Brussels, 06/02/2004 (Agence Europe) - During a press conference on Thursday in Brussels, the former prime minister of Denmark Poul Nyrup Rasmussen presented the political declaration of the high level Party of European Socialists (PES) on globalisations, which he chaired and in which the president of the PES group at the European Parliament, Enrique Baron, Commissioner Pascal Lamy and the former French minister of European affairs Pierre Moscovici participated. Entitled "EUROPE 2004: Changing the Future", this declaration had already been signed by other personalities such as Jacques Delors, the former Portuguese prime minister Antonio Guterres and Commissioner Philippe Busquin.
"The five following objectives form the pillars of our political vision at national, European and international levels: ensuring security for all; preserving the environment and quality of life in a sustainable way; struggling for peace in the world against threats old and new; mastering world immigration flows…; promoting democracy", we are able to read in this declaration, which highlights the need for a renewed social policy, a better co-ordinated economic policy (the draft appeals for a genuine European growth and stability pact over several years) and a more ambitious development policy (for the actual carrying out of the millennium objectives).
During the press conference, Rasmussen congratulated the PES for being able to present "a coherent response to the challengers of globalisation", which he said distinguished itself from the "patchwork" characterising the programme of the EPP. Belgian PS president Elio di Rupo, who took part in the work group, underlined that the draft brought together "exact and complete orientations" and that although it acknowledged divergences within the PES this was because "national interests remained significant". Criticising the slogan of the EPP again, which is seeking "the majority in Europe", Enrique Baron underlined that Socialists shared the same values (amongst themselves), which distinguished them from the EPP, which he compared to a "technical group" and an alliance interested exclusively in gaining power.