PES Newsletter n°7 - March 2006

Fight Sexual Slavery

PES Women is appealing to all progressives – women and men – to sign our e-petition calling on European countries to act together to stop the mass trafficking of women into Germany to work as prostitutes during the World Cup.

Thousands of women and girls are expected to be trafficked into Germany for this summer’s World Cup. “Prostitution may be legal in Germany” said Zita Gurmai, President of PES Women “but trafficking is a crime. Unless concerted action is taken by EU member states and neighbouring countries thousands of women will fall victim to ruthless pimps and traffickers.”

The petition will be available to be signed until 8 March and will be submitted on International Women’s Day to the President of the European Commission. EU Heads of Government will be informed about the petition on the same day.  

Finance Ministers for Investment Summit

Socialist Finance Ministers meeting in Brussels in February called on the EU’s Spring Summit to agree a European inter-governmental investment strategy of coordinated and simultaneous investments.

Cartoon Controversy

PES President Poul Nyrup Rasmussen was the main speaker in the European Parliament for the Socialist Group for the debate on the Muhammad cartoon controversy. While being critical of the cartoon and the initial response of the Danish Government he told the assembly that freedom of speech cannot be compromised. He added that the controversy was not a clash of civilizations but whipped up by extremists and should be resolved through dialogue between Europe and the Muslim world. 

Services Directive

The compromise proposal for liberalizing the market in services across Europe was adopted by the European Parliament. PES President Poul Nyrup Rasmussen declared after the vote that the neo-liberal Bolkestein Directive had been replaced by a sensible proposal.  

Socialist Foreign Ministers

Foreign Ministers from Europe’s Socialist and Social Democratic Governments met on Sunday 26 February in a pre-meeting to the EU General Affairs Council (which deals with Foreign Affairs) and agreed on the need to renew and revitalise relations between Europe and the Muslim world. The PES will organize a series of delegations to and from the Euro Mediterranean region (North Africa and Middle East) in the coming months.

Congratulations Michel & Mercedes

The PES congratulates French Socialist Michel Delebarre on becoming President of the Committee of the Regions and Mercedes Bresso of the Democratic Left  becoming Leader of the Socialist Group in the Committee of the Regions.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

PES Leaders meeting

Socialist Prime Ministers and Party Leaders will meet on March 10 in Prague. Top of the agenda is getting Europe on the road to full employment and competitiveness – with a focus on a socialist input to the EU’s Spring Summit in March including implementation of the “PES Growth and Investment Strategy” and energy policy. There will also be a discussion on the situation in the Middle East.

Balkan Network

With Croatia and Macedonia already candidates for EU membership, Serbia and Bosnia knocking on the door, and the final status of Kosovo and possibly Montenegro to be determined, the Balkans is a hot issue for the EU.  The PES aims to create a social democratic dialogue bringing together PES members with Balkan associates and possible future members. A first meeting will be held in Sofia in the spring.

The People’s Dialogue

The People’s Dialogue is taking off across Europe. Ten grassroots meetings to discuss Europe’s future policies have been organised by local activists in Sweden alone. Further meetings are planned in the Czech Republic, Slovenia and Denmark.  

Social Europe

The PES initiative to define the political direction for the renewal of our social democratic model enters its second round of seminars with Active Society on  19 May in Berlin, European Dimension on 9 May in Greece and Inclusive Society in Toledo in May or June.

PES Ministerials

Meetings of PES Ministers and Shadow Ministers include Environment on March 9, Finance on 8 April in Vienna, Foreign Affairs on 9 April, Development on 11 April, and Social Affairs on 1 June.

With the financial support of the European Parliament