Brussels, 30/03/2009 (Agence Europe) - The European Green Party held a congress on 27-28 March in Brussels, where it launched its European election campaign, adopted a manifesto (http: //europeangreens.eu/) and made a dual appeal: support for a “New Green Deal” to tackle the financial and environmental crisis and opposition to the continued mandate of José Manuel Barroso at the head of the next Commission. The European Greens also appointed Daniel Cohn-Bendit, the current co-president of the EP group, as their “election spokesman” together with Rebecca Harms (German MEP) and Deirdre de Burca from Ireland. They aim to become the third biggest group at the European Parliament, which, according to Mr Cohn-Bendit, means winning between 5-15 more seats than in 2004 (the Greens/EFA Group is currently the fifth biggest group at the EP with 43 MEPs from 14 member states).
Mr Cohn-Bendit informed delegates that “our project is the ecological and social transformation of society. To get out of the crisis, the alternative to Barroso is us”. Their manifesto explains that “Europe needs a new direction” and the financial, economic, social and ecological crises should be considered as “an opportunity to transform our economic and social system into one that will offer generations to come a future based on stability, sufficiency and sustainability”.
New Green Deal. The Greens consider that the appropriate response to all these crises can be found in a move towards the “Greener Economy”, “massive investment” in education, science, technological development and by placing Europe in the forefront of the “global economic revolution”. The greens affirm that “a combination of ambitious and binding targets, of incentives and of public investments into green technologies and services will help create millions of green jobs in Europe and tens of millions worldwide”. Climate change: the Greens are demanding that the EU commits to emissions reductions of 40% by 2020 and 80-95% by 2050, based on 1990 levels. They are also calling for the creation of a “European Renewables Community” (ERENE) to support the long term goal of 100% energy from renewable sources. On the other hand, their manifesto asserts that “nuclear energy cannot be part of the solution to climate change”
The Greens say that financial markets “must be put on a leash” by a European body in charge of examining and regulating financial markets and services. The former also requires negotiations on an international agreement for banning tax havens. The Greens are also concerned about the social dimension and state that the EU should protect the social system and working conditions against pressure from ferocious and unfettered competition in Europe and beyond. They criticise the “dominant neoliberal ideology at the European Parliament, Council and European Commission” for giving in to industrial pressure and promoting short term profits instead of the general interest. The Greens also take a position on EU immigration policy and declare that “immigration is an opportunity, not a threat… people who seek asylum in Europe deserve to be treated better”. The Greens oppose “repressive” laws “on returning unauthorised migrants”. The Greens say that the Dublin Convention, “which aims to harmonise EU asylum policies and guarantees protection in line with international obligations, is a must”. They are calling for a ban on genetically modified organisms in Europe and want the latter to become a “GMO-free zone”.
“Stop Barroso” but no Green candidate. Mr Barroso should not head the Commission again because he has underperformed. In a detailed text to be adopted by the congress this weekend, the party lists 25 reasons for opposing the candidacy of Mr Barroso. He is also criticised for having been passive in the face of the economic and financial crisis, and for having promoted “imprudent deregulation to the detriment of social policy” and having preferred competition and liberalisation to the detriment of development and solidarity, as well as having failed to take into account climate change or having sufficiently defended democracy and human rights in the world. Mr Cohn-Bendit informed the press: “We think the Commission's policies are bad, therefore we need a new Commission president”. The Greens, similarly to the European Socialists, however, have not appointed an alternative candidate from their ranks. But according to Mr Cohn-Bendit, they do want “to open the debate between all the political forces of the EP on what this alternative could be”. Cohn-Bendit told the press that “if we can force the Socialists to enter the debate, we will then be able to begin on choosing an alternative to Mr Barroso…The problem is not coming up with a name (of a candidate) but obtaining a majority for being able to select this alternative”. (H.B./E.M./transl.rh)