HISTORIC PRESS RELEASE : Chancellor takes jobs crusade to Europe [August 1997]

The press release issued by HM Treasury on 8 July 1997.

Action needed to tackle Europe’s jobs crisis will be on the agenda when the Chancellor, Gordon Brown, flies to Luxembourg for talks tomorrow with the President of the European Council, Prime Minister Jean Claude Juncker.

Heads of State at Amsterdam agreed that there should be a Special European Conference on employment during the Luxembourg Presidency, provisionally scheduled for 22 November.  This  follows the Chancellor’s  Get Europe Back to Work’ initiative launched in May.

The Chancellor said:

“There is now a genuine momentum building up to get Europe back to work. The back-to-back Presidencies of Luxembourg and the UK offer a real opportunity to push forward the new European jobs agenda.

“At  yesterday’s Finance Minister’s meeting, Prime Minister Juncker called for Member States to offer contributions and suggestions on employment for our September  Informal Meeting.  That should kick-start the process.

“We will look for real progress at the summit in November. It will then fall to the British Government to carry this important work forward.

“Luxembourg holds the EU Presidency at a crucial time for the people of Europe.  I am delighted to have the opportunity to visit Luxembourg tomorrow for wide-ranging talks with Prime Minister Juncker who will be the key player in the coming
months.”

The Chancellor’s talks with Prime Minister Juncker will also cover other items on the agenda for the Luxembourg Presidency including Agenda 2000 (forthcoming proposals from the Commission on enlargement, policy reform and future financing).