Brussels, 20/02/2007 (Agence Europe) - In an open letter to the heads of state and government meeting at the European summit on 8 - 9 March, the Social Platform composed of European social NGOs suggests a three-point plan to strengthen social Europe. The three points are to:
(1) Use fully EU social competences to reach tangible results: The EU needs to establish a social policy scoreboard to increase transparency in the implementation of existing EU social policy legislation and instruments. The EU heads of state and government are invited to keep their political commitments and to turn them into concrete measures;
(2) Ensure that economic and internal market objectives are not pursued at the cost of social objectives: There must be effective mainstreaming of social policy concerns in all relevant policy areas and precedence must be given to social objectives in case of conflict with competition or internal market policy measures;
(3) Build a people's Europe that promotes rights and solidarity. It is necessary to: - adopt new EU strategic goals that respond to the concerns of people of all ages; - negotiate a new treaty that reinforces the social dimension and participatory democracy; - build a European Union based on structured civil dialogue; - and build more solidarity within and outside Europe backed by adequate financial means. For further information: http://www.socialplatform.org (gb)