Two months before the European elections Europe is faced with the prospect of continuing austerity, economic stagnation, rising inequality and a growing divide between the countries of the centre and the periphery, while democratic processes are undermined at all levels.
An alternative is proposed by the European Progressive Economists Network(Euro-pen), which brings together a number of organisations from across the continent, including the EuroMemo Group, the Economistes Atterrés from France, Sbilanciamoci! from Italy, the Transnational Institute, EconoNuestra from Spain, transform! europe and many others.
A set of policy alternatives will be presented to MEPs from the S&D, Green and Left groups of the European Parliament and to national policy makers.
They include:
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- Reversing austerity policies and the constraints of the “fiscal compact” so that countries can defend public expenditure, welfare and wages, while the EU assumes a greater role for stimulating demand, launching a public investment programme and promoting employment in a new course of sustainable and equitable growth.
- Taming finance through the financial transaction tax and limitations on speculative finance with a dramatic downsizing of the financial sector.
- Solving the public debt problem with a common responsibility of the eurozone and a changed role of the European Central Bank.
- Expanding democracy at all levels in Europe and reforming the European Union.
Programme
Detailed programme on the right (at „Documentation“).
Speakers include:
Susan George, Elena Papadopoulou from Greece, Henri Sterdyniak and Benjamin Coriat from France; Luciana Castellina, Andrea Baranes and Mario Pianta from Italy, Jordi Angusto from Spain, John Grahl from the UK, Felipe van Keirsbilck and Sigfrido Ramírez Pérez from Belgium, Ronald Janssen from the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), Stefano Maruca from FIOM-CGIL, and Erik Wesselius from Corporate Europe Observatory.
Policy makers and MEPs include:
Gianni Pittella, Vice President of the European Parliament; Liêm Hoang Ngoc, Cecilia Gondard and Elisa Ferreira from the Socialists and Democrats; Monica Frassoni and Sven Giegold from the European Green Party; Jürgen Klute from the GUE/NGL; Stefano Fassina from the Italian Democratic Party (PD); Giulio Marcon, Giorgio Airaudo and Giovanni Paglia from the Italian Left party Sinistra Ecologia Libertà (SEL); and Lukas Vesely from the cabinet of László Andor, Commissioner for Employment.