PES Newsletter n°20 – June 2007
PES gets Fundamental Rights into new Treaty
The PES got what it demanded in the new EU Treaty: the charter of fundamental rights, a strong commitment to a Social Europe in the objectives of the Union and a clear statement on climate change. It was a straight result for the PES Leaders who met in Brussels just before the Summit.
PES Manifesto: You have your say
From September onwards you will be invited to have your say on the PES manifesto. The PES plans an open dialogue with PES activists and all levels of our member parties – as well as trade unions and NGOs - on what should be in our Europe-wide Social Democratic programme for the 2009 European elections, a common programme for the five years 2009-2013. We’re proud to be the first European party to conduct such a broad and genuine consultation.
Shining a light on hedge and private equity funds
The European Commission should set up an international task force to investigate how to improve the transparency and accountability of hedge and private equity funds, and protect healthy companies from these private financial predators agreed PES Leaders. The PES also linked up with US Democrats to call for better control of these secretive private financiers.
PES Priorities for EU 2008
A sustainable migration policy, a strong ‘post-Kyoto’ international climate change agreement and EU budget reform should be among the priorities for the EU’s work programme in 2008, PES leaders agreed at their pre-Summit meeting in Brussels.
Commission committed to child care Barroso tells PES
In a letter to PES President Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso assures the PES that the Commission is determined to achieve the EU child care targets. In the meantime the PES has held meetings on child care in Berlin, Valletta and Vilnius with other further taken in support of the campaign in Warsaw, Cyprus and elsewhere.
Diversity and Integration
The PES has set up a Diversity and Integration Network to discuss how social democratic parties tackle relations between different communities, with an initial emphasis on European muslims. The Network will have its first meeting and fact finding trip in July and is chaired by British MEP Gary Titley and Dutch MEP Emine Bozkurt.
PES activists
The Dutch Labour Party has set up a blog for PES activists in the Netherlands, an activist group is being set up in Washington DC, and PES Women President Zita Gurmai answers activists questions. With the PES launching a consultation on its manifesto now is the time to become a PES activist and set up an activist group!
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
See you in Sofia!
The PES Council – a mini-Congress with over 120 voting delegates – will take place in Sofia on 22-23 November. PES activists welcome!
China
A PES Delegation will visit China in July, and will include PES President Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, party leaders Piero Fassino, Mircea Geoana, Wojciech Olejniczak and László Kapolyi and national and European parliamentarians. Meetings are scheduled with top party and government officials, trade unionists and think tanks in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong.
