Motion #18

EU100-111 Interim amendments to the Vision for Europe

Background

To view the background paper for this motion, click here.

Synopsis

Europe PWG offers an interim revision of the opening of the Europe Chapter, to align with GPEW’s current vision on Europe. While the new chapter under construction will ultimately replace these sections, we propose pro tem to clean up some problematic statements, and thereby test our intuitions for the remainder.

Motion

To make the following revisions to EU 100-111 in the Policies for a Sustainable Society and to delete EU 112 and EU 113.

A. Under existing heading:

Part 1: The Green Vision for Europe

1. Replace existing text EU100 with wholly new text as follows:

Existing text: EU100 In our Green vision for Europe we seek to replace the unsustainable economics of free trade and unrestricted growth with the ecological alternative of local self reliance and resource conservation, within a context of wider diversity. We want to foster co-operation on issues of common interest, not establish international institutions for their own sake. We want social justice and economic democracy to bring fairer and more resilient societies to Europe. Proposed new text: EU100 The Green Party is part of an international family of global Greens, and a longstanding member of the European Green Party. Along with our sister parties in Europe, we favour international collaboration, especially with our neighbours on our own continent. We honour and respect the founding principles of the post-war European institutions that have ensured long-lasting peace, dialogue and unity of purpose across the nations of Europe, and we believe that participation in those institutions is one essential means of furthering the Green agenda at home and abroad.

1. Replace existing text EU101 with wholly new text as follows: Existing: EU101 We recognise the value of the original goal of the founders of the European Communities, who sought to remove the threat of another war between European states. This has been distorted by vested political and economic interests into a union dominated by economic interests, which lacks democratic control, and promotes the goals of multinational corporations which are interested in profit not people, and which runs counter to the professed core values of the Union. We believe that the ecological challenges and stark inequalities the world faces present a potential new role for the EU as part of wider global co-operation. Proposed new text: EU 101 We believe that issues of social justice, peace, human rights, equality, environmental justice and responsibility do not stop at the UK border. Consequently, protection for our shared planet, land, sea and air, requires legislation at global and regional levels, for which collaborative democratic institutions such as the EU are crucial. We subscribe to ideals of human rights, workers’ rights, democracy, freedom of movement across borders, redistribution of wealth and privilege between nations both within Europe and globally—the ideals that are the motivating goals of the European Union, the Council of Europe and other European institutions dedicated to overseeing particular areas of collaboration and regulation. We are committed to retaining or recovering UK membership and positions of influence for our own democratically elected representatives in these bodies. We aim to promote knowledge and understanding of the importance of these institutions in delivering our Green goals, and in ensuring peace and justice across Europe and the rest of the world.

B. Under existing heading Structures

1. Replace existing text EU110 with wholly new text as follows: Existing: EU110 To achieve the Green vision, Europe will need very different structures from those currently in existence. Europe should be made up of overlapping, co-operative, democratic, decentralised groupings of nations and regions. Proposed new text: EU110 Membership of the European Union gave the Green Party of England and Wales access to elected roles in democratic institutions at a high level of international influence, and a direct role in formulating legislation and regulations that contributed to progressing Green goals and ambitions across many areas of life in the UK and in neighbouring countries. While the institutions of the EU are not perfect, we recognise that in many respects the European Parliament has a more democratic structure than the Westminster Parliament, and has a positive commitment to seeking consensus. We would favour further progress towards strengthening the democratic accountability of the main EU bodies, and towards ending individual countries’ power of veto in the Council of the European Union. We favour the introduction of transnational lists, and the right of legislative initiative for the European Parliament.

2. Replace existing text EU111 with wholly new text as follows:

Existing: EU111 European institutions must be designed with care and with mechanisms for correction, to prevent the drift towards centralism that has repeatedly been seen in history.

Proposed new text: EU 111 We believe that issues should, as far as possible, be decided at the local level, where they are local, and at national or international level where appropriate. This principle of subsidiarity is a founding principle of EU policy-making. In an increasingly global and over-exploited world, many issues of social justice, employment, migration, and environmental degradation must be settled at a European level or global level. Issues of defence and peace-keeping also require Europe-wide decision-making. It is vital that we contribute to ensuring that there are effective, democratic, representative, and powerful bodies that can legislate in these areas.

1. Delete the remaining items in this section altogether as follows: Existing (to be deleted altogether): EU112 Part of the way to do this is to have a multiplicity of independent bodies with clearly defined areas of responsibility, and with the possibility of membership by different groups of nations and regions. An example is the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe for conflict resolution. (See Part 5) EU113 Europe must not become a super-state or global power bloc.