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Brussels, 04.03.2003

Strengthening the common ground means strengthening stability

Brok demands decentralization, a social market economy and non-inflationary growth

According to Elmar Brok, chairman of the EPP convention group, the objective of the EU Convention must be a European Union based on stability.

Stability requires, first, that the Union continues to keep up the idea of decentralization: in this sense, federalism means that the Community rests on the Member States and the EU citizens.

Second, from this follows that the Charter of fundamental rights of the European Union, i.e. the charter of the citizens' rights, must be part and parcel of the constitutional treaty.

Third, stability presupposes that a common stance will be found in crucial political areas - like external and security policies - since it is common knowledge that we are stronger when we act in unison. According to Brok, the objective must be to strengthen the common ground of Europe, if the EU really wants to give momentum to its internal and external policies.

Fourth, stability also requires economic and monetary policies oriented equally towards growth and price stability. Against this background, Brok demands that the legal framework of the social market economy combining social justice, freedom and competitiveness, be laid down in the treaty.

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: Elmar Brok MEP, 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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