Brussels, 23/05/2014 (Agence Europe) Following our article yesterday on the major European political parties' positions on the economy, we continue with a report on their programmes for immigration, TTIP, the neighbourhood policy, enlargement and foreign affairs, along with a separate article on social affairs.
IMMIGRATION
EPP: The European People's Party (EPP) says that EU member states must work closely together to manage borders in order to ensure domestic security. The EU's common border agency, Frontex, should be strengthened and the EU should work closely with security agencies along the borders of non-EU countries to avoid criminals getting involved in arranging for people to enter the EU illegally. At the same time, the victims of political and religious persecution should be given proper protection. Immigrant integration policies should be stepped up. Integration goes in both directions and implies both rights and responsibilities. The EPP's candidate to become the next president of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, has a five-point plan: immediate introduction of the asylum package adopted in April 2013; helping the European asylum support bureau; boosting cooperation with non-EU countries, especially in North Africa, to prevent illegal immigration; organising legal immigration by extending the use of the “blue card” for highly-qualified foreign workers; and boosting the Frontex border patrol system and getting the member states more highly involved in it.
PES: The European Socialist party (PES) says that asylum and immigration policies are needed that can avert human tragedies and sufficient resources must be devoted to this end. In order to save lives, the EU and its member states should demonstrate solidarity and introduce mechanisms to ensure responsibilities are shared. The Socialists want effective integration and participation programmes and aid for the countries where immigrants hail from. The fight against human trafficking should be stepped up. PES candidate to become president of the European Commission Martin Schulz wants detailed criteria to be laid down for legal entry into the EU and for the EU's common borders to be properly monitored in a humane fashion.
ALDE. The European Liberals and Democrats want to develop a clear vision of legal economic migration and to introduce a legal immigration system based on the Canadian and Australian models with decisions made each year at EU level about the total number of immigrants allowed to come to the EU. Resettlement and humanitarian visas for refugees should be introduced and human trafficking should be actively fought. Frontex should do its work thoroughly and be strengthened.
Greens/EFA. The Greens/European Free Alliance focus on human dignity. Having organised a number of campaigns against Frontex and some of its practices in the past, which the Greens say clash with fundamental rights, the Greens want people who need protection to be able to really find it in the EU. They want the Dublin Regulation that decides which member state is responsible for processing asylum requests to be scrapped and for genuine solidarity to be introduced among member states for carrying the “burden”.
Party of the European Left (far left). The far left says Frontex should be scrapped and Europe should not be a fortress. It focuses on vulnerable women immigrants and calls for legislation to tackle the trafficking and sexual exploitation of women and children.
TRANSATLANTIC FREE TRADE TREATY (TTIP)
EPP: The Conservatives say the TTIP will create jobs and economic growth. Juncker says the EPP will refuse to sign a deal that does not live up to EU social, environmental and data protection standards.
PES: The Socialists take a similar line, saying the TTIP will create jobs in the EU but must not be allowed to lead to a lowering of data protection standards.
ALDE: The Liberals say the TTIP provides the EU with an opportunity to reap many benefits. The Liberal candidate to become the next president of the European Commission, Guy Verhofstadt (of Belgium) says he wants the United States to provide guarantees on the protection of personal data and respect for privacy for Europeans in connection with TTIP.
Greens: The Greens say the TTIP is a step too far and should not be signed. They reject the idea of such an agreement until the question of courts for settling trade disputes has been fully clarified. The Greens say that, in its current format, the TTIP would water down European rules and regulations.
European Left. The far Left's manifesto says it wants to prevent a Big Transatlantic Market from being formed that would undermine social rights, high-quality products and even the European identity itself. The agreements signed by the EU with other countries in the world threaten everyone's rights and the far Left wants to bring together all the sectors and citizens threaneed by the TTIP in horticulture, livestock farming, industry, environment, culture, audiovisual and the world of work in general.
ENERGY-CLIMATE-ENVIRONMENT
EPP. Juncker wants to reform and reorganise Europe's energy policy in a new European Energy Union to pool European resources and infrastructure and combine European negotiating powers with non-EU energy producers. Energy sources should be diversified and the energy dependence of a number of member states reduced. Juncker says that, if energy from the east should become too expensive either commercially or politically, then Europe must be able to very quickly move to other distribution chains and must be able to reverse the direction of energy flow when necessary. He says the proportion of energy from renewable sources must be increased in Europe. The EPP wants the EU to become the world leader in renewable energy.
PES. The EU must become world leader again when it comes to looking after nature and natural resources and also in the fight against pollution and climate change. To this end, it should work closely with global partners and set an example. The PES will encourage non-polluting technology and environmentally-friendly production methods. With the 2020 deadline fast approaching, the PES is calling for the setting of new, binding carbon emissions targets, an increase in the share of energy from renewable sources and increased energy efficiency. It is calling for the introduction of project bonds to finance investment in the green economy, renewable energy and green technology. People should be encouraged to cut their fuel bills and carbon footprint and be guaranteed minimum access to energy.
ALDE. The Liberals think that a low-carbon economy that makes intelligent use of resources would create jobs and make the EU less dependent on energy imports. The party is fighting for investment in a pan-European electricity grid and for a boosting of renewable sources of energy. It will set its priorities in an action programme to be submitted to the member states to boost energy efficiency, reduce the use of carbon, develop carbon capture and storage, promote recycling, re-use and efficiency for natural resources and phase out environmentally damaging subsidies, including those for the production and use of fossil fuels. The EU structural funds for research and investment should be adjusted to shift cash to areas that are promising for the future, like renewable energy.
Greens. The Greens' whole political programme is based on ecology. Among other things, the party is demanding an increase in the current targets and the now outdated greenhouse gas emissions reduction objective of 20% on the 1990 level by 2020, which should be increased to 30%. The Greens want a new reduction target of at least 55% by 2030 in order to achieve a carbon-neutral society by 2050. They say that a coherent energy policy based on energy savings, energy efficiency and renewable energy sources is the only way to have a society based virtually exclusively on renewable energy by 2050. Energy consumption should be reduced by 40% over the next 15 years and renewable energy (apart from agrifuels) should be developed and provide 45% of energy consumed by 2030. The Greens have a flagship policy of getting rid of nuclear power.
European Left. The far Left is fighting for a new ecological development model based on relocating and converting industrial production in Europe to ensure short production and consumption chains, tackling climate deregulation by developing truly renewable energy and energy savings along with the development of public and collective transport. Food autonomy should be ensured by developing economically and economically sustainable farming, protecting oceans and seas and making responsible use of marine resources, rejecting privatisation of natural resources, returning resources to public ownership, along with energy generation and distribution.
ENLARGEMENT
EPP: The EPP says the EU should be more cautious when it comes to enlargement. It recommends careful enlargement that preserves the EU's identity and takes account of the EU's capacity for integrating new members. Juncker takes a stronger line, talking of arranging a pause in the enlargement negotiations currently under way with Western Balkans States if he is elected to head the Commission for the next five years. He says Turkey is a long way off joining the EU because it is not ready.
PES. The Socialists say enlargement must continue while underlining unequivocal respect of European fundamental rights and values for any country wanting to join the club in future.
ALDE. The Liberals say EU enlargement is a key foreign and security policy instrument.
Greens. The Greens say they are “attached” to EU enlargement, saying the EU must remain open to new countries applying to join as long as they meet the accession criteria. The Greens want all Western Balkans states to join the EU, want a speeding up of the accession talks with Turkey, describing them as “fair and credible”.
European Left. The far left is vague about enlargement, simply stating in its manifesto that the recognition of the Kurdish people in Turkey and the end of repression are a precondition if Turkey is to join the EU. It demands that Turkey respects international law on the question of reunification of Cyprus.
NEIGHBOURHOOD
EPP: The EPP says that the EU's immediate neighbourhood is a source of new opportunities but also a source of potential threats and EU relations with its eastern neighbours should be governed by a very long-term approach. It says the EU must develop a vision and propose new strategies for southern Mediterranean countries.
PES: The PES backs the Eastern Partnership as an effective instrument for bringing eastern countries closer to the EU and developing strong ties with the Mediterranean region.
ALDE: The Liberals say they will continue to back democratic and economic reforms in EU neighbouring countries because the presence of healthier democracies along the EU's borders makes the EU itself more secure.
Greens: The Greens says the EU has a key role to play in its immediate neighbourhood to boost stability and democracy. They want stronger partnerships with countries to the east like Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova, “honest partnerships based on principles”. The Greens want the EU to focus on changes in Mediterranean and East European countries and for it to give proper backing to the reforms being introduced.
European Left: The far Left wants a review of the EuroMed concept.
FOREIGN AND SECURITY POLICY
EPP: The EPP wants the EU's foreign policy to be strengthened and made more effective. Juncker says a stronger Europe is needed when it comes to foreign policy. He said the EU should become more effective by combining the EU's foreign policy tools - trade policy, development aid, involvement in international financial institutions and the neighbourhood policy - in the same, united direction. He wants the next high representative to act as a true European foreign minister. The EPP wants Europe to have greater capabilities for defence and security, with the countries that so desire being able to pool defence capabilities via permanent, structured cooperation. The EU should reform its development policy to make it transparent and effective and ensure it focuses on poverty reduction be based on the social market economy, explains Junker.
PES: The PES says Europe has to have a bigger position on the global stage. It should combine defence, development, trade and diplomacy to have the best possible positive impact on foreign policy. The PES manifesto says that the EU should take effective action to ensure peace around the world and actively promote defence cooperation. It should form solid alliances for dealing with common threats. The PES says Europe should support people struggling for democracy, social justice, non-discrimination, freedom and against any form of occupation in the various regions of the world. It also wants to fight against global imbalances and poverty by introducing coherent development policies and making a success of the Millennium Development Goals and the United Nations Action Plan for the post-2015 period.
ALDE: The Liberals say they firmly back the new focus on human rights. They want the EU to have greater influence in international affairs by having an extra European seat at the United Nations Security Council and other global organisations. The Liberal manifesto says Europe should rely more on its own military capabilities and security forces and ensure better pooling and sharing of capabilities. They say they will work for much closer cooperation between the EU and NATO, adding that the EU should boost its civilian crisis management capabilities and use its experience to ensure stability, the rule of law and good governance.
Greens: The Greens think that the EU should have a common foreign policy based on values. They say the EU should have a key international role in order to combat the structural causes of poverty, and promote justice, solidarity, peace and defence of global common goods. The Greens say the EU should have human rights as part of its foreign policy objectives, including the trade aspect of foreign policy. The Greens' manifesto says the EU should speak with a single voice, back multilateral global governance and closer partnerships with existing regional bodies. The EU should draw up solid and fair partnerships with countries to the south of Europe and aim to reduce inequality in and among those countries through the EU's development cooperation programme states the manifesto. The civilian management of conflicts must always be the priority, say the Greens, who want the EU to have a greater role in the humanitarian field.
European Left: The far Left defends internationalism as opposed to imperialism, which creates artificial divisions among countries and peoples. It wants a Europe of peace and political dialogue to counter violence and military coercion. It says that the European United Left is the choice of peace among individuals, communities and societies. The manifesto says the Left defends the values of peace, opposes military treaties and their consequences for the EU, rejects armament policies and wishes to take action to pursue peace around the world. (SP/CG)