Over the coming months I look forward to working with my EU counterparts both bilaterally and at meetings of the European Council of Ministers in its Employment and Social Affairs, Competitiveness, and Foreign Affairs -Trade configurations. Under the German Presidency we will debate a wide variety of topics at each Council aimed at supporting Member employment policies and enterprises, particularly SMEs, encouraging economic growth and improving the EU's competitiveness, all of which I believe will impact on job creation.
At the Employment and Social Affairs Council, I will engage with my fellow Ministers on key employment challenges facing us, guidelines on employment policies and strengthening minimum income protection. There may also be an opportunity to discuss a new youth employment guarantee. At the Competitiveness Council we will consider how best to strengthen the Single Market for a strong recovery and a competitive, sustainable Europe, and how to develop our enterprises for growth and employment. At the Trade Council I will seek to open new markets and opportunities for Irish companies to grow their exports and so provide new job opportunities.
Alongside the formal Council agendas, I plan to engage bilaterally with my counterparts. Fostering job creation will be part of those discussions.
The Multiannual Financial Framework for 2021-2027, a Budget for European Recovery and Resilience, and the Next Generation EU Recovery Fund is under negotiation. One of the three pillars in the Next Generation EU is focussed on kick-starting the economy by supporting key sectors and technologies, investing in key value chains and providing solvency support for viable companies. This package is on top of funding amounting to €540 billion already agreed, which includes a temporary support to mitigate unemployment risks and protect existing jobs.
I believe that by working together at EU level and rebooting the economy using the Recovery Fund we can generate and enable sustainable economic growth which will support job creation.