In the face of the neoliberal globalisation we need more and more Europe. But the Europe which is materially being built is not the Europe the European peoples need.
That Europe is based on a single principle: the capitalist market economy and free competition. This is the reason why public services are under attack, working time is being increased, extreme forms of labour flexibilisation and casualisation are implemented and social regression is increasing everywhere. Today’s Europe is a construction “from above”, a product of the agreement between governments and deprived of any real democratic control in its fundamental bodies, such as the Commission and the European Central Bank.
The European peoples do not identify themselves with this construction, as was demonstrated by an extremely low turnout in the recent European elections .
We oppose the European constitutional treaty, which is going to be signed here in Rome on 29 th October 2004. This treaty continues and deepens the neoliberal logic of the Maastricht, Amsterdam and Nice treaties. Market economy and free competition shall become the “constitutional” pillar of the EU instead of juridical rights, the right to work and a new kind of full employment, at the very moment when pension and welfare systems, basic public services, collective goods and natural resources are under attack everywhere. This treaty includes a process of further militarisation and a common foreign and security policy, by introducing the setting up of an additional European army subject to NATO and by increasing military expenses. This treaty does not include, instead, a clear repudiation of war as a means of international relationships. It rejects equality of rights for people who live in Europe and are no EU nationals, and therefore harshly affects our migrant brothers and sisters, who are victims of an extreme administrative repression. Furthermore, this treaty excludes citizens from decision-making processes .
The constitutional treaty has been adopted without a broad consultation and participation of citizens and people living in the EU, although it cannot be modified for the next thirty years.
Therefore, this Europe is not our Europe. We, forces of the European Left, stand for another Europe.
These are the reasons why we wish new foundations for the new Europe, withdrawing it from the reckless domination of pillaging and warmongering financial capitalism, able to reconcile it with social progress, democracy, ecologically sustainable development, cooperation between peoples and, above all, able to act in favour of peace and disarmament in a world upset through war and terrorism.
We stand for a Europe of rights for everybody: right to work, to respect differences, to citizenship. We stand for a Europe strengthening social guarantees, defending nature and the environment, promoting cultural differences, respecting religious identities in a framework of fully secular institutions, and introducing gender democracy.
We want a Europe based on the right to citizenship for all people living in Europe. We want a Europe of international solidarity where all citizens are main actors of a real constituting process and can really decide upon the policies to implement and control their implementation with full respect of democratic participation.
In order to achieve this Europe we have to say no to the constitutional treaty which is going to be signed on October 29.
Our opposition totally conflicts with the anti-European reactionary forces. These forces reject Europe because of their growing populist, reactionary, xenophobic feelings in favour of sovereignty .
We want more Europe. We want to be “more” European.
For these reasons we demand the rejection of this constitutional treaty. We say no from the left, to break with the neoliberal system as also demanded in the social and political mobilisations of the anti-war movements and the movements against globalisation. We will support this position in any country, parliament and referendum.
We want to start a debate to work out concrete alternatives to the present European project. It is necessary to link our proposals with a wide mobilisation from below, to involve the European citizens now and into the actions planned in the near future, such as October 30 in Italy where a demonstration against war and for a Europe of social justice is going to take place, as well as on November 11 against the EU Bolkestein directive, in the following months in Barcelona to oppose the treaty and on 19 th March 2005 in Brussels on the occasion of the intergovernmental conference, according to the auspices suggested by the London ESF to support all those who demand a public decision in referendums on the EU constitution within or on 8 th May 2005.
