Josep Borrell appointed Chair of the Global Progressive Forum
15 March 2007
Josep Borrell, former President of the European Parliament and current President of the European Parliament’s Development Committee, has been appointed Chair of the Global Progressive Forum (GPF).
The GPF provides an open platform where progressive organisations can meet, develop common actions and propose alternative policies on globalisation. The aim of the GPF is to create global progressive alliances between socialist politicians in government and opposition, civil society organisations, trade unions, think tanks and foundations, academics, ethical businesses and other progressive political forces.
An aeronautical engineer by training, Josep Borrell was Minister for Public Works, Transport, the Environment and Telecommunications between 1991 and 1996 in the Spanish PSOE government and Member of the European Convention in 2002-2003.
He takes over from Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, President of the Party of European Socialists and MEP, who is stepping down in order to dedicate himself fully to the Party. Poul Nyrup Rasmussen played a key role in the launch of the Global Progressive Forum in November 2003.
The GPF currently focuses its activities on the Decent Work Agenda developed by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), which ranges from employment creation and workers’ rights to social protection, social dialogue and equality between women and men.
The GPF supports the work of the ILO arguing that Decent Work should be at the heart of global, national and local strategies for economic and social progress. It is central to efforts to reduce poverty, and a means for achieving equitable, inclusive and sustainable development. The Global Progressive Forum is part of an informal network of organisations promoting Decent Work as a global agenda, including the ITUC, the ETUC, the social NGOs Solidar and Social Alerts, as well as the Global Progressive Youth Forum comprising the socialist youth organisations ECOSY, IUSY and IFM-SEI.
