K
A I R O S E U R O P A
Alternatives
to Neoliberal Globalisation
Public
Hearing
October
21
st,
1999 (9:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.)
in
the European Parliament, Brussels
Background:
The
election victories of social democratic, socialist and green parties in many
countries of the European Union (EU) demonstrated that the majority of voters
had expected this political turn of the tide to bring about more jobs and
social justice, after years of politics which showed a lack of attention to
issues of redistribution. But a first, provisional assessment of red-green
politics results in a very unsatisfactory conclusion. Neither did they take any
serious supranational action to counter the EU member states´ "race to the
bottom" for lower social standards or lower taxes on capital gains, nor did
they effectively address the intolerable extent of mass unemployment and social
deprivation in their national contexts.
On
the contrary, recent announcements of key players among social democrats (cf.
"Europe: The Third Way" by Tony Blair and Gerhard Schroeder) make it
unmistakably clear that what is actually being envisaged is a far-reaching
sell-out of the longstanding social tradition of Europe. What is now to be
implemented is a new (social democratic) edition of neoliberal policies. This
resumption of a supply-side agenda, with tax reductions for companies and
capital assets on the one hand, and a further dismanteling of the welfare state
on the other, will certainly aggravate the socio-economic malaise Europe is
facing – at the expense of countless workers, the unemployed and people
that have to live on social welfare.
Against
this background, the loss of more than 30 mandates by the European Social
Democratic Party in the recent European elections seems to have been the first
expression of the voter´s deep disappointment with the "New Centre".
Moreover, the extremely low voter turnout emphasizes, once again and in an
alarming way, that EU policies in general need to be fundamentally reoriented
in the spirit of a genuine inclusion of the European population. Instead of
unilaterally pushing ahead the integration process according to economic
interests, future European policies, above all, have to cope with the problems
and interests of the citizens.
The
same goes for the development policies of the Union and the role of the EU at
the level of world politics. In this context, certain aspects of
competitiveness are increasingly being given top priority. Instead the EU, as
one of the most powerful communities of states and a major beneficiary of the
international division of labour, should commit itself to a cooperative search
for fair solutions to the momentous problems stemming from the global economic
(dis)order.
To
oppose the impending reduction of Europe to a pure "free trade union" the
involvement of civil society, in cooperation with partners from other parts of
the world and like-minded forces within European parties, is essential more
than ever before for the establishment of a more just and solidaristic Europe.
Objective
of the hearing
Therefore,
the Kairos Europe hearing, forming the conclusion of a three year project on
"Alternatives to the dominating development model" suported by the European
Commission, shall take as its theme the crucial challenges for the future of
European politics. Representatives of social movements, NGOs, trade unions and
churches and acedemics from Europe and the South will present their proposals,
demands and strategies for a re-regulation of the markets for the benefit of
human development, and discuss them with Members of European Parliament and
representatives of the European Commission.
The
first part of the hearing (9.30 a.m. – 1.00 p.m.) will deal with
international matters, the afternoon session (3.00 – 6.30 p.m.) will be
marked by the consequences of EU politics for the citizens of Europe.
Contents
of the hearing
By
speeding up worldwide liberalisation and deregulation policies the EU has
actively contributed to the current situation, in which politics are mainly
governed by the supposed "practical necessities of globalisation", increasingly
reducing the scope of governments to shape their own policies. The outbreak of
the Asian crisis provided impressive proof that the international financial
system can hardly be kept under control any more and represents a serious risk
to the whole world economy.
Given
the increasing importance of the European Union in the world - not least
because of the introduction of the single currency - and in the interest of its
own capacity to act, the EU is called on to advocate a more strongly
politically regulated economic and financial order, one which is in accordance
with the needs of human development world-wide. This challenge is as important
for inner-European politics as it is for the relationships between the EU and
third countries.
Against
this background, two areas of problems will be debated at the hearing, both of
which call for decisive answers from European policy makers:
- Mass
unemployment, precarious jobs and social exclusion require a resolute and
EU-wide cooperation on employment, social and fiscal policies. Instead of the
intra-community competition which divides one country against the other and in
the end goes counter to common sense, a recognition is needed of the political
necessity – and economic profitability – of cross-border
re-regulation. The forthcoming enlargement, in particular, will only turn out
well if national interests take second place to joint and solidaristic action.
Europe´s co-responsibility for the world economy, too, can only be
interpreted meaningfully in the same way.
- Considering
the exploitative colonial past of Europe and given that the asymmetry of the
global markets still is very advantageous to the EU, the relationship between
the Union and the so-called developing countries is of great significance. In
the context of the current re-negotiation of the Lomé treaty with 71
states from Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific which expires in February
2000, the EU insists on replacing the trade preferences in favour of the South
by comprehensive free-trade relations. An alternative to this plans would have
to develop further the non-reciprocal elements of the Lomé model to the
advantage of the developing countries and to reinforce the development efforts
of these countries through a far-reaching cancellation of debt, better access
for their agricultural products to the EU market and the strengthening of
further South-South cooperation.
All
those interested are cordially invited to participate in the hearing and become
actively involved in its discussions. For further information, please contact:
Kairos
Europa
· Hegenichstrasse 22 · D-69124 Heidelberg Tel.: +49 (0)6221 712610
· Fax: 781183 · email: KAIROSHD@aol.com
K
A I R O S E U R O P A
Alternatives
to Neoliberal Globalisation
Public
Hearing in the European Parliament
Brussels,
21/10/1999, 9:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
DRAFT
(as of 19/7/1999)
|
Morning
Session:
ALTERNATIVES
TO NEOLIBERAL EU-POLICIES TOWARDS THE SOUTH
Expectations
and Demands from Social Movements in Africa and the Caribbean
|
9:30 - 10:00:
Welcome
and introductions:
Introductory
statement 1: N.N. (representative of the South*)
Introductory
statement 2: Susan George, Observatoire de la Mondialisation / Transnational
Institute, France
10:00
- 10:30:
Proposals
and demands to the European Union
3
- 4 statements
N.N.
(representatives from Africa and the Caribbean*)
10:30
- 11:00:
Responses
by members of the European Parliament
Glenys
Kinnock, Labour Party, United Kingdom (invited)
Wolfgang
Kreissl-Dörfler, Bündnis 90/Die Grünen, Germany (invited)
11:00
- 11:30:
Questions
and comments on the responses
11:30
- 12:00:
Responses
by representatives of the European Commission
Philip
Lowe, Director General GD VIII (invited)
N.N.
(GD VIII)
12:00
- 12:30:
Questions
and comments on the responses
12:30
- 1:00 p.m.:
Concluding
statements
Balance:
N.N. (representative of the South*)
Strategic
outlook: Ulrich Duchrow, Kairos Europa
*The
representatives of the South will be determined by the members of the preceding
International Consultation (October 17-20, 1999).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1:00
- 3:00 p.m.:
Lunch
Break
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
Afternoon
Session:
ALTERNATIVES
TO NEOLIBERAL EU-POLICIES
Expectations
and Demands towards new EU-Policies
|
3:00
– 3:30 p.m.:
Welcome
and introductions:
Introductory
statement: Ignacio Ramonet, Le Monde diplomatique (invited)
3:30
- 4:00 p.m.:
Proposals
and demands to the European Union:
Joerg
Huffschmid, University of Bremen/Germany
N.N.
(representative of “European Anti-Poverty Network“)
Hans-Jürgen
Urban, IG Metall/Germany (invited)
4:00
- 4:30 p.m.:
Responses
by members of the European Parliament
Alain
Lipietz, Les Verts (invited)
N.N.,
Social Democratic Party of Europe
4:30
- 5:00 p.m.:
Questions
and comments on the responses
5:00
- 5:30 p.m.:
Responses
by representatives of the European Commission:
Allan
Larsson, Director General GD V (invited)
N.N.
(GD II)
5:30
- 6:00 p.m.:
Questions
and comments on the responses
6:00
- 6:30 p.m.:
Concluding
statements
Balance:
N.N.
Strategic
outlook: Rob van Drimmelen, APRODEV
For
further information please contact:
Kairos
Europa
· Hegenichstrasse 22 · D-69124 Heidelberg
Tel.:
+49 (0)6221 712610 · Fax: 781183 · email: KAIROSHD@aol.com
