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Europe: give the citizens their say!
The civic, anti-liberal, pro-European mobilisation has opened a new era
for Europe. More and more people reject neo-liberal policies and their
impact on the whole of social. Following the »no« vote in France and the
Netherlands, the demands of Europe’s citizens must be heard — starting
with the complete withdrawal of the proposed European Constitution. :
Hence this petition, whose intent is to express these demands. It is
being supported in every country of the Union by political, social, and
community organisations that aim at human emancipation in Europe and
throughout the world.
The originators of this European Appeal, furthermore, commit themselves
to a process of working in an open and democratic manner for Another
Europe for Another World.
As citizens and residents, we want to build a common future of shared
progress for Europe. We wish to transcend the crisis of neo-liberal
Europe to build a social, democratic, feminist, ecological and peaceful
Europe; a Europe of solidarity between all its peoples, and with all the
peoples of the world. To this end we therefore demand a profound change
of European institutions and policies the applying of immediate
measures. This particularly implies:
- democratic drawing up of organising principles for Europe through a
process of public debate and ratification by universal suffrage. The
undemocratic neo-liberal system must give way to co-operation,
solidarity and to rights and powers for its citizens.
- a new institutional framework for the EU based on the principles of
liberty, equality, pluralism, self-determination of peoples and
secularism. Based on the primacy of fundamental rights and freedoms of
the individual, it will include increased powers of control and
intervention by citizens, democratisation of work places, respect for
the rights of minorities and make all decision-making bodies subject to
elected assemblies.
- challenging the relations of domination between men and women with
a view to attaining true equality in all areas. Binding measures will be
adopted to this effect, with harmonisation towards the most progressive
provisions, in particular the adoption of a legal framework to combat
violence against women.
- fighting all forms of discrimination in private and public life.
- urgent measures against poverty and social exclusion.
- establishing a set of new policies aimed at eradicating
unemployment and instability and providing job security and training.
This entails combating all forms of dumping and redirecting the budget,
taxation, and credit to establish a new style of development that
respects the environment and creates employment
mobilising resources so as to overcome the gap between different parts
of the continent and especially in favour of the eastern countries.
- challenging the role and mission of the European Central Bank, the
principles of the Stability Pact and the »Lisbon Agenda«.
- convergence, towards the highest levels, of social welfare
provisions and remunerations (wages, minimum social benefits,
unemployment benefits, pensions etc.); recognition of the right to work
and to having an income; adopting a new directive to reduce working
hours and improve working conditions.
- withdrawing the Bolkestein Directive and all other neo-liberalising
directives, challenging the privatisations of the last twenty years;
vital sectors, particularly in the areas of health, education and
culture, must be freed from the rules of competition; to this end,
European public services must be created in co-operation with national
and regional public services, as, for example and electricity.
- challenging the World Trade Organisation’s free trade policies and
halting the GATS negotiations.
- adopting a European Environmental Charter to advance a new
development model and a common agricultural policy based on security and
sovereignty in food supply.
- social, economic and environmental development policies for
marginalised regions and »peripheral« (overseas) areas.
- establishing a European citizenship based on residence, a process
to give legal recognition to those people who do not have official
documentation and challenging the Schengen agreements.
- refusing processes that lead to war and the militarisation of the
European Union, which implies being strictly independent of NATO.
- increasing European Union development assistance, and setting up
policies of co-operation and solidarity in international negotiations
with countries of the South.
Throughout Europe, sign this European Appeal!
Individually and/or as an organisation
Organisation:
Address:
Country:
Web Site:
Email address:
Person to contact:
Name, Surname:
What title do you wish shown with your name (responsibility,
organisation, profession...):
Address:
Country:
Email Address:
Please send the signatures to: appeal-petition-eu@ras.eu.org
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