Published Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 12:15
by
Okamoto 
in In the spotlight (479 views and 4 comments)
As a Bulgarian, the United States of Europe’s idea seems realistic and I can almost touch it. For the past 8 years life standard has raised, Bulgaria’ economy’s growing (with + 5% GDP), we do not need visas to travel, he have the possibility to travel and to meet people, the possibility to work and live where our heart is… 25,000 students leave Bulgaria every year (out of 80,000), unemployment rates are low. Two thirds of Bulgarians are Euro-optimists.
The biggest problem for Bulgaria is the corruption and control of European funds to reach their purposes.
Now let me present some other ideas for the manifesto...
Women’s rights:
Let me show you two exemples of countries where no one would say that women occupy important posts: in Iran (Islamic Republic) half of the board of directors or financial directors in State-owned companies are women and in Bulgaria (the poorest EU member) women have the same or better salaries.
Women should have more rights especially during their maternity.
Education and...
read morePublished Thursday, June 26, 2008 at 09:33
by
rikkeindenmark
in New Social Europe (606 views and 10 comments)
And now for
something completely different – as Monty Python would say! I’m
moving away from gender issues and on to a completely different
topic, namely education.
I work in the university sector, where tuition fees are currently
a burning hot topic for debate. In my home country we have a long
tradition for free – or rather publicly funded – higher
education. The argument is that when higher education is free
everyone – regardless of social or economic background – has the
opportunity to take a university degree. Basically, as Danes see
it free education is a question of equality and equal access to
education.
However, in globalization the Danish higher education model is
challenged: Denmark is one of very few countries in the world
which does not have tuition fees (correct me if I’m wrong, but I
think there are only 10 countries worldwide with free higher
education!). University education is increasingly becoming
‘internationalized’: more and more universities cooperate across
borders to offer joint degrees; more and more students go abroad
on exchange or take a full degree abroad, etc. With more
cooperation across borders it gets more difficult for Denmark to
stick with the ‘no fee’ policy – since many of the countries we
cooperate...
Published Monday, June 2, 2008 at 21:31
by
liebetruth
in New Social Europe (395 views and 1 comments)
I believe
courageous steps towards a social Europe are needed to tackle the
challenges that Socialists and Social Democrats are facing all
across the continent before the elections for the European
Parliament (EP) in 2009. The trust of the citizens into the
European Union and politics in Europe in general can and must be
rebuilt. To reach this goal the PES campaign has to make clear
that a truly social Europe is possible – and that PES is the only
European political party which fully commits itself to turning
the vision of a social Europe into reality!
Social mainstreaming, Common EU minimum social standards and stronger EU social policies are needed to make clear that a New Social Europe is possible! We expect from PES to fully commit itself to building this New Social Europe in the 2009 electoralcampaign. This commitment is the key to rebuilding people’s trust into the European Union and a successful PES at the 2009 European elections.
Our map towards Social Europe
I am convinced that the following courageous steps are needed to reach a truly social Europe and should therefore become the centerpiece of the PES manifesto for the European elections 2009:
read morePublished Monday, June 2, 2008 at 16:50
by
jose reis santos
in New Social Europe (307 views and 0 comments)
Today, the Portuguese Secretary of State Fernando Medina takes the floor to present some of his ideas on the “New Social Europe”!
In a time where all over Europe people are presenting proposals for the common European manifesto for the 2009 election, the work developed by the PES activists in Portugal should be praised. I believe that we will have the necessary ideas to build a political agenda that will reinforce the social dimension of the European project. For example, we need to insist in the battle for a European minimum wage, as a protection mechanism, and to appeal to people. Naturally, each country has the liberty to adjust their measures regarding this issue but they should do so respecting common criteria. If most European countries already have this kind of measures, why can’t we give them a political hype, with the necessary visibility attached? We can actually make the same with the struggle against poverty and exclusion, especially when concerning children and youth. This is a crucial dimension in the sustainability of our social and economical models because it reinforces the cohesion dimension of our citizenship; because it fights the spread of poverty and maximizes the human and labor potential of our societies. These themes show that the politics of equality of opportunities should go beyond the non-discrimination approach.
Another issue is active aging and...
read morePublished Friday, May 30, 2008 at 14:20
by
pamela.derosa
in In the spotlight (417 views and 1 comments)
According to Pamela
de Rosa, it is a matter of fact that Italy is increasingly
lagging behind in competitiveness, research and innovation
compared to other European countries. In the education sector,
the ever worse quality of public schools is pushing citizens to
choose private education. The church is claiming financial
support from State for catholic school. This will be in contrast
with the Italian Constitution, since a common agreement between
the Church and the State establish that only public schools can
be granted State funds. Pamela de Rosa considers that Italy
threatens to turn back to old mentality and to be more and more
subject to the intrusion of the Church, putting at stake values
of what should be a laic and progressive society.
Which path should we follow?
Credo che l'Italia stia attraversando un momento particolarmente delicato per l'esistenza stessa del valore di uno Stato libero, come l'Italia dovrebbe essere. Libero da cosa? Dalle ingerenze del "capo" della chiesa cattolica, papa Benedetto XVI? O dalla mentalità ottusa che sta caratterizzando l'italiano medio? Una piccola risposta me la sono data da sola: l'Italia sta diventando uno Stato governato da un partito (PDL) che cerca il dialogo con l'opposizione, nel rispetto del valore della democrazia...
read morePublished Thursday, May 1, 2008 at 11:30
by
Editor
in New Social Europe (498 views and 0 comments)
Here's another post from the Spanish PES
activists:
The expression of “the European knowledge society” has become
commonplace ever since the Lisbon and Barcelona Summits (held
respectively in 2000 and 2002). You hear it all the time and
almost in every context. But is it enough to talk about it to
make it a reality?
To reach this objective, we all have to take up our
responsibilities, not just the academic world or the companies.
Life-long learning in such areas as languages, information and
communication technologies, the environment or gender equality
will not only allow us to better know and use our civil rights
but it will also allow us to create the society we really want to
live in, beyond the limitations of a “knowledge-based
society”.
The PES should therefore fight for the goal of enhancing
life-long learning programmes, which lay special emphasis on
those groups of society that remain excluded for various reasons.
Our farmers, our elderly, our linguistic minorities, etc. ,
should be able to have access to this kind of training through
specific programmes. If we manage to reach this goal, the
European knowledge society will be a reality for all. And we
cannot be content with anything less than that.
A Spanish version is attached to this post.
Raul Canay is an economist, a PSOE activist and a
member of the
Tags: blogger of the week, education
File:
sociedad_ES.pdf
Published Monday, April 28, 2008 at 09:30
by
Isabella_Frenning
in New Social Europe (493 views and 2 comments)
Published Monday, April 21, 2008 at 12:08
by
Duncan Anderson
in New Social Europe (588 views and 2 comments)
I know the British National Health Service can be improved, but I still personally believe that Free Health Service and Free Education from cradle to grave should be part of the fundamental human rights of every citizen, but let's start in the EU first.
read more
Published Wednesday, March 26, 2008 at 15:04
by
ania_skrzypek
in New Social Europe (790 views and 3 comments)
Not a long time ago,
by November 2007, ECOSY celebrated its 15 years anniversary. For that
occasion we asked our members why they joined the movement. Among
many answers the leading one was undoubtedly: because I wanted to
make a difference, because I wanted to change… Naïve? I would not
say so – I’d rather claim ‘refreshing to remember’, inspiring!
Now “New” usually stands for something that is different from
everything we know, that can give a potential hope – which is why
the "New Social Europe" seem to be the hope to
re-boost the discussion on what is the absolutely unique project
of Socialists and Social Democrats for Europe.
We know that the world has changed – we read that in every paper,
together with acknowledgements of all the threats that not only
hide in every corner, but even enter our houses; like
globalization that we voluntarily participate in each day when
switching the TV on. Everything is unstable, insecure,
questionable – and Superman or Spiderman seem up to date enough
to save us.
I am convinced that instead of a bunch of Armageddon tricks, we
need a vision that appeals to people, that...
Published Tuesday, March 25, 2008 at 09:40
by
Editor
in In the spotlight (760 views and 1 comments)
A group of German PES activists are the first to send in a paper
with ideas for the PES manifesto. Read the German contribution in the documents section of
Yourspace.
The EU working group from the SPD in Berlin proposes eight 'building
blocks' for the PES manifesto:
Published Thursday, March 20, 2008 at 10:55
by
Poul_Nyrup_Rasmussen
in EU in the world (599 views and 0 comments)
First of all:
congratulations to the Spanish socialist party, PSOE, for winning the
national elections in Spain!Published Friday, March 14, 2008 at 11:52
by
AnneSofie
in EU in the world (849 views and 0 comments)
The manifesto theme
'EU in the
world' was also on the agenda when PES activists from Denmark, Sweden and Norway met in
Jørlunde, Denmark on March 1st and 2nd. Here are a few
conclusions from this dedicated discussion group:
Published Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 16:08
by
heisbo
in New Social Europe (842 views and 5 comments)
On the 21st century
education has become an inevitable tool for a personal and national
success. European Union aims to be the most competitive
knowledge-based economy in the world. That requires investing in
education and training as well as in research and development.
Investing in education is investing in the future, both in personal
and in macro level.Published Thursday, January 24, 2008 at 11:56
by
Editor
in New Social Europe (1112 views and 3 comments)
“New Beginning” is what the
Labour Party of Malta (MLP) is offering voters
as it prepares for general elections expected in March or April
this year. New investment and new jobs top the Labour Party’s
programme, alongside better education and health services.Published Monday, January 7, 2008 at 10:49
by
lolomodrego
in European democracy & diversity (1039 views and 3 comments)
There is a clear
disconnection between the EU and its citizens. Although this is
easily explainable it is not sustainable in the long term.
Democratic regimes cannot afford to cut citizens loose, citizens’
participation being itself the principle of democracy. How can we
develop citizens’ interest in EU activities?Published Friday, November 23, 2007 at 16:54
by
Editor
in New Social Europe (1005 views and 0 comments)
Published Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 14:27
by
anqa
in New Social Europe (974 views and 0 comments)
Another visit to the office of Marek Siwiec, Vice-President of the European Parliament and member of SLD in Poland. Among other things he raises the question of how we can make the vision of New Social Europe a reality in all EU countries.
How do you think we can assure high social standards in both new and old member states?
read morePublished Thursday, November 8, 2007 at 10:39
by
Editor
in New Social Europe (823 views and 0 comments)
Published Tuesday, October 30, 2007 at 22:41
by
estherbcn326
in New Social Europe (1293 views and 0 comments)
The debate on the economic and social model that Catalonia needs cannot be held without taking into account the political strategy of the European Union in this field. In fact, since some years ago, the globalized world in which we live has made necessary for the Catalan economy to add its weight to the total weight of the European countries that conforms the Union, so as to reinforce its participation in the world market.
For much of its recent history, the European Union has been a
driving force of social and economic progress crucial for our
development. Until 2000, Directives such as the Equal Pay
Directive for men and women (1975), the Directive on the
protection of workers' health and safety at the workplace (1989),
the Directive protecting the rights of workers posted in another
Member State (1996) and the antidiscrimination Directives for
racial and employment equality (2000), brought big advances in
cohesion and in the quality of life for Europe's citizens.
However, from 2002 on, Europe has seen few significant social
policy initiatives, and this passivity –both from the European
Commission and the Members States- has concurred with an increase
of the socioeconomic tensions caused by the impact of
globalization in the labour market, with the massive introduction
of new technology penetrating every part of our economies,...
Tags: education, employment, equality, welfare
File:
Catalonia in the New Social Europe301007.doc
Published Thursday, October 18, 2007 at 11:37
by
Editor
in New Social Europe (1277 views and 0 comments)
What do young Europeans think should be in the PES manifesto? Around 40 activists from the Danish Social Democratic Youth gave their take on Europe’s future at yesterday’s manifesto work groups in Brussels. We asked them what they considered the most important priorities for the theme New Social Europe:
Ritu Madsen, Denmark, business school student
“I think rights to the childcare should be in the PES manifesto. I didn’t think about it before coming to this meeting, because we have good opportunities for childcare in my home country. Now I understand that this is not the case in all European countries.”
Sidsel Andersen, Denmark, secondary school student
“It is important to create good opportunities to combine work and family life, for example better possibilities for parents to bring...
read more
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