Published Friday, November 30, 2007 at 11:38
by
together 
(1211 views and 3 comments)
European political parties can play an important role in shaping European democracy and therefore they should play an important part in our manifesto theme on European Democracy and Diversity. In order to start a discussion, I would like to present two short texts. One is a translated paragraph from the new SPD (German social democrats) manifesto "Hamburg Programme". It is taken from the chapter "Democratic Europe". The second text is composed of a few paragraphs drawn up by me.
1.) This is a quote from the German social democrats on "Democratic Europe":
European democracy requires a European public scope. European media, organizations of civil society, social partners, but even strong European political parties are indispensable for this. Our aim is to develop the Social Democratic Party of Europe to become a functioning members’ and program party. We are favouring the elaboration of a program of social democratic principles for Europe. In the elections to the European Parliament we want to present a pan-European candidate.
If you are interested in reading the whole chapter, you can download the SPD "Hamburg Programme" » read more ...
Tags: citizens, democracy, EU, political parties
Published Friday, November 30, 2007 at 10:40
by
Editor
(981 views and 0 comments)
The Committee of the
Regions brings together local and regional politicians from
everywhere in Europe. PES is represented here as well – with 110
full members. Now the members of the PES Group in the Committee
of the Regions will have their say in the PES manifesto
consultation – they have launched a manifesto section on their website, inviting their
friends to join the debate.
Mercedes Bresso, President of the PES Group in the Committee of the Regions, who oversees the consultation process, stresses: "To be truly democratic, the PES Manifesto consultation needs to be taken to the level closest to the citizens. This is where Socialists and Social Democrats of the Committee of the Regions can make a meaningful contribution."
Like Yourspace, the new website is divided into four consultation themes, New Social Europe, Save our planet, European democracy and diversity and » read more ...
Published Thursday, November 29, 2007 at 10:45
by
Editor
(749 views and 0 comments)
Tags: None
Published Wednesday, November 28, 2007 at 15:48
by
Editor
(880 views and 0 comments)
Published Wednesday, November 28, 2007 at 12:10
by
yoan.abiven
(1322 views and 2 comments)
Pour une
politique européenne commune de l’immigration!
- afin que la libre circulation dans les Etats de l’Union,
garantie aux migrants légalement installés, se fasse dans le
respect des droits fondamentaux et à égalité de droits avec tous
les résidents de l’Union,
- qui réponde aux intérêts économiques et démographiques de
l’Union
- qui accroisse son rayonnement à l’étranger.
Diagnostic
Les Etats européens, aux frontières intérieures désormais
effacées, confrontés à la nécessité d’une coopération renforcée
en matière d’immigration, doivent aller au-delà et construire une
politique commune d’immigration. Il serait catastrophique que
l’UE apparaisse comme une forteresse close entourée de hauts
murs.
Objectifs
La politique commune d’immigration devrait se fonder sur les
points suivants:
Garantir les droits fondamentaux aux migrants légalement
installés sur le territoire de... » read more ...
Published Tuesday, November 27, 2007 at 20:05
by
jose reis santos
(1129 views and 0 comments)
I haven’t seen any
news coverage of last week's PES Council in Sofia, so I don’t know what
spin the media made of it. From my perspective it was a success.
Everybody already knows about the weather conditions that
prevented a full house plenary and the presence of more high rank
officials; but, even thought, the level of the discussions and
the quality time available more than compensated this unfortunate
event.
The funny thing is that I’ve been told that the airport was build in that location by German engineers in World War II, exactly because of the fog condition - it would make the place easy to defend and invisible to enemy attacks.
The political contribute of this PES Council was very intense, as the Manifesto 2009 took off with attention and strength. Most of the plenary interventions were in accordance to the four main issues – Save our planet, New Social Europe, European democracy and diversity and » read more ...
Tags: activists, council, PES, political parties
Published Tuesday, November 27, 2007 at 13:01
by
Editor
(1088 views and 1 comments)
One of the PES activists
from Portugal has been blogging from last week's PES Council!
Find videos and hour by hour reports at ‘Loja de
Ideias’.
‘Blogmog’ was also present in Sofia – read about her experiences here.
Thanks to the PES activists for all their efforts!
Published Tuesday, November 27, 2007 at 10:33
by
marco
(1140 views and 2 comments)
Tags: treaty
Published Tuesday, November 27, 2007 at 10:26
by
carl0s
(879 views and 0 comments)
I think we can identify four distinct "stages" where people make the most use of public services, particularly in regard to welfare and education services. They are not necessarily sequential. Firstly, from childhood to early adulthood, people need free-at-point-of-use education - its important that this is not only of academic quality, but also that the environment results in a decent formative experience. Secondly, families with a young child need a lot of support, from the birth through to free childcare. Thirdly, people with illness at any time in their lives should not be thrown back on the resources of the family, as the fear that this engenders will act to the detriment of general public health. And lastly, people who have finished work will need a future where they aren't worried about subsistence living. That way, younger people can look to the future with a degree of confidence.
If I'm stating the obvious here, then apologies. But for all four of these stages, there is no indication that private schemes or private insurance can adequately and securely provide for individuals. Private involvement at these times always involves public provision at some stage - for example, someone with health insurance always goes to their local hospital in an emergency. My belief is that public hospitals should not be charging their patients for care.
By combining health and social services... » read more ...
Tags: childcare, elderly, health, pensions, public services, welfare
Published Friday, November 23, 2007 at 17:02
by
Editor
(1089 views and 0 comments)
Like yesterday, this
afternoon offered a number of fringe meetings. One of them was
devoted to PES
activists and how they can take part in PES campaign for the
2009 European elections. The meeting clearly demonstrated the
growing need of grassroots party members to participate in the
European political debate, and expressed the necessity of a
well-organized and Europe-wide activist network. Participants
agreed that the PES manifesto campaign is an ideal tool to
participate in the political debate and to share local experiences
at the European level. Many also mentioned the initiative as an
opportunity to consolidate a strong network of socialist and social
democratic grassroots in Europe.Published Friday, November 23, 2007 at 16:54
by
Editor
(1082 views and 0 comments)
Tags: council, education, employment, equality, immigration
Published Friday, November 23, 2007 at 09:25
by
Editor
(987 views and 0 comments)
After yesterday's plenary on combating climate
change we asked a couple of delegates what they think should be
the most important priority for the PES manifesto:
Robert
Goebbels, Member of the Euopean Parliament, Luxembourg:
"Humanity will always need energy and there is no silver
bullet to resolve the problem. I think the PES manifesto should
suggest investments in research into all kinds of energy."
Petroula Nteledimou, Vice-President, ECOSY:
"I think it is very important that the PES manifesto presents an integrated and whole strategy to environmental issues. These problems are not isolated from other issues such as social problems and foreign and security policy."
Tags: council, environment, PES
Published Friday, November 23, 2007 at 08:31
by
joelld
(1265 views and 2 comments)
The first day of the PES Council in Sofia went well, despite the climate conditions, with rich debates and conferences. Rainbow Rose LGBT was well represented by Rodrigo Martín Galán during the debate on European democracy and diversity yesterday afternoon. As many speakers remarked, article 13 of the EC treaty, and other binding European laws such as anti-discrimination directives 2000/78 and 2000/43, are already implemented in all member States, improving the conditions of LGBT persons, women or disabled persons in all areas of social life. Still, it also appears clearly that EU treaties and regulations, being no magic solutions, had not eliminated racism, sexism, homophobia or transphobia in our societies. As socialist activists and NGOs report daily, discriminations in employment and work conditions, hate crimes, intolerant speeches in day-to-day life, are a reality we must face.
Rainbow Rose met at lunch time, outside the Council, with Bulgarian LGBT activists who could explain us what kind of exactions they live with in their country – and Bulgaria is not an exception.... » read more ...
Tags: activists, council, democracy, discrimination, diversity, fundamental rights, LGBT, PES
Published Thursday, November 22, 2007 at 18:15
by
jose reis santos
(1032 views and 2 comments)
The 2007 PES Council began, despite weather conditions. Fog in Sofia led to the closing of the airport and to the impossibility of 2/3 of participants arriving. There are stories of delegates, activists and guests spread all over Eastern Europe, from Romania to other Bulgarian small aeroports.
Find more reports from the PES Council here and here.
Here is my video of the first hours:
Published Thursday, November 22, 2007 at 18:00
by
Editor
(993 views and 0 comments)
Who should lead the fight against climate change, if not Europe’s socialists and social democrats?
This question, posed by Stephan Singer, of WWF European Climate and Energy Policy Unit, was answered by speakers and delegates at the PES Council today. They want to turn the planetary emergency into a global opportunity. The PES adopted a resolution which offers a roadmap for combating global warming.
Speakers in the debate underlined that we know enough about the threat, and we already have many of the solutions. “It’s time to act”, said Linda McAvan, Vice-President of the Socialist Group in the European Parliament. To keep the rise in average global temperatures below 2°C, the PES calls for binding targets for the reduction of green house gas emissions in all industrialised countries and for the limitation of CO2 emission increases in emerging economies. The aim for 2050 is a reduction of global CO2 emissions by at least 50%. This is only possible with effective global, regional and national policies and an effective system international emissions trading system.
New, sustainable energy resources are the key for a low carbon economy. This requires massive investment in research, development and innovation, not least in Europe, as well as a global partnership to help developing economies get eh latest green technology to fight climate change and to cope with... » read more ...
Tags: citizens, climate change, council, environment
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