We are faced today with a problem in diagnosing the crisis, coupled with an urgent need to find a way out of that crisis. In the ETUC’s opinion, the diagnosis reached so far does not apply to the current crisis, because it fails to take account of its full scale and seriousness. The ETUC does not agree with this diagnosis, and has been speaking out for a number of months now in favour of a strong, coordinated European recovery plan, which unfortunately has yet to see the light of day. Matters have now come to a head, and other proposals need to be tabled.

The European trade unions have already framed some sustainable ways of escaping from the crisis. These avenues, which remain valid, are part of the New Social Deal being called for by the ETUC, and they advocate investments in training, services of general interest or the redeployment of employment by means of innovation in green technologies.

The ETUC is not walking away from these approaches, but it is calling for short-term proposals to be tabled to tackle this emergency. The point is that the employment situation is liable to deteriorate over the coming six months, since 26 million people might be unemployed by the end of 2010. We cannot go on with a programme that was in force before the crisis hit: other proposals must be tabled. The problem is no longer just access to employment, but the creation of new jobs.