(24 February 2015) – While the EU is hoping to recover growth and competitiveness through an ambitious investment plan, EU grandees are ringing the alarm bell over a lack of proper social investment, and urge the Commission to enlarge the scope of the so-called Juncker plan.
In a new report released on Monday (23 February), a high-level group set up by the Friends of Europe think tank is making the case for taking a broader approach to investment, especially in caring arrangements for the deprived and underprivileged, and in education and training.
“That is essential to avoiding long-term burdens on economic growth,” finds the group, which includes a number of former Commissioners, officials, activists and scholars including Pascal Lamy, László Andor and Pervenche Berès.
To reverse the trend, the group insists that human investment must be given equal priority with investment in infrastructure, innovation and all the other areas seen as crucial to Europe’s global competitiveness. (EurActiv)