The European Union today is the largest donor in development and
international aid.
A European fact we can indeed be proud of.
But let us not rest assured...the international (aid) scene is
rapidly changing, for the best and the worst.
New players have entered the domain of international development
and aid.
China, for example, seems to have (re)discovered the African
continent and are rapidly becoming a major player. Not all that
strange after all, since the Chinese aid comes with much less
regulations than the aid the EU or the UN offers. Yet, it comes
at a much higher cost in the end.
But the way local NGO's work is changing as well. With as much
failure stories as success stories, projects have a tendency to
grow more local and more small-scaled. Western aid workers slowly
abandon the idea they know better and that western models can
simply be implemented in a non-western context.
Local partnerships and consultation rounds now determine the
needs of local people.
Participation and co-ownership are now key-words in these new
formats being developed.
Aid is so much more than simply drilling water holes or offering
medical supplies. Aid should also come in the forms of education
and information.
As the largest donor, the European Union also has the largest
responsibility. A responsibility to avoid trading aid for
political sway or economic deals. Aid should be a first step to
self-governance, not a hidden form...
On the plane to Brussels yesterday, I read the Financial Times, and
found an interesting comment by Lawrence Summers. To put it simple he says that
workers’ scepticism against free markets is logic, because although
the economy in general terms benefit from free trade and
globalization, there is no guarantee that the working class will.
As countries have taken globalization as an argument to cut down on
social security and tax levels, the working class are right in
being anti-globalization in Summers´view. Therefore, he calls on
the US to take the lead in promoting global co-operation in the
international tax arena, and to end the race to the bottom on
social standards and try to find an international co-operation to
raise the standards all over the world.
I welcome free trade and globalization, but I also recognise that
globalization and free trade demands much of each individual. In my
generation people have had time-limited contracts for ten years.
That puts people under lot of stress. Every person in the labour
market nowadays has to be flexible, be able to educate themselves
again and again, and to start new jobs again and again. But people
can not be left to manage this totally be themselves. No, in the
globalized world that we live in today the responsibility of the
society is greater than ever. The society must ensure that in...
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Published Saturday, March 1, 2008 at 18:32
by
rikkeindenmark
in New Social Europe (677 views and 0 comments)
The afternoon of the Danish conference on the PES manifesto ended with a
plenary where the four work groups presented a ‘top 3’ of
priorities for their manifesto theme. Here are, from my view,
some of the most interesting ideas brought forward:
The PES manifesto should propose to put an end to the
emissions trading scheme where rich countries can buy CO2 credits
from the developing world
Fighting climate change needs to take place on many levels:
the international, the national and the individual. EU should
offer the citizens a ‘package’ of suggestions to how they can
reduce their energy consumption
Public transport should be free in Europe
The PES manifesto should encourage that the Scandinavian
welfare model is spread to other European countries (non-Nordic
people, what do you think? Do you agree?)
It should also underline that the social rights of people
working outside their home country are important to protect
Europe’s social democrats should consider what a European,
social democratic identity looks like. What do we have in common
– and how can we use that in our political work and the campaign
for the 2009 elections?
The EU should promote democracy and human rights in its
external policies: for example, in trade policy favour countries
with decent working conditions and respect for human...
Some European social democrats are shocked at US Democrats apparent
hostility to free trade. Europeans fear US Democrats are becoming
protectionist. But American workers blame NAFTA - the North
American Free Trade Agreement – for the factory closures and job
losses that have devastated US communities. And don’t forget many
Americans lose healthcare when they lose their job! Americans point
to the number of companies that have moved manufacturing to Mexico
and other NAFTA countries with lower wages, lower safety standards
and fewer workers rights.
US Democrats talk instead of wanting ‘fair trade’ with basic labour
standards and trade union rights as part of future trade
agreements. This is in tune with PES ambitions to put ‘decent work’
on the agenda of the World Trade Organisation. It might take some
serious talking to reach a good way forward but it could offer an
opportunity to link free trade with better living and working
conditions for all.
read more
The first plenary
debate, right after the opening of the PES Council, was dedicated to
international politics. The debate entitled "The EU on the
international scene; Promoting sustainable peace’" was chaired by
the Katrin Saks, Member of the European Parliament from Estonia,
and was filled with lively interventions and contributions.
"It’s an important challenge for us as socialists and social
democrats to apply our values in the 21st century," said Espen
Barth Eide, Secretary of State for Defense in Norway, when he
presented a recent report by the PES on the international scene
and sustainable peace.
According to him effective multilateralism is a fundamental tool
and has to be focused on the creation of other instruments for
changes. The main objective of socialists and social democrats
should be to bring the advantages of an interdependent world to
citizens in many different parts of the world. For example
through the European Security Defense Policy, or via humanitarian
aid and health policies, trade policy or external relations with
countries such as China and India.
The discussion tackled how socialists and social democrats can
reach their objectives - to this
South Korea and the European Union have recently launched their
third round of negotiations on a free trade agreement in Brussels
and the next round of talks will take place in mid-October in
Seoul. Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson stated talks represent a
turning towards a stronger focus on Asia and according to South
Korea’s trade negotiator Kim Hyun-Chong the agreement represents a
chance to become East Asia's free trade hub linking Europe, Asia
and the US. But what is at stake exactly?
On the big picture first, the EU is planning free trade deals with
other countries in Asia and beyond, arguing that its growing
bilateral strategies do not undermine its commitment to global
trade negotiations at the World Trade Organization. However, with WTO talks
risking delay or failure, it seems that current agreements reflect
more the interests of European businesses; they gain a better
chance for swift new market openings. Should the EU negotiate
directly with South Korea and pursue its own interests? Or should
it rather stay with the WTO and and extend the benefits of trading
to other developing countries?
read more
in EU in the world (401 views and 0 comments)
The first plenary
debate, right after the opening of the PES Council, was dedicated to
international politics. The debate entitled "The EU on the
international scene; Promoting sustainable peace’" was chaired by
the Katrin Saks, Member of the European Parliament from Estonia,
and was filled with lively interventions and contributions.
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