that improve people's lives?

Madam President, cohesion policy is a fundamental achievement of the European project. Its aim is that no region is left behind, correcting imbalances exacerbated by the centripetal effect of the single market, which are exacerbated by the weak architecture of the euro. The objectives of this policy are enshrined in the Treaties because they are fundamental and cannot be subordinated to other priorities. Cohesion is not just an economic issue. It is a condition of social and territorial justice and of citizens' trust in the European project. I therefore call on the European Commission to step up the ambition of cohesion policy in its proposal next week, in particular with regard to the European Social Fund Plus and the allocation of sufficient funds to respond to the housing crisis, which is the most pressing problem facing our regions. We need more cohesion, more solidarity, for more Europe.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, if there is one thing the last decade has taught us, it is that the speed of technological change is rapidly transforming the skill requirements of workers. A worker trained for a specific function can see that function transformed or even see it disappear quickly. To address this, investment in workers' skills needs to be stepped up. But it is not enough for vocational training to respond only to the immediate needs of the labour market. The focus should be on people, in their continuous training, preparing them with a backpack of skills that they can mobilize throughout their professional life, helping them to new demands, without fear of becoming outdated. If we want a Europe fit for the future, we must ensure that every European citizen has access to the skills that will enable him or her to adapt to a new challenge. That is the true meaning of a just transition. Better training, better economy.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, demographic challenges are not just numbers, they are stories of life, of depopulated territories, of families struggling to reconcile work and personal life, of young people postponing dreams for lack of conditions. Rural regions face a vicious circle of depopulation that needs to be broken, by supporting job creation that anchors populations with the installation of young farmers and other businesses, but also by ensuring public services that guarantee quality of life so that people do not have to move to big cities in search of a better life. This concentration in large cities aggravates problems such as the housing crisis. How can young people start families if their homes are inaccessible, or if they live in remote suburbs, spending hours on transport and away from their children? If we want to counter the demographic winter, we need concrete policies for investment in rural areas, affordable housing and work-life balance. Millions of young people do not lack the will to start a family, they lack the conditions to be able to do so.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the current European Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has taken important steps, but it is still insufficient. Lack of support multiplies inequalities and penalises those already facing enormous challenges. We need a robust response, attentive to people's needs, from childhood to adulthood. In childhood, the absence of specialised support undermines the development and integration of children with disabilities. Investments in inclusive education, appropriate therapies and, not least, support for families, often left to face this responsibility alone, are urgent. In adulthood, it is crucial to promote autonomy, ensure access to the labour market, adapted housing and accessible transport. Individualised measures that respond to the specific needs of each case. The dignity of persons with disabilities reflects the essence of European values.

Mr President, as we celebrate the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, we must take a moment to reflect on how much remains to be done to ensure that children's rights are respected and protected. Children are a vital part of our future, of the collective future, but they are also the most vulnerable. The persistence of cases of violence and exploitation of children in various forms is shocking. And what about the children who live and survive in war zones? What future do we expect for them? Become adult warmongers or peacemakers? But it is also unacceptable that millions of children remain subject to poverty and lack of access to quality health and education services. And it's not the shrill voices and extremist ideas that will help solve the problems. It is imperative that the European Union and this Parliament act decisively to tackle these problems with courage and determination so that no child is left behind.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the housing crisis is a problem for the whole of Europe and must have a European response; it cannot be left to individual Member States alone. In addition to a Commissioner with that portfolio – which the socialists, incidentally, have long advocated – we need a real Marshall Plan for housing that mobilises European resources for social housing and also for homes that the middle class and young people can afford. The private offering does not serve the vast majority of our families. Family structuring and security depend on decent housing. Today, there are houses where three generations cohabit. The family needs a decent space to grow. A final word on the mission letters of the Commissioners-designate: They don't have a word about the homeless. We need a European policy. Resources are needed. Yes, they need to be given a home. But that's not enough. A holistic approach to social policies is needed. We cannot turn a blind eye to one of Europe's most dramatic social problems.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, if one of the values of the European Union is the defence of democracy everywhere in the world, the situation in Venezuela cannot pass us by. The Venezuelan authorities have not done what is necessary to ensure free and fair elections, including refusing to publish the electoral minutes. The political and social situation is very serious. We must then move towards a political, negotiated and democratic solution, which can only be achieved with an inclusive and constructive dialogue, in which the European Union can and must play a decisive role. The European Union must play an active and determined role, otherwise our role in the world as defenders of democracy and freedom will be undermined. Dictatorship cannot win. Democracy in Venezuela cannot be a mirage.