PES Reform: Proposals for a Stronger PES
PES COUNCIL
VIENNA, 24-25 JUNE 2005
Resolution adopted by the Council
We have entered a new phase of party politics at European level.
There is a growing recognition that multi-level governance is gradually developing as a means for managing globalisation, re-connecting citizens to representative democracy at European level as an extra dimension to the nation state. The latter is proving a great challenge.
The European Union is still seen by many of our citizens as an “institution”, devoid of relevance and legitimacy for the real problems affecting them in their daily lives. It is not yet considered a democratic arena in which voting counts and political parties can fight for their vision, values, and policies.
The challenge we face is to represent and respond to Europe’s citizens in this demanding new phase of multi-level politics. Party politics must better connect to ordinary people on European issues.
A symbolic step was made last year when the EU’s first independent statute for European political parties came into force. The Nice Treaty, on which this Statute is based, gives a clear mandate to European political parties: “Political parties at European level are important as a factor for integration within the Union. They contribute to forming a European awareness and to expressing the political will of the citizens of the Union“. It is now up to each of these parties to make European party politics a reality.
This process has just started and is yet to meet its potential. The Party of European Socialists is currently in the driver’s seat of this process. As a party of parties, the process of PES modernisation is growing out of the demands of our member parties. PES member parties are seeking to gain a new political space and stronger political influence in Europe: a political space in which to represent their constituencies and connect to ordinary citizens, and political influence in order to achieve our social democratic goals. Achieving a modern vision of social democracy requires action in each of our nations, but also in Europe, if we are to reach our goals. Our action in Europe is necessarily a collective one. The PES must now serve member parties as an effective tool for achieving these common goals.
For this reason, the PES is called upon to adapt its structures, instruments and practices to this new purpose.
The PES has already begun to renew its methods, within the limits of its current statutes. Since last year, the PES and its member parties have sought to develop a more effective and timely political role at European level. We have set out our vision for the EU policy agenda 2005-2009 and have intervened on two major issues – the mid-term review of the Lisbon Strategy and the Services Directive. On each occasion, the strength and timeliness of our political message have had a strong impact on political developments and decision-making in the European Council.
Reform has also begun in two areas, on the agreement of the Presidency. This includes reinforced cooperation with the PES Group and the establishment of a European Institute linked to the PES. The PES’ strengthened dialogue with the PES Group on priority areas is highly important, and will allow greater coherence across political levels.
The lessons we have learnt in the past years are clear: by acting together at the right moment, PES member parties can achieve change in the European Union. We can make a difference and we can support member parties in their national/ European efforts.
The PES Presidency of 8th July 2004 launched a consultation process amongst PES member parties and the PES Group for comprehensive reform of the Party of European Socialists. The present resolution presented to the PES Council is the result of 4 phases of consultations with the Member parties.
The first phase of consultation began in July 2004 with the Presidency’s agreement to establish three working groups, responsible for examining how to build a stronger PES as a political player at EU level and as a solid partner to its national member parties and to its parliamentary group in the European Parliament. Working groups were composed of a wide range of individuals from our member parties and the PES group. It sought to achieve a broad cross-section and representativeness of opinion.
Working Group A, on PES relations with the EU institutions, examined how the PES could best formulate common social democrat objectives and influence the EU policy agenda in the achievement of these objectives.
Working Group B, on PES-PES Group relations, examined how the PES and the PES Group could best influence the EU policy agenda in a joint effort to achieve commonly-defined social democrat objectives.
Working Group C, on relations between the PES and its member parties, examined the structure of the party, its decision making process and ways to make the PES closer to its members.
The second phase of consultation was launched with the presentation of the three working groups’ recommendations in a first report to the PES Presidency on 21st October 2004. The PES coordination team continued the discussion at its meeting of 3rd December 2004. The third and fourth phases of consultation took place in February and in May 2005 with discussions in both the Presidency and the Coordination Team who discussed PES Reform at each of their meetings.
This present resolution presented to the PES Council presents proposals for a stronger PES in four areas:
- A more visible and influential PES
- A more democratic and effective PES
- A PES involving its members
- A PES open to its partners
In order to facilitate the decision making process, all the reforms proposed here for adoption do not need a change in the statutes to be implemented. Reform proposals that need changes to the statutes, including the voting procedure, will be discussed in a Statute Committee set up by the PES Council, and taken to the next Congress, the only body of the PES entitled to decide on statutory changes.
I.A more visible and influential PES
Proposal 1 : PES Leaders will have a stronger and more focused role. A clear annual cycle of political activity is designed to ensure maximum impact on the EU policy agenda. Leaders will gather twice a year for a Leaders’ Conference and for at least one pre-summit meeting in June to prepare annual policy priorities for the EU Agenda.
Motivation :
While national politics remains the core business of national party leaders, European politics is of growing relevance to national policies and public concerns. The general public increasingly want to see their political leaders influencing the direction and shape of Europe.
Today’s EU policy agenda is more active and fast-paced than it has ever been. It has also never affected more parts of our core social democratic agenda. Whether services liberalisation or economic governance or the Lisbon Strategy, the EU agenda is constantly evolving in areas that influence the very heart of what we stand for. Conversely, we can set a proactive, new, progressive agenda at European level if we mobilise ourselves collectively with that purpose.
The PES has the potential of influencing the EU agenda more strongly, in the interests of its member parties, on three conditions: that the PES has strong political guidelines and priorities over an annual period; that PES Leaders can collectively set out their views in a timely way on major issues of importance; that the overall political calendar of the PES is in tune with the political calendar of the EU institutions.
The proposal attempts to strike this balance between political effectiveness and the frequency of meetings.
- Every Spring: Spring Leaders' Conference. It will focus on the EU economic, social, and environmental agenda and will take place before the European Council’s spring summit in order to ensure a timely impact on the negotiations. The experience of this year’s Stockholm Leaders’ Conference has been extremely positive and instructive, revealing the potential impact of timely statements on the European Council agenda.
- Every June: June Pre-Summit meeting. It will deal with two agenda points: firstly, a discussion, and, where necessary, statement, on the most topical/urgent European political issues linked to the EU Council ; secondly, the presentation of a core set of PES political priorities for the coming year's EU Agenda.
- Every Autumn: Autumn Leaders' Conference. It will discuss PES political priorities for the coming year, PES political work programme, establishment of ministerial coordination/ working groups, and define our approach on priority issues. This Conference will take place in connection to a Congress or Council, depending on the year.
- In addition to the June pre-summit meeting, Prime Ministers alone or all Leaders could meet in advance of other scheduled European Councils, if needed. These pre-summit meetings would be decided by the Leaders or Prime Ministers themselves. The meetings would deal primarily with the most topical and urgent political issues for the European Union.
Proposal 2 : PES Issue networks are established in priority policy areas decided by the Leaders.
Motivation :
In order to increase its capacity to influence EU policies, the PES will develop and increase the coordination of socialists across institutional and political levels. PES coordination must hence involve relevant actors at European and national levels, including EU Commissioners, MEP’s, ministers, national parliamentarians and territorial representatives, as far as policies with a strong territorial dimension are concerned.
PES Issue networks will be formed at several levels:
- Ministerial coordination should be established at the level of the Council of Ministers in priority policy issues, involving also the PES Commissioner and the relevant PES Group representative(s) responsible for the given policy areas and regional ministers who participate in the EU Council of Ministers because their region has legislative powers. Party spokespeople/Shadow-ministers should be invited to at least one meeting a year. Each ministerial group will nominate one minister to organise the coordination, in cooperation with the PES Secretariat. It is important to note that the PES has already begun ministerial coordination in a few priority areas, for instance development policy and economic and financial affairs, on the initiative of one or more Ministers in the given policy area.
- Working groups can be formed in more specific policy areas. Composed of one member per party and per organisation represented in the presidency, they will have the task to present a set of specific and practical policy recommendations to the PES Presidency. Working groups should have agreed objectives and deadlines for the completion of work. In some cases, the PES Presidency or Leaders may form smaller expert groups or, depending on the issue, High Level Groups.
- Wider PES networks, including representatives of each member party, MEPs, national parliamentarians, local & regional representatives, observer parties & recognised organisations of the PES, experts close to the socialist family, and associations and foundations of the different member parties, would be formed. These PES networks (like the existing ones on the Lisbon agenda or the Constitutional treaty) would enable coordination and dialogue and facilitate exchange of experiences and ideas on priority policy issues. Exchanges would be conducted primarily through an internet forum.
Proposal 3 :The PES adopts a new visual identity
Motivation :
In order to increase its visibility, the PES will develop a new visual identity. The actual logo with the rose and stars will be maintained and a new visual surrounding will help make the identity of the PES more modern and more coherent.
II.A more democratic and effective PES
Proposal 4: The PES introduces a coherent 5-year cycle for Congress/Council meetings, ensuring effectiveness, timeliness and party democracy, synchronised with the EU’s five-year political term from one European Parliamentary election to the next.
Motivation :
Just as the annual cycle of PES activity must ensure political effectiveness and timeliness, adapted to both the EU agenda and the needs of PES member parties, so must the PES seek to achieve these two objectives in its long-term political calendar. This will also bring us into full synchrony with the EU’s five-year political term, from one European Parliamentary election to the next.
Furthermore, longer-term political planning will also meet the imperative of party democracy. The PES must become a true party of parties through strengthened internal democracy, inclusiveness, and transparency.
Marrying the objectives of political effectiveness and timeliness with strengthened party democracy requires a new approach to our planning.
The PES will have the following 5-year political planning cycle:
- Year 1 (European election year): Post-election Congress. This Congress, held in the autumn following the European elections, will elect a President and a Presidency for the next two and a half years and adopt the PES’ priorities and objectives for the EU policy agenda for the five-year political term.
- Year 2: Council. Combined with the autumn Leaders’ Meeting, it will discuss and adopt position papers on priority issues.
- Year 3: Council. Combined with the autumn Leaders’ Meeting, it will discuss and adopt position papers on priority issues.
- Year 4 : Mid-term Congress. In Spring, because this is the actual mid-term and in this way the President's mandate would always be of the same length, ie. 2.5 year. This Congress would elect the President the Presidency and define and launch the "Election Manifesto process" (the themes/issues, and the methodology). This will ensure strong internal democracy and transparency, allowing the full involvement of member parties in the reflection and drafting of the election manifesto over a one and a half year period.
- Year 5 (Year before the European elections): Pre-election Council. Combined with the autumn Leaders’ Meeting, this Council would adopt the manifesto for the coming year's campaign and lay down the main elements for the campaign (themes, events). This would allow member parties time to determine and develop the role of the PES in their campaigns.
Proposal 5 : Member parties are encouraged to organise preparation meetings of their relevant party bodies to prepare PES Congresses, discuss the position papers and elect or nominate their delegations to the Congress.
Motivation :
Such meetings would give more strength to the democratic mandate for delegates to PES Congress introduced by the PES Congress in Berlin in 2001.
Proposal 6 : Position papers adopted at Congresses and Councils will be thoroughly discussed in the Member parties according to an agreed PES drafting process.
Motivation :
In order to increase internal democracy, the PES Presidency will adopt a drafting process for position papers and electoral manifestos. In the framework of the 5 year political planning cycle, issues discussed at Councils and Congresses will be well planned in order to allow thorough inclusive and democratic debate in the PES working groups, Coordination Team, Presidency and in the member parties before adoption. The Presidency will adopt the drafting process at its next meeting in September.
Proposal 7 : The working groups of the PES will be composed of at least 40% from each gender. Member parties will propose one man and one woman for each working group.
Motivation :
PES Statutes already foresee gender balanced delegations to statutory meeting of the PES. However, this has not been enough to secure gender equality. We need to go further to increase the participation of women in the work of the PES.
In order to have gender balanced working groups, Member parties and organisations will propose two names (1 man and 1 woman) for each working group. Final composition will be decided by the PES Presidency or Leaders.
III.A PES involving its members
Proposal 8 : The PES will invite members of PES parties to become “PES activists”. It is left to the discretion of each member party whether to open this possibility to their members.
Motivation:
National party members should have the opportunity of being better involved in the life of the PES. They should be given the opportunity to be in contact with each other and with the PES at European level. The PES and the Member parties should work together to strengthen European political consciousness among ordinary party members.
It is not a question of creating an additional membership to the PES. All members of a PES parties are already members of the PES through their membership of their respective national party. They are therefore entitled to receive information about the PES, including the newsletter.
- PES Activists will have a reserved space on the PES website. This will enable them to participate in debate forums and give them the possibility to exchange contacts between local branches.
- PES activist will be invited to a yearly activity. For this purpose, the Summer University will be reformed and become a forum of debate and exchange. It will be organised every year in connection with a mass event of a member party, ECOSY or the GPF in order to involve a maximum of members, especially young people. Focus will be put on having high quality debates and training for the participants.
- PES Activists have no voting rights in the PES and will not adopt any statements.
- The Presidency could decide on a financial contribution for PES Activists in close cooperation with PES member parties and according to national rules.
Proposal 9 :The PES will organise the development of trans-national campaigns on priority European issues, on the initiative of its member parties.
Motivation :
PES member parties may wish to develop trans-national campaigns on common issues of concern. On decision of the Presidency, the PES could organise such campaigns on priority issues for PES member parties.
Proposal 10 : PES Member parties are encouraged to take steps to increase PES visibility and awareness inside their own party :
Motivation :
Member parties are encouraged to have stronger practical possibilities for increasing the awareness of their members on European issues and on the PES with the following measures :
- PES logo on membership cards ;
- PES membership in Party statutes ;
- PES declaration of principles in Party statutes.
IV.A PES open to its partners
Proposal 11: ECOSY President or Secretary General, PES Women President and the President of the PES group in the Committee of the Regions will be invited to participate in the Leaders meetings.
Proposal 12:The PES will develop the participation, especially in its working groups, of associations recognised by the PES.
Motivation :
In order to develop better working relations with socialists involved in other organisations, the PES should increase the participation in its work of its member organisations and strengthen its cooperation with its partners.
Proposal 13 : The PES will increase its cooperation with NGO’s, notably through active participation in the Global Progressive Forum (GPF) and at European level.
Motivation :
The GPF is now a recognised partner of International civil society. Its existence has enabled socialists to renew their links with NGO’s and to revitalize their role in the public debate on globalization. The three partners (PES, PES group in the European parliament and Socialist International) must ensure the continuity of this ambitious project and allocate the necessary means. Dialogue with NGO’s must also be further developed at European level as such.
Proposal 14: The PES will ensure close cooperation with the Socialist International
Motivation :
An outstanding political and organisational cooperation with the Socialist International is essential to our common political goals.
Coordination must be organised on SI membership of European parties, as the membership of the PES formally depends on that of the SI.
The PES reiterates its proposal to establish the Anna Lindh House in Brussels, the common headquarters for all socialist European and international organisations (SI, SIW, PES, IUSY, ECOSY, IFM…).
V.FOLLOW-UP
Proposal 15 : The PES Council sets up a Statute Committee to prepare a review of the statutes for the 7th PES Congress.
It will have the following mandate :
- pursue the debate on the decision making process within the PES and make a proposal to the Presidency to be tabled to the Congress ;
- prepare a procedure and timetable for tabling statutory amendments at the Congress ;
- prepare Standing orders for the Congress.
Composition of the Statutes Committee
Adopted by the Council
Chair : Ruairi Quinn, Treasurer
Rapporteur : Philip Cordery, Secretary General
Members :
Achim Post, SPD, Germany
Alain Richard, PS, France
Ian McCartney, Labour, UK
Alexandra Dobolyi, PSH Hungary (MEP)
Vytenis Andriukaitis, LSDP, Lithuania
Luciano Vecchi, DS, Italy
Inger Segeström, SAP & PES Women (MEP)
Ania Skrzypek, ECOSY & SLD Poland
