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Read the GPF call

A call for a 'Global New Deal' was launched today in Brussels by a unique coalition of progressive politicians, trade unions and NGOs from over forty countries.

The launch of the call took place at the Global Progressive Forum, a huge gathering of over 2,000 politicians, trades unionists, NGOs, representatives of progressive international organizations and grassroots activists in the European Parliament, and timed to coincide with the end of the G20.

The declaration states "Together it is possible to change the face of globalization"

"Over recent decades, progressive forces have been warning about the accumulation of risks and injustices for people and the planet. Now, the fundamental and systemic failures of the current economic system are undeniable: the time has come to restate our values, our vision and our proposals for a new direction, transforming our societies, improving the lives of our and future generations."

"Millions live in poverty without access to decent work, housing or basic medical care while others indulge shocking greed."

The Global Progressive Forum calls for a Global New Deal including

- The biggest coordinated fiscal stimulus in modern history to stop unemployment and poverty;
- Financial market regulation, including an end to tax avoidance by the elite by abolishing tax havens;
- Supporting the transition to a renewable and energy efficient economy;
- Promoting fair trade;
- Pushing decent work up the global agenda;
- A more equitable sharing of revenue between capital and labour;
- Ensuring women's rights;
- Massive new resources to secure development in the world's poorest countries.

Each person taking part in the launch of the call for a 'Global New Deal' signed a giant globe to show their support, and explained to the gathered audience why they supported the declaration. Signatories included:

Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, President of the PES, Member of the European Parliament, former Prime Minister of Denmark

Elisabeth Tang, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions, Hong Kong/China

Chico Whitaker, co-founder and member of the organising committee of the World Social Forum (in personal capacity)

Anna Diamontopoulou, Member of the Greek Parliament with Greek Socialist Party PASOK and former European Commissioner

Martin Ziguela, President of the MLPC, former Prime Minister, Central African Republic

Lionel Jospin, former Prime Minister of France

Pascal Affi N'guessan, President of the FPI, Vice President of the Socialist International, former Prime Minister of Ivory Coast

Karl August Offman, former President of Mauritius, and leader of the Africa Forum

Juan Fernando Lopez Aguilar, former Minister of Justice, Spain

Jutta Urpilainen, Leader of the Social Democratic Party of Finland

Mustapha Ben Jaafar, Leader of the FDTL, candidate for the presidential elections 2009, Tunisia

Alpha Conde, Leader of the Rassemblement du Peuple de Guinée

Pervenche Bères, Chair of the European Parliament's Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee, France

Josep Borrell, Chair of the Global Progressive Forum, Chair of European Parliament Development Committee

Zita Gurmai, PES Women President

Guy Ryder, Secretary General of the International Trade Union Confederation

Piero Fassino, Member of Italian Parliament, EU Special Envoy to Burma, former Minister of Justice

John Tesha, General Secretary of the Africa Forum, South Africa

Aicha Belarbi, from Morocco, former Secretary of State for Cooperation and former Ambassador to the EU

Namrata Bali, founder of Self Employed Women's Association, India

Bob Kuttner, Editor of the American Prospect, USA

Aminata Traore, writer and former Minister of Culture, Mali

Mercedes Bresso, President of the Socialist Group in the Committee of Regions and President of the Piedmont Region, Italy

Larry Mishel, Chair of the Economic Policy Institute, USA

Salima Ghezali from Algeria, writer and winner of 1997 Sakharov Prize

Vandana Shiva, Director of the Research Foundation for science, technology and ecology, India

Professor Stephany Griffith-Jones, Columbia University, USA

Sony Kapoor, Executive Director of Re-define, India

Kader Arif, member of the European Parliament, France

John Evans, General Secretary of the TUAC_OECD

Mody Guiro, General Secretary of CNTS, Senegal

Conny Reuter, Secretary General of Solidar

Bob Borosage, Co-Chair of the Campaign for America's future, USA

Luciano Vecchi, Vice chair of the Global Progressive Forum and a member of the Partito Democratico, Italy

Ernst Stetter, General Secretary of the Foundation for European Progressive Studies

Giacomo Filibeck, President of ECOSY, European Socialist Youth

Viviana Pinero, Vice President of the International Union of Socialist Youth, Uruguay

Others supporting the declaration while not being present to sign were Pascal Lamy, Howard Dean and Alfred Gusenbauer.

The Global Progressive Forum 2009 is co-organized by the Party of European Socialists, the Socialist Group in the European Parliament and the Foundation for European Progressive Studies.