Brussels, 14/11/2008 (Agence Europe) - On the eve of the G20 summit on the financial crisis, on 15 November, the number of different stances is increasing. Representatives of the chambers of commerce and trade union leaders of the 20 countries concerned by the meeting each presented their recommendations to the world leaders present in Washington.
In a joint position paper, the chambers of commerce said “we trust the summit (…) not only to give a strong sign of political coordination and unity but to come up with concrete proposals to tackle” reform of the global finance system, states a press release published by Eurochambres on 14 November. G20 proposals should aim at strengthening supervisory structures at national and supranational level, improving the quality of regulatory standards and developing better crisis prevention mechanisms. The declaration also invites leaders not to increase customs duties and not to protect their economies through other means. The text is available on: http://www.eurochambres.eu/Content/Default.asm?PageID=1&DocID=1392
World trade union organisations recommend a series of measures to be taken immediately in order to stave off the risk of a long and painful global recession, and to carry out indepth reform of the organisation of the global economy, states a press release published on Thursday 13 November by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC). Entitled the “Washington Declaration”, this comprehensive plan for turning around the global economy was to be discussed with Dominique Strauss-Kahn, Executive Director of the International Monetary Fund, Robert Zoellick, President of the World Bank, and the heads of government of the G20 countries. ITUC says one should thus turns one's back on the years of deregulation that led to the current crisis. A new start is needed for development and for decent employment, as is an agreement on a Green New Deal to effectively combat climate change, the trade union proposals state. They may be consulted at: http://www.ituc-csi.org/IMG/pdf/0811t_gf_G20_en.pdf . (A.B./transl.jl)