Speaking at an extraordinary meeting with the managing authorities of the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD), Commissioner Marianne Thyssen said: “Already this year, more than 500,000 people seeking refuge have made their way to Europe – and many more are expected. The vast majority are fleeing war in Syria, the terror of the Islamic State in Libya or dictatorship in Eritrea.
Many EU Member States are under a lot of pressure at the moment and are struggling to cope with these large numbers of arrivals. The pressure is also financial – many of our Member States are under tight budgetary constraints. Money is an issue and this is why we need to make sure that EU Funds are responsibly, effectively and efficiently spent. We must provide protection to the people who are in clear need of it; the ones fleeing from war and persecution. For these people we need to act here and now, to help them integrate into our societies and labour markets. In this respect, EU funds can have an important impact in supporting the integration of disadvantaged communities – including migrants and refugees.” Commissioner Thyssen‘s full speech is available online
