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25.06.2001

Put an end to these summit rituals
Being close to the people: Precondition for the European unification process

EUCDW demands appointment of a convention to work on a new EU-treaty

"This is not the Europe that we want." The European Union of Christian Democratic Workers (EUCDW), looking at the European Council in Gothenburg, assesses the way the (predominantly social democratic) heads of state and governments are handling the European Union as not future-oriented. The European unification process is one of the greatest visions of our time and an active peace policy for the 21st century. It threatens to be wiped out in the diplomatic game of the present political majority.

If one looks purely at the most important European tasks - fighting against unemployment, improvement in competitiveness, stabilising from a long-term point of view social security systems based on the principle of solidarity (regarding pensions, health care, unemployment), combating against all forms of exclusion and discrimination, preparing the community to be enlarged - then the last European summits did not exactly increase the enthusiasm for Europe. On the contrary: The EURO gives reason to many questions, the majority of the population in many member countries are sceptical to negative to the enlargement, the majority of one member country voted against the treaty of Nice - and those responsible for Europe have nothing more to offer than "carry on".

The inner cohesion of our societies is threatening to break down (even "thanks" to a one-sided liberalism), and politics continue to celebrate its rituals.
Conflicts are thus unavoidable.

We Christian democrats have done our homework. We demand economic strength and social justice equally. Economic and currency union, employment policy, social dialogue and co-determination of workers - all these fields of politics breathe the spirit of subsidiarity which in a European framework leaves the responsibility for solving problems there where it belongs: with the member countries and the regions. The EU can only coordinate the policies necessary.

This is the way the present heads of state and governments should continue. A measure is set: The convention which last year worked on the fundamental rights of the Union showed in an impressive way how justification, closeness to the people, ability to act can be brought together. This is the way the new EU treaty must arise. "Risk more democracy", that is today the Christian democratic challenge to the heads of state and governments.

The European Union of Christian Democratic Workers (EUCDW) consists of 23 workers' organisations from 15 countries and is an association of the European People's Party (EPP).

responsible: Luc Delanghe, President.

EUCDW
European Union of Christian Democratic Workers
c/o EPP, Rue du Commerce / Handelsstraat 10
B-1000 Brussels

E-mail: EUCDW

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