GOEM – GO ON AND EMPLOY ME - 3rd day in San Sebastian, TUESDAY

We started the day with GAZE which is a project for new entrepreneurs that came to the school and did some exercises about it.

We bought lunch and brought it the beach to eat there. We spent the afternoon there playing with volleyballs, paddles, Frisbee and some of them were eager enough to try surfing even though the water was very cold.

Nerea & Jon Mikel

GOEM – GO ON AND EMPLOY ME - 2nd day in San Sebastian, MONDAY

We got together at 9:ooam at the Zubiri-Manteo library and after the welcome meeting, we presented the Job Guides one by one. It was very interesting to see the job search process from the perspective of other countries. After that, we went to visit Victoria Eugenia Theater and what we saw it was amazing. We had lunch in a very typical restaurant/bar of Guipuzcoa (a province in the Basque Country).

In the afternoon, the basque students prepared a touristic route passing all the most important points in San Sebastian. It was very entertaining and fun.

The dinner was in a gastronomic club in the center of the city. After that everyone went to their house or hotel because it was an exhausting day and we had to rest.

Jon Mikel & Nerea

GOEM – GO ON AND EMPLOY ME - 1st day in San Sebastian, SUNDAY

The guests arrived in San Sebastian throughout the day. They came from Norway, Ireland and Germany to present Job Guides helping people find jobs in their countries.

Throughout the week we had prepared different activities to do altogether, and we hope to become more comfortable with them.

We didn't have the opportunity to meet with them this day because they arrived late and went directly to the hotel.

Nerea & Jon Mikel

Chancellor Merkel opposes to euro exit of Greece

Angela Merkel said Germany would do everything it could to keep the eurozone together. She also calmed fears of further bailouts for eurozone countries, saying important lessons had been learned. Greece recently won approval for a second bailout of 130bn euros ($173bn; £110bn) intended to help keep it afloat until 2014.

Germany is having to pay more than any other country for the package - angering many German citizens and politicians. Despite the measures, some analysts fear Greece might need even more help.

Asked how she saw the future for Greece, Mrs Merkel told the BBC's Newsnight programme that Athens had repeatedly said it wanted to remain within the eurozone.

“We have taken the decision to be in a currency union. This is not only a monetary decision, it is a political one. It would be catastrophic if we were to say to one of those who have decided to be with us: 'We no longer want you'." She said the eurozone would be "incredibly weakened" by a Greek exit.

She added: "It would be a huge political mistake to allow Greece to leave. That is why we will be clear with Greece, we will say: 'If you want to be part of a common currency you have to do your homework but at the same time we will always support you.'"

Asked to respond to those in Europe who feared further bailouts she said: "That is not how it is going to happen because there has been a rethink going on in Europe for some time.

"Some countries accepted the rescue package but they don't particularly relish it. They must follow conditions set out by the IMF, the ECB and the European Commission. What democratic government wants to be in that situation for the duration?

"Over the past two years in Europe, particularly in the eurozone, we have learnt a lot. We must reflect time and again, why are we together in Europe? Why are we a community that displays solidarity and bears responsibility for the others?". Mrs Merkel said Europe - and particularly the eurozone area - had "slithered into crisis" as a consequence of a global financial downturn.

She said she believed that UK Prime Minister David Cameron "was right" to have embarked on an austerity drive. "It is something that each country in Europe can do because we will all learn that no country can live beyond its means," she said.

Xabier

Scottish government funding for youth unemployment priority areas

Authorities from Glasgow, Renfrewshire, North and South Lanarkshire and North and East Ayrshire, facing "particular challenges" with youth unemployment, are to share £9m to create work opportunities. They will be given the extra funding to help boost job chances in their areas.

Scottish government has announced the priority areas set to benefit from its youth employment strategy fund. The councils will have flexibility on how the cash is spent.

Youth Employment Minister Angela Constance said that the councils in question have a number of options open to them on how best to direct this funding, but we all have the same objective - improving employment opportunities, and therefore life chances, of Scotland's young people.

Local Government Minister Derek Mackay added: "On top of ensuring 25,000 modern apprenticeship opportunities in every year of this parliament, we have already rolled out several tranches of the youth employment strategy fund since December towards schemes linked to the voluntary sector and young carers.

Glasgow will receive the largest cut of the funds, with almost £3.4m going to Scotland's biggest local authority.

Glasgow City Council leader Gordon Matheson said: "Any additional money for Glasgow is very welcome and goodness knows we need it, but this must be part of a proper strategy across Scotland to tackle youth unemployment, rather than handed out as part of a media campaign.

North Lanarkshire will get £1,825,000 while South Lanarkshire will receive £1,457,000. North Ayrshire will get £828,000, East Ayrshire is to receive £720,000 and Renfrewshire will get £799,000.

Scottish Labour's youth unemployment spokeswoman Kezia Dugdale said: "It will be interesting to see if this money is being used as a headline grabbing give-away just days before the council elections start, or whether it is a strategic and sustainable investment in the lives of young people who desperately need their government to act."

Aitor

Labour reform in Finland: more protection for workers

Finland, contrary to Spain, has launched a group of reforms focused on protect workers and unemployed people. Helsinki continues with the “Nordic model”, while the southern European countries liberalize their labour market.

While Spain announces reduction in firing costs, Finland takes measures to protect their workers. The northern country rise at a 2.9% and an unemployment rate of 7.6%. The rating agencies value Finland with a “triple A”.

Even if the macroeconomical data is favorable, the outlook was not so good, because of the European context. That's why the government, ruled by Jyrki Katainen, decided to launch these measures.

Unemployed people will be protected by government; purchasing power has fallen 0.6% in 2011, so unemploument benefit has been increased from 25.74 € to 31.36 €.

In October 2011, after some agreements between social agents, trade unions have got the reduction of income taxes with the aim of increase contribution bases for pensions. Also, salaries have grown in a 0.6%. Getting better life conditions for unemployed people, better salaries for workers and helps for housing are the three main solutions that are going to help everybody.

Xabier Sanchez

Cuban government supports local developments programs

Jorge Lezcano, Cuban Parliament President's avisor, said yesterday that local development programs are fully supported by the Cuban government because they are key working strategies for the economy.

Lezcano said this type of initiatives boosts local capacities as they use local materials and resources and complement productions and services that can’t be fully covered by the national economy plan.

However, he said that because this is a relatively new practice in the island, the lack of experience, poor coordination among the parties involved and insufficient preparation can be bad for their correct implementation.

Likewise, the Economy and Planning minister, Rene Hernandez, confirmed the existence of contradictions between the base organizations and central bodies, which makes difficult the progress of such development projects.

According to one of the economic guidelines recently passed by the Cuban Communist Party, local development projects conducted by Municipal Administration Councils are key working strategies for municipal self-sufficiency.

Local governments are expected to encourage the growth of mini-industries and service centres based on the principle of financial sustainability, and in tune national economic goals.



Nerea

THE SPANISH STOCK MARKET FELL BY 1,28 PERCENT FOR A CUT IN GROWTH PROSPECTS IN CHINA

The Spanish stock market fell 1.28 percent today and lost the level of 8,500 points affected by the decline in international markets after China revised their growth predictions for this year and come down the activity in the services sector euro zone .

With the risk premium by 313 basis points, the main indicator of the Spanish market, the IBEX 35, has dropped 109.90 points, or 1.28 percent, to 8,453.50 points. The annual losses rise to the 1.32 percent.

The main European markets recorded minor losses, as the Frankfurt fell 0.79 percent,Milan, 0.68 percent, the Euro Stoxx 50 index, the 0.64 percent, London, 0.61 percent,and Paris, 0.39 percent.

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Although China enhanced the activity in the services sector, the reduction of GDP of the Asian country and warnings about problems with the Greek debt-conditioned the bad start of the Spanish stock market session, in less than an hour lost about 2 percent and approaching to 8,400 points.

The lowering of growth projections China this year, from 8 to 7.5 percent, sowed losses among Asian centers this morning: Hong Kong fell 1.4 percent and Tokyo 0.8 percent.

Jon Mikel Cruz