Statement for a Standing Plan B in Europe
by Internationalist Summit for a Plan B in Europe!
Here is the final declaration of the Plan B Summit, which took place on 19-20 November 2016 in Copenhagen.
We, the undersigned, elected representatives, academics, trade unionists, social movements, party organisations, commit ourselves to a standing Plan B for Europe as a force of opposition and alternative to the European institutions. We refuse a Europe of permanent austerity, attack on social and labour rights and devaluation of labour. We deplore the erosion of financial stability on our continent. We contest the shift from public to private which redirects common resources and public finances to service debt owned by banks.
The steamrolling of the Greek left wing experiment in 2015 has shown the need for a platform that specifically addresses the blackmail and the attempt to impose neoliberal policies via the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). An alternative is needed urgently, as the EMU is set to become even more dangerous in the coming years.
By imposing austerity, the political and financial oligarchy has created insecurity and mistrust throughout Europe, and thereby paved the way for the rise of right wing nationalism, which seeks to create hatred and disunity between people of Europe.
Plan B shall pave the way for a fully democratic and inclusive cooperation in Europe and beyond, between peoples and nations, which seeks to solve the multiple crises of today, and which goes far beyond the stifling confinements of the European Union (EU). Whereas eurocentrism, fear and exploitation of people and nature continues to be the cornerstones of Europe’s relation to the rest of the world, the European institutions are unfit to handle the global challenges of today.
At the Plan B summit in Copenhagen, we have presented credible and ambitious solutions to solve the local and global challenges of today. These solutions are not possible within the current framework of the EU and its reactionary treaties: We have to break free from those treaties. We pledge to fight for European cooperation on completely different terms, a Europe of social justice, solidarity, sustainability and democracy.
Therefore, we are committed to continue and deepen cooperation within the plan B framework, including by supporting an annual plan B event and improving coordination within that framework. We envision a growing coalition that will develop alternatives to the current neoliberal EU in a cooperation between parties and social movements, and that will serve as a place to strengthen common struggles and refine our strategies.
After Copenhagen, which took significant steps in that direction, we strongly encourage progressive forces across Europe to get involved in the next Plan B Summit, which will be held in Rome, 11-12th of March 2017, as a counter-summit to the 60th Anniversary of the Treaty of Rome. With elections in France and Germany and ratification of CETA – which could end up being rejected if just one national parliament says no – 2017 will be an important year for Europe.
Signed by
- Pernille Skipper, MP and Political spokesperson, Enhedslisten – The Red-Green Alliance, Denmark
- Jonas Sjöstedt, MP and Chairperson, Vänsterpartiet – Left Party, Sweden
- Jean-Luc Mélenchon, MEP and co-founder, Parti de Gauche, France
- Miguel Urbán Crespo, MEP, Podemos, Spain
- Stefano Fassina, MP and former Italian deputy minister finance, Sinistra Italiana, Italy
- Fabio De Masi, MEP, Die Linke, Germany
- Catarina Martins, MP and Coordinator, Bloco de Esquerda, Portugal
To add your signature, please visit this site.
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I note that this is not so dissimilar to the Varoufakis Diem25 platform; he has not yet signed it although 2 other Diem25 representatives have (I refer to the fuller list on the Danish site). Most of the French names, of which there are a fair few, are sidekicks of the demagogue Melenchon or members of Ensemble who, when they are not busy supporting the EU and pretending that it can be be reformed, are united by their hatred of the Syrian people, Russia and Iran and ceaselessly clamouring for humanitarian intervention from NATO and friends to save the headchoppers in Aleppo from imminent defeat. On a domestic level, the idiotic reformist delusions that these people are peddling, particularly about the EU, run the risk of splintering even further an already weakened revolutionary left and destroying any remaining chance of presenting a left candidate capable of reaching the 2nd round of next year’s election. When both Fillon and Le Pen offer up seemingly more convincing, progressive and objectively anti-imperialist positions on issues like relations with Russia, the war in Syria and, in the case of Le Pen, the EU, it is little wonder that the French working class have abandoned the so-called left.
Excellent initiative – like Jim Porter – I have no idea how it can be implemented – but, as Buckminster Fuller put it – if an idea is needed badly enough, it will be accepted. He called it “emergence by emergency.”
It seems to me that there are two strata of globalisation – the corporatist elitist plan to financialise and privatise well, everything – and… for the global masses – there is no viable Plan B. (Yet!)
Instead, we have been sold the TINA mantra (there is no alternative!) – the left has gone centre or AWOL – and the only political alternative we are offered is provincialism and anti-immigration right-wing demagoguery. By the time it dawns on us that it wasn’t any fictitious lower social strata that diminished our worth and wealth – both will be gone. Privatised and off-shored – never to be got back.
As a case in point – if CETA is ratified (hopefully not) before we leave the EU – there is no repeal – most of its clauses are with us for the next 20yrs. So much for a return to our sovereign constitution.
It is ‘TTIP by the back door’ – even if Trump renegotiates NAFTA – north american corporations will still have access to the trade deal via their canadian subsidiaries. It is not going to go away.
http://www.globaljustice.org.uk/sites/default/files/files/resources/2nd_edition_ceta_briefing_2016.pdf
You’ve probably seen the ‘Brexit note’ of Mark Field (as photographed yesterday) – forget the “have cake and eat it” scenario – more alarming to me would be a future ‘Canada plus’ deal.
CETA + ‘(financial) services’ translates to me as “F_ck the environment (O, we already did?) – we’ll take your dirty frackin’ (tar sands) oil – so long as we can privatise your public services.”
Luckily, this bears no resemblance to our undemocratic governments official policy – but only because they have no Brexit policy.
But if this is any indication of our future trade deals – we are going to need the “emergence by emergency” of a viable Plan B – plus a great deal of international solidarity – SOON!
Here in the UK, I voted for Brexit as there seemed no alternative – Plan B is my idea of heaven (I’m not ambitious!). It does state though that the structure of the EU would have to be demolished and that isn’t going to happen without a huge political explosion as the Council will not allow any change – there is no democracy, so please tell me how this would be achieved?
Sadly short of electoral assassinations the EU can’t change, so now we wait for 2017 to play out & as long as Merkel goes the required changes will follow.
There are more signatories in addition to those shown above, who can be seen at http://euro-planb.dk/.
What is not shown are any British MEPs or MPs.
Why not?