“Another Road for Europe”

Forum at the European Parliament

The Appeal “Another Road for Europe” invites civil society organisations, social movements, networks, trade unions and political forces to a one-day discussion at the European Parliament in Brussels on the ways out of the European crisis.

Many appeals, texts, proposals are being launched about the future of Europe and about the way out of the crisis. The aim of this event is to contribute to open up a debate at the European level between activists, experts, political forces and policy makers on the viable actions that European and national institutions, political forces and social organisations can take to move beyond neoliberal policies, and towards a sustainable and democratic Europe, free from discriminations and inequalities. This initiative is part of a range of activities that are being organised at the European level on alternatives to the crisis. We propose to organise the meeting around three issues (Macroeconomic policies and finance, Green New Deal and employment, Democracy) and to have a first, informal exchange of views on the most relevant policy proposals, in order to be able to understand which are those around which we could build a common approach and, if possible, future common or coordinated actions.

Each session will be introduced by speakers from civil society organisations and experts’ networks who will summarise the proposals that have emerged on each topic, opening up a discussion with activists, representatives of different political forces and Members of the European Parliament. The aim is to contribute to the emergence of shared proposals for alternative policies at the European and national levels. Participants will include a wide range of civil society organisations, networks, Trade Unions, experts and intellectuals, as well as the progressive political forces in the European Parliament.

Participant organisations

Active Citizenship Network, Arci, Attac France, Attac Germany, Attac Finland, Corporate Europe Observatory, Economistes Atterrés, Euromemorandum, European Alternatives, European Federalist Movement, Fiom-Cgil, Il Manifesto, Joint Social Conference, New Economics Foundation, OpenDemocracy.net, Red Pepper, Rete@sinistra, Sbilanciamoci!, Social Watch Italian coalition, Soundings, transform!europe, Transnational Institute, more to be added

Programme

Preliminary Programme

9.00

Opening: Isabelle Durant, vice-president of the European Parliament (Greens/EFA), Rossana Rossanda (il Manifesto)

9.15-11.45

1. Taming finance – The Euro, financial markets, debt and fiscal policies

Chair: Mario Pianta (Sbilanciamoci!)

Opening and review of alternative proposals

Introductory Remarks: Trevor Evans (Euromemorandum)

Proposals from activists and experts: Dany Lang (Economistes atterrés), Ronald Janssen (ETUC), Andrea Della Vecchia (Joint Social Conference), Antonio Tricarico (Re:Common), Corporate Europe Observatory, Greek activist (tbc), Andrew Simms (New Economics Foundation), Andrea Baranes (Fondazione Responsabilità Etica), etc.

Members of the European Parliament and political forces: Leonardo Dominici (Socialists and Democrats), Liem Hoang Ngoc (Socialists and Democrats, France), Jürgen Klute (European United Left, Germany), Philippe Lamberts (Greens/EFA, Belgium), Patrick Le Hyaric (European United Left, France), Gianni Pittella, vice-president of the European Parliament (Socialists and Democrats), etc.

Discussion

11.45-13.00

2. Avoiding a great depression: A green new deal, employment, ecological conversion and common goods

Chair: to be defined

Opening and review of alternative proposals

Introductory Remarks: Pascal Petit (Université Paris 13)

Proposals from activists and experts: Philippe Pochet (ETUI), Etienne Lebeau (Joint Social Conference), Maurizio Landini (Fiom-Cgil), Thomas Coutrot (Attac France), Attac Germany, Mariya Ivancheva (European Alternatives Bulgaria), Tommaso Fattori (Water campaign), Jason Nardi (Social Watch Italian coalition), etc.

Members of the European Parliament and political forces: Nikolas Chountis (European United Left, Greece), Stefano Fassina (Partito Democratico, Italy), Sven Gieglod (Greens/EFA, Germany), Marisa Matias (European United Left, Portugal), etc.

Discussion

Lunch break

15.00-17.30

3. A democratic Europe – Participation and decision making at European level

Chair: Monica Frassoni (European Greens)

Opening and review of alternative proposals

Introductory Remarks: Rossana Rossanda (Il Manifesto), Susan George (Attac France and Transnational Institute)

Proposals from activists and experts: Rosemary Bechler (Open Democracy), Pier Virgilio Dastoli (Federalists), Giulio Marcon (Sbilanciamoci!), Hilary Wainwright (Red Pepper, UK), Sarah King (ETUC), Franco Carminati (Joint Social Conference), Massimo Torelli (Rete@sinistra), Daniel Seco (15M movement, Barcelona), Lorenzo Marsili (European Alternatives), Tamsin Murray-Leach/Sean Deel (London School of Economics), Raffaella Bolini (Arci), Luciana Castellina (former MEP), Roberto Musacchio (former MEP), Walter Baier (transform!europe)
Members of the European Parliament: Isabelle Durant (Greens/EFA), Paul Murphy (European United Left Ireland), Rui Tavares (Greens/EFA), Gaby Zimmer (President, European United Left, Germany), etc.

Discussion

17.30-18.30

Conclusions and proposals for action