Red Rose Forum

The March edition of the PES newlsetter is available via the following link http://www.pes.org/newsletter/17/en/

or the French version is available via the following link

http://www.pes.org/newsletter/17/fr/

Launch of The New Social Europe

"The New Social Europe" report was launched at 28 March 2007 by PES President Poul Nyrup Rasmussen and Jacques Delors, founding President of Notre Europe and former President of the European Commission. The report sets out the values, principles and policies which we, as Europe’s socialists and social democrats will pursue to meet today’s challenges - globalization, demography, technological change and enlargement - and turns them into opportunities and benefits for all of our citizens . Elections: It’s your chance to shape the New Social Europe!   Book your fligths now! And support Irish Labour in the Irish national elections It’s less than 80 days to the Irish elections! For everyone who is interested in joining the campaigning action and be at the first big European campaign exchange, it’s time to book flights. If you have already registered and you are planning your travel details, Please email to Aidan o’Sullivan ( aidanosullivan@gmail.com ) now, if you would like him to help with accommodation. Make sure that you check out the new blog on their campaign. From now on, all updates will be posted there: http://www.activist2activist.eu/blog/ . If you haven’t registered for the campaigning action yet, join in at http://www.activist2activist.eu/ . Help Irish Labour replace a center-right government with a true modern Social Democratic alternative! Read more European elections 2007: Participate and send in your video of support to PSD Romania and BSP Bulgaria This year European elections will take place in Romania and Bulgaria. It is THE chance to strengthen the socialist group in the European Parliament and in European decision making! PES activists from Romania and Bulgaria ask PES activists from all over Europe to support them. Showing the important European dimension of the parties can bring a big added value to their campaign. Here is what you can do: Together PES activits will create an advertising spot . Invitation from Scotish Labour: Scottish elections campaign John Rowen from the LMES (Labour Movement for Europe Scotland) is welcoming activists to help in the elections for Scottish Parliament on May 3rd. If you are interested in joining their campaign you should contact the General Secretary of the Scottish Labour Party. Her e-mail is Lesley_Quinn@new.labour.org.uk . She would be delighted to have help from PES actvists coming to Scotland. Ask your questions to Kurt Beck   Germany is actually holding the EU presidency. Now it's your chance to ask Kurt Beck, the party leader of the German SPD what the German priorities on the EU agenda are. Find out what his view on the new social Europe and on the future of European socialist movement should be. Ask your question now Social Europe, the electronic quarterly magazine OUT NOW: The Royal Way!   Social Europe is pleased to announce the publication of the 'Social Europe' Journal Winter 2007 Issue 'The Royal Way'. Read in the new issue: Ségolène Royal's 'Putting Europe to the Test' and also German Trade Union leader Michael Sommer's manifesto for Workers' Consultation and Participation in Europe, Poul Nyrup Rasmussen's 'Ten Principles for a New Social Europe' and EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson's speech on 'Europe and Globalisation'. Further contributions include the new 'Social Europe' integrated Video Broadcasting page with videos of Tony Blair , Andre Sapir, Helle Thorning-Schmidt, Will Hutton, Geoff Hoon and Nina Mitz amongst others. This issue is rounded up by outstanding articles by Jürgen Habermas, Stefan Colligon, David Miliband and Ana Gomes. Massimo D’Alema and Jacques Delors become PES activists     Last week, PES activists gained prominent new blood. Jacques Delors and Massimo D’Alema have joined activists which now number more than 6000. It is another significant step in the PES activists success story. Read more and get the latest numbers of PES activists Eurosocialists Cooperation at Geneva   Geneva , European city and meeting point of international organisations, pan European cooperation among sections of European socialist parties has been on going since 1995. Its objectives are to promote socialist cooperation on European level, to work at the harmonisation of social policies in Europe to meet European citizens’ expectations, to contribute to improved democratisation of European institutions, and to promote the PES. Members belong to sections of PS France, SPD Germany, LP UK, DS Italy, PvdA The Netherlands, PSOE Spain, and PS Switzerland. Read more Campaign exchange:   Join the action at International womens day, 8th of March Today, on 8 March 2007, PES Women is taking action to express its concern about the still existing 15% gender pay gap in EU. Take part in our action across the EU! Simply click on our website and print your own tag. We encourage you in the run up to International Women’s Day, 8 March, to take action and express your concern.   PES action week: Get involved into the PES 'childcare for all' campaign 2007 PES will organise PES action weeks to give input to PES activists campaigning actions and to build up a common team spirit between all our supporters. The first PES action week will take place from 2-8 of April. PES activist can contribute to our PES campaign on childcare or organise an event based on the PES childcare campaign. Lear more about 'childcare for all'   Sign: 50 million disabled citizens want their rights protected “TAKE A STEP, MAKE A CHANGE”. One minute of your time can change the lives of 50 million disabled citizens. SIGN NOW to reach 1 000 000 signatures: Sign for a European Union in which disabled people’s rights are protected through effective legislation, combating all forms of discrimination and guaranteeing the full inclusion of 50 million citizens with disabilities in the European society.   Sign: "STOP CLUSTER BOMBS! - No to cowardly weapons" Sign the petition for a worldwide ban on cluster bombs . On 16 February 2006, Belgium became the first country to adopt the proposal for a law, which I put forward, which bans submunition weapons. This ban has been law in Belgium since the 18th of May 2006. Help to promote this petition in Europe!   "SIM" – Follow up on the Portuguese PES activists campaigning for decriminalising abortion Sunday, the 11th of February, the Portuguese electorate voted on a referendum for the decriminalization of abortion, when requested by the women, up until the ten weeks of gestation, to be made in a legally authorized health facility. Read more Contact PES activists If you have any comments on this Newsletter or if you wish not to receive PES activists Update please contact activists@pes.org

The Show Must Go On

Report by Sylvia Moore - Deputy Chair Labour International & Responsible for Political Development; Founder Member Eurosocialists Association at Geneva

 

A Single Red Rose

Europe was the Congress’ centre piece. Jacques Delors underscored ‘diversity is the strength of Europe’. Ségoline Royal wanted to breathe new life into Europe. European societies are needed. The world need just rules…Everything is in disorder……We need to speak with the same voice but it all its languages and with all its souls… Europe needs a Near East reconciled with itself.’

In honour of Robin Cook, PES President from 2001 to 2004, PES published a book in memoriam, and named its principle meeting room ‘Robin Cook room’. The authors praised Robin Cook for his socialist commitment to the Convention for Europe’s future and for developing a PES Statute.

Speakers also stressed their global solidarity. In response to Governor Howard Dean, USA Democrats leader, Paol Nyrup Rasmussen, PES President, underscored ‘You are concerned with our common destiny. We are for the real America and we want to cooperate with you to change the world.

A key to world change, halting climate change - at the vortex of planet survival, was fortunately high on the Congress agenda. The thorny background to it well illustrates the complexities and processes behind the scenes for agreeing energy policies. On that score, the IPPC -Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change set up in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organisation and the United Nations Environment Programme - just came out with its latest assessment in Paris, confirming that human activities cause climate change and that it will take centuries to recover from damage to date.

As such it simply re-iterated its first report of 1990 with similar conclusions, that the immediate cut of 60 to 80 percent in the emissions of CO2 from human resources were required just to stabilise atmospheric CO2 concentrations at the very high levels recorded in 1990. The IPPC reported that the combined effect of all greenhouse gases accumulated by the year 2030 would be twice as much as pre-industrial CO2 concentrations.

In point of fact, atmospheric scientists were concerned for long that the greenhouse effect was causing global warming. They warned there was climate change with potential devastating effects, at the First World Climate Conference in 1979. In the 1980s even the Kogi Indians in North East Colombia complained that there was not enough snow or water to cultivate their crops. ‘The world is growing hotter … Its causes are manifold, but all the causes can be traced to the younger brother and the way he treats the earth’(1990:217 Alan Eireira, The Heart of the World)

The Second World Climate Conference at Geneva in 1990 to assess the first IPPC assessment resulted in a Ministerial Declaration adopted by 137 countries, to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and to take into account the needs of developing countries. Through public information, media and NGOs the eyes of the world were riveted on the climate issue.

Even so, 26 years later effective European and international strategies are not yet in place. So far, committed politicians are blocked by walls of resistance to reducing carbon emissions. and will need the support of alternate high profile tactics to mobilise people empowerment.. For instance, Richard Branston and Al Gore have just launched a competition with a 12 million pound reward offered by Branston for the best solution to climate change. Global Cool a group of international artists set up by Dan Morell, aims at ensuring everyone reduces his/her carbon footprint by 20 tons.

PES Congress party leaders agreed to a social democratic approach for a European energy policy through a sustainable third industrial revolution based on energy efficiency, renewable energies and the capture of global warming gases. The Congress Resolution presented by Finnish Social Democratic Party Leader, Eero Heinaluoma calls for the EU to agree on a timetable for reducing fossil fuels dependence and for the Emissions Trading Scheme to be extended internationally for at least 20 years. The resolution was shaped by a High Level Group with German Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel, UK energy Minister Malcolm Wicks and Swedish Ministers Thomas Ostras and Stefan Stern. Eero Heinaluoma, John Prescott and Mircea Geoana took part in the debate.

Other Congress resolutions adopted were the 10 principles for a new social Europe - a green light for social and economic reform, and resolutions on common ambitions, Bielorussie, the Middle East and media diversity.

Invited guests included Boris Tadic Serbian President, Romano Prodi Italian President and Lebanese leader Walid Joumblatt. Of the 1500 participants, some 600 delegates had voting rights, and included 100 activists and 100 journalists.

These serious Congress matters were spiced with a great deal of fanfare and friendly backslapping. Each session was heralded in with the Irish pop song ‘It’s a beautiful day’. Madame Royal with her entourage, swept down the aisle to this refrain and she was introduced as ‘France’s new President’ by José Socrates, Portugal’s Prime Minister.

The effect of her triumphal entry evoked the theatrical apparition of Cleopatra on river Cydnus in her barge which ‘like a burnished throne burned in the water…..Age cannot wither her nor custom stale her infinite variety’ (Shakespeare, Antony and Cleopatra) Though it was her only appearance at the Congress, people in the streets kept asking,

‘Who is this lady who is always on our TV news ?’

As film stars are wont to do, our elected politicians did not cease in their mutual eulogies, praising each other to the heavens, thereby building an impregnable wall of solidarity and support.. José Socrates set the tone ‘Ségoline, ignore those who say you are on the right. They said the same of Mitterand and other socialist leaders’ 

‘Now I introduce the youngest among us’, and Jacques Delors bounced on stage. His intellectual agility and his vision for a new social Europe social certainly emanate from a young, vibrant vitality.

and Jacques Delors bounced on stage. His intellectual agility and his vision for a new social Europe social certainly emanate from a young, vibrant vitality.

Even the activists were not left out. After the closing session, we, the speakers at the fringe meeting on "How to promote PES activists?", were invited to shower the dignitaries on stage with red roses. When I gave mine to José Socrates, he said the roses were for all the participants, and invited me to distribute them in the hall. Gallantly, he gave his roses to the ladies in the first row.

I gave mine to the assistants still working in the foyer looking after the cloakrooms and headphones, so they could not enter the illustrious meeting room filled with stars and the plaintive goodbye music of Maria Joao and Mario Laghina. We certainly left all equal and feeling the same about this poignant music resounding saudade –we miss you. For each of us holding our single red rose, the show must go on.

In addition to interfacing with delegates, following meetings and visiting stands, I met John Prescott when we discussed LI of which he is Hon President and a staunch supporter. I also met the UK delegation at their delegate’s meeting. Present were John Prescott, MPs, NEC members and their advisers, and International Manager Rachel Cowburn. Their discussions concerned decisions on voting on key issues such as energy on which the UK had played a key international role, and the European Constitution Treaty. At the end of the meeting, John Prescott emphasised the value of Labour International to the Labour Party. He said it was important that the legacy of Gillian Maliniak contributed towards our programme in support of LP values and policies. His intervention raised substantial interest among our delegates who asked me for information about LI and enquired how they could be of help to us. We shall brainstorm on that score and put forward proposals,.

One item would be to revive our efforts in 2002 to put forward LI candidates for election to national committees, on the strength of the LP administration’s view that we were entitled to do so as LI is the equivalent of a constituency despite some inevitable distinctions as we are global and not local. At the time this was blocked by the NEC, not on principled grounds but technical ones such as its omission from the Labour Party Rules.

This was the first Congress where the new category of PES activists participated through fringe meetings, stands and exhibitions. Tim Clapham (LI Chair) and I were invited take part as panellists in a fringe meeting on How to promote PES activists.

There was much interest in this meeting. It turned out that the Eurosocialists Association at Geneva, the topic I presented, was the only activist group with such a long history and established structure. One journalist commented that we were courageous to set up such a European association at Geneva. Several journalists and participants took photos of the poster I showed of our public/conference debate on a New Social Europe in Solidarity held to launch the new association on 18 November 2006.

Panellists and audience members stressed the importance of setting up flexible, organic groups adapted to local situations. Eric Sundstrom proposed setting up a red house activists meeting centre at Brussels. Constraints including how to finance PES groups and candidates for municipal elections, were summarised in a report on the Congress by the FFE, Fédération des Français de l'étranger du PSF. (Federation of French abroad of the PSF. For a copy of the report contact Jean-Yves LECONTE generik@generik.com.pl)

While national parties recognised the value of activist groups, they are reluctant to accord PES activist sections representation status and voting rights along the lines NGOs have such rights when accredited to the United Nations system. The same applies to individual activists.

When I asked why, I was told that they wanted to avoid giving activists a double vote. They argued that party members already could vote through their participation in national party procedures in cases where their rules allow sections abroad to have delegate and voting powers at national party conferences.