Europe Day: time to put social justice back at the heart of European politics

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Europe Day: time to put social justice back at the heart of European politics

Submitted by Poul Nyrup Rasmussen on Sat, 09/05/2009 - 09:58.

Average: 5 (1 vote)

Today is Europe Day, the annual celebration of European integration.

It marks the day in 1950 on which the Schuman Declaration was signed, launching the Coal and Steel Community: the start of what we now call the European Union. The declaration included a commitment to "the equalisation and improvement of the living conditions of workers". It is this commitment to the welfare of all that makes our Europe unique in the world. Our welfare states, including European-wide rights for consumers and workers, offer a level of protection that exists almost no-where else.

But on Europe Day 2009 Europeans are in no mood to celebrate. The financial crisis threatening our savings and pensions has been superceded by economic crisis threatening our jobs. The rising food and energy prices we suffered before the financial and economic crisis came on top of years of attacks on our social and public services and a widening gap between rich and poor.

There is a growing belief among citizens that Europe, which has had a conservative majority in all EU institutions for the last five years, puts the market before people. I believe that we must put workers rights and social rights before competition rules.

With unemployment looming towards 27 million next year, and 74 million Europeans already living below the poverty line, Europe's future is at the crossroads. There is a real risk of deep and permanent divides in our societies. We must put the fight for social justice back at the heart of European politics. We need to do much more to tackle the worst inequalities, protect and create jobs and actively support those without work.

The European conservatives say in their manifesto that a high level of social contributions "is a handicap for the creation of wealth". We disagree and we can prove it: the most competitive economies in Europe are Sweden and Denmark, with the highest levels of social protection and the highest taxes. According to the World Economic Forum, they are the third and fourth most competitive economies in the world. They are the first and third most income-equal societies in the world. They come fourth and seventh on the Global Innovation Index. They consistently top quality of life rankings.

Conservatives have made it quite clear that they think globalisation means we need to work longer hours, lower costs, slash spending and dilute social services. We disagree.

Our manifesto for the European elections promotes social justice by making 12 concrete proposals for a ‘New Social Europe' including decent minimum wages in all EU countries, protecting public services, strengthening rights to collective bargaining, and fair tax policies to guarantee the financing of our welfare states.

It is not just a difference in rhetoric. Take a look at the votes in the European Parliament. When European Socialists voted to exclude social services from the infamous Services Directive, the conservatives voted against. When European socialists voted for an average 48 hour working week with no opt outs the conservatives voted against. When European socialists voted for a new directive against discrimination outside the workplace the conservatives voted against. Just this week Conservatives refused to vote for strengthening rights to maternity leave.

To highlight the need to put social justice back at the heart of Europe the PES is organizing, today on Europe Day, a ‘Day of Action' across Europe on the theme ‘giving people a fairer deal' with meetings, debates and street campaigning in at least fourteen. You can follow action via live blogging and twittering on our website http://elections2009.pes.org/

In the European elections in June you can express your choice of the direction you wish Europe to take. Our future is at stake ...

Sun, 21/06/2009 - 09:46 — Wittmansdorf

THE TRUTH IS OUT HERE.THE EUROPEAN WELFARE STATE IS BORN.

UN Street of 760 United Nations Plaza USA-New York. v / UN Secretary-General Ban-Ki-Moon Gothenburg 2009-06-10. Mr. Secretary, let me say a personal word; Today, I feel deep sadness over the human suffering in Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine and the African Union's 54 countries. Daily, the alarming reports in the news media, both nationally and internationally, on violations of freedom of civil rights from the U.S., NATO and the EU's so-called peacekeeping forces in these countries. These crimes are indicated by the genocide, torture, seemingly drowning, illegal detentions and deportations, arkebuseringar, persecution, discrimination and inhuman suffering of the occupied people. The U.S., NATO and the EU is doing, is to experiment new weapons of mass destruction, new weapons logistics and infrastructure in new wars, genocide and torture in these countries, while these so-called peacekeepers without a UN mandate, plagues and tortures these innocent people, its nations and destroys nations social, economic, cultural and political infrastructure. This has been going on for 53 years and continues with undiminished strength today in the occupied countries. Mr General Secretary; These powers, and so-called peacekeepers, the U.S., NATO and the EU humiliates these people from the world's indigenous peoples in order to train up their own militant forces through new "peacekeeping" operations around the world, leading to further wars, genocide, seemingly drowning and torture of these poor, sick , excluded people. The international community is today in shock. Hundreds of thousands of protesters demonstrating daily in thousands of cities across the world and declare their dissatisfaction with the current situation in the UN's 192 member countries. Tensions and conflicts is becoming larger and larger. Violence and exclusion increases. Poverty and economic chaos is becoming more and more evident for the day. The truth must now be presented. The truth about the U.S., NATO and the EU's so-called peacekeepers, must be presented. Their torture, genocide, seemingly drowning, detentions, deportations, arkebuseringar and illegal detention of men, women and children arrive daily for new national and international surveys, where millions of innocent people may put their lives in the pledge of certain major powers experimental militants and economic exploitation in order to take political power in the five continents. They put themselves in criminal and illegal other nations' oil-and mineral resources, and provides these subjugated people with oil-for-food subsidies as compensation. U.S., NATO and the EU's so-called peacekeepers, has served in these occupied countries during the 53 season and now may be the world's 6.3 billion people daily reports from the news media about their genocide, torture, seemingly drowning. This is unacceptable and must be prosecuted to the full. This day the international community has officially expressed their utmost desire and longing for peace, security and stability. Together with the 6.3 billion people, I want to with the deepest seriousness to appeal to UN Secretary-General, the UN Security Council, UN General Assembly and its organizations, to the UN mandate set up four independent commissions to implement and evaluate studies on U.S., NATO and the EU's so-called peace forces of legitimacy, accountability and incentive contracts in those occupied countries. Mr. Secretary, let me continue; It is my opinion and the international community innermost conviction that no forms of any U.S., NATO and the EU's peace mission may occur without a UN mandate, in order to assure Nations and human rights as a citizen free to shape their own and their nation future. It is my opinion and the international community's ultimate desire for freedom and this desire can not be discouraged by the new war, genocide, torture, simulated drowning in these sick, raped and poor carried out by those responsible practitioners. It is my opinion and the international community's tremendous yearning for peace, security and stability to be applied as the first agenda of the UN General Assembly's agenda every day. It is the international community and its 6.3 billion people who gave the UN its legitimacy, mandate and the confidence to push for assistance, peace, security and stability in the world by UN peacekeepers. We citizens of the world community has with the deepest dismay heard the latest news in these occupied countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine and now in the African Union's 54 countries of America's NATO and EU överbefälhavares, military operation command and the soldiers inalienable torture, genocide, seemingly drowning, arkebuseringar, illegal detentions and deportations of these kuvade people. These militant groups from the U.S. NATO and the EU has set the brutal face of the focus around the world. The human value of these is to exploit them as domino tiles, where the winner has nothing to gain. This global rape of democracy is and remains absolutely unacceptable. These appalling brutal assault that man, woman and child every day may see through national and international news media, is not an isolated incident but it is a barbaric systematic exploitation carried out by these militant forces with a mandate from the UN armed forces, military operations management and its supreme commander. This is underway with full force today and has been going on for 53 years. This inhuman brutal inhumanity can never carry the right to review the peace and solidarity characters bring this message to the UN, UN Security Council and UN General Assembly and its organizations, the world's ultimate desire for immediate peace, security and stability of the United Nations 192 member. This is the international community's democratic convictions to protest against this is going on today in the five continents. World community's 6.3 billion people want unity, single and with the deepest conviction to express their common desire for national freedom and freedom of civil rights for the African, Iraqi, Afghan and Palestinian people. We wish by these four independent UN-appointed commission suppress democracy main characteristics; peace, security, stability, legal certainty and equality before the law. Democracy is a privilege that requires a joint national and international responsibilities. Today, the era of change began, and its basic ability to by the UN and the EU's peaceful global community building to create an international community founded by 6.3 billion people's sense of freedom and its daily work in the common quest for a peaceful, secure and stable world is the greatest challenge to the UN, U.S. and EU have in front of them. in the coming years. This, together with the forthcoming new ratified global climate agreement, the main task of the UN, the UN General Assembly and its Security Council to implement for future generations and for the world's survival. Mr. Secretary, let me say a few personal words to the end; Do not let the 6.3 billion men, women and children's vision and dreams crushed by the illegal, criminal and illegal freedom exercise conducted by U.S., NATO and EU military forces in the occupied countries. Let not my, their and your own inner desire for peace and stability and security crush of new wars, genocide, seemingly drowning, torture, detentions, deportations, arkebuseringar and discrimination around the world carried out by those responsible practitioners of temporary power. Together, we, can we and should we build a fair world characterized by security and stability of the 6.3 billion men, women and children safety and survival With respectful respectful greeting Carl Schad

Sun, 21/06/2009 - 10:23 — Wittmansdorf

CONGRATULATIONS PES. THE EUROPEAN WELFARE STATE IS BORN TODAY.

Motion To West Lundby Socialist District Association by Carl Schad Göteborg 2009-03-12. Motion concerning The EUROPEAN WELFARE STATE, The Social Democratic Party in Sweden and its Chairman at the Mona Sahlin, regions, districts and counties, will be accompanied by social democratic parties in the European Union's 27 members, promote a democratic process in the European Community to implement, det europeiska folkhemmet,the European Welfare State its policy and before-one billion and - after one billion program. We can´t do it in one year, but we can do it in 2018. This common platform will be based on one by European structural social, economic-and-trade union Community. This means concretely to create future conditions for the European Union's 27 Member States. An extensive social, economic, trade union and cultural cooperation with its infrastructure between the European Union's 27 members, is extremely necessary today, to break the current market financing - mortgage - Employment - short term - the Government and social crises, reducing the high inflation, eliminate exclusion and crime and reduce inflation to 2% and the unemployment rate to 1%. We Swedish Social Democrats want on the basis of the vital bearing increased cooperation in the European Parliament, European Union, Council of Europe, European Commission, PES, PES,LO and its europeans unions, increase the exchange of experiences and seek concrete bearing economic, social, culture - and-trade union agreements for the mutual benefit. The increased capital, increased global education, training, education, training, party schools and research and its infrastructure, for Europe's 500 million citizens and Sweden's 9.2 million inhabitants, is an essential prerequisite for ultimately making the EU a world leader state again. In its extension means to achieve a stable and good European economic and social development and security of 500 millions of Europeans and Sweden's 9.2 million people's future employment. Such an accumulation can only be realized through employee and corporate involvement. Such an acumulation can only be realized through 500 millions European citizen effort to reach this goal. And they will. This means that employees,companies,both workers,officials,men and women will help each other with new investments that will secure employment, incomes in The European Welfare state. This may be done onlyby the European Welfare policy and before-one billion-and-after one billion program built fully to the European Union's 500 million people including 9.2 million Swedish inhabitants. With this new social and trade union European Community, the workers, officials and small - and medium-sized entrepreneurs, should have influence over resources and production use. The motion vision is that the Swedish Social Democratic Party during President Mona Sahlin, regions, districts and counties, to invite in the first instance, the European Union's Socialist prime ministers, ministers, political representatives, commissioners, business, LO,PES, PSE and other parties to the deliberations and drafting of an increased accumulation in the 320 million workers, officials and small-and medium-sized business participation, as well as lay the foundations for a solid social, economic, union - and cultural orientation of the European People's Home, European Welfare Policy, before-one billion-and - after one billion program and its new development policy. The 120-years of social democratic work, this Swedish Welfare, Swedish Welfare policy, before-million-and-after one million program to reality. We shall build together EUROPEAN WELFARE STATE. Now it is time for us Swedish and Europes Social Democrats to achieve this 120-year-old Socialist heritage, our pride to the European Social Democratic prime ministers, ministers and politican,kommissioners to implemented to the European Community this European Welfare state and in which all can take part in the European People's Home, its welfare policies,before-one billion-and-after one billion program. The Social Democrats in Sweden, has struggled with blood, sweat and tears, but never hesitated to jointly build a Swedish WELFARE, Swedish Welfare policy, before-million-and-eftermiljons program. We Swedes are grateful for this gift to those given to the Swedish people for over 90 years. Now is the time to reverse the sheet and build the modern Europe,the European Welfare State with its policy,before-one billion-and-after one billion program. In the extension, it is time to jointly build up a European public supplementary, called ETP until 2018. We Swedish Social Democrats know that the future in these next twenty years will make the Swedish and European people face new problems. Concerns about war, massacre, apartheid and racism problems, aggression, alienation, suicide, crime, alcoholism and drugs are identified with today, not only in Sweden but also in the European Union's 27 Member States. The identity in today's society for women, youth and the mature earlier have disappeared, depending on the social network is gone. They come and go as shadows of society, nobody cares about them and their identity is lost in today's icy society. This represents an extreme danger unless we give government and municipal organizations, instutitioner and businesses the tools to eliminate the exclusion. Exclusion, loneliness, ill health, homelessness, the paperless and welfare recipients are more and more to the number of Europe's 27 member countries. It is currently between 38 - 44% of the European Union's 500 million inhabitants, according to recent case of two independent studies. Children, youth and the mature age of human rights breaches significantly today, and is not only offensive, discriminatory, but also a violation of the Civil Human Rights. We Swedish Social Democrats in the European Union's 27 Member States must increase the overall public education, training, education, research, skills and party schools. We Swedish and all European Social Democrats in the European Union's 27 Member States must increase production and productivity. We social democrats within the Social Democratic Party in Sweden together with the European Union's 27 member countries' trade union organizations to strengthen and entrench a new trade union and social European policy. We Social Democrats in Sweden and Europe have now jointly work towards a better and safer future for Europe's 500 million citizens, Sweden's 9.2 million inhabitants and a new change in European development policy. The Socialist Party of Sweden and President Mona Sahlin, regions, districts and counties, shall contribute to an anchor the European Welfare State, European Welfare Policy,before-one billion-and-after one billion program, which all Europeans in the European Union can take part. Swedish 120-year social, economic union and cultural tradition are taken as a basis. We know that the future will make the Swedish and European people face new problems. Fears in America, Asia, Europe and Scandinavia, the brutally over our country's borders. The problems, anxiety and uncertainty can be effectively met only by an effort to boost Europe, Scandinavia and Sweden. We the European Social Democrats must increase production. We the European Social Democrats must increase productivity. We are 500 million European citizens must work together more to create a safer future. Today and for the next twenty years are good prospects for the European trade union-social-economic-and cultural progress through a common bearing political platform of the Socialists in the European Union's 27 Member States. For that guarantee 120-year-old Swedish Welfare, Swedish Welfare policy, before-million-and-one million after the program. For this guarantee American labor will and the skills that exist in our country, Sweden. For that guarantee 120-year-old American tradition of the quest for peace, security and stability. For this guarantee responsibility for the future common European Welfare State, European Welfare Policy,before-one billion-and-after one billion program. The Swedish Social Democratic Party of President Mona Sahlin, regions, districts and counties, together with the European Union's 27 countries Socialist political representatives, ministers,chairmen,leaders to take their responsibilities at work to re-create a social, economic and culture security and stabilization plan and to develop the European Union in the new common European society.We must work together to create the European Welfare State. If I do it,you must do it to, to create the effort of a better Europe 2018. If I have the responsibility to do it, you must do it to, and for then we have the responsibility together to have created EUROPEAN WELFARE STATE AND ITS POLICY. We Social Democrats in Sweden know that different views will break against each other, and that interest will be against the interest, as it is, and must remain in a democracy. The new modern European Welfare State will be the political will, acceptance, understanding, patience, communication, and the bearing dialogue added in the same pot. This is nothing new. But what is new is the future of the European Community as guarantee of 500 million citizens of economic, social, culture-and-union security and stability, for we share a responsibility to future generations who will take over the European Union as a world leader state. But today, it is especially important that the European Union's 27 members ministers and kommissioners together with the Social Democrats' chairman Mona Sahlin, municipalities, regions and balance things, to collect these political national and international confidence selected around the common task of bringing det svenska Folkhemmet, Swedish Welfare policy,before - million and one million for the program to the European Union's 27 members and its 500 million citizens to a new European era. We shall build together the European Welfare State. The Socialist Party of President Mona Sahlin, regions, districts and counties, will get experience and opinions, and from 120-year-old Swedish social democratic tradition, but also from Europe's Socialist prime ministers, ministers, commissioners, politicians and political representatives. The Swedish Social Democratic Party during President Mona Sahlin, regions, districts and counties shall also act as spokesperson for the European and the Swedish people's visions, ideas, thoughts and dreams in the ongoing construction of the European People's Home, European Welfare State policy,before- billion -- and after one billion program. The Social Democratic Party President Mona Sahlin, municipalities and counties, like in the spirit of solidarity, do all of us socialists arrive to the extent possible, to reconcile different views and bridge divisions. The Social Democratic Party President Mona Sahlin, regions, districts and counties, would like to invite to the joint efforts to build Sweden, Scandinavia and Europe strong again. In light of the above suggest / urge me to Göteborgs Socialist District Congress decide to endorse this motion and forward the same to (s) groups and to the Parliament of Europe in the political boards, to act in the physical spirit, and: To, West Socialist Lundby District Association Gothenburg Sweden adopts the motion as its own by Carl Schad. The motion-treated and accepted by members of the West Socialist Lundby District Association Gothenburg Sweden November 3, 2008, that decided to adopt the motion as its own by Carl Schad. West Lundby Socialist District Association. Contacts; Email: carl.schad@telia.com other important sites: http:// www.socialdemokraterna.se/vastralundby. http:// solidaritetensplattformar.blogspot.com. Best Regards Carl Schad.

PES

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