Another Europe is possible: NO to the present “Constitution”!

In coming months, several countries of the European Union will hold referendums on the Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe. This Draft Treaty concerns all of Europe’s citizens: not only does it uphold neoliberal policies that have been implemented these past two decades and that have made Europe a leader in the process of neoliberal globalisation, but it is also designed to consolidate these policies by giving them constitutional legitimacy.

In order to build a socially responsible Europe based on solidarity, it is first necessary to reject the Draft Treaty. That is why attac Switzerland calls on all citizens of Europe to join the protest against a project it sees as highly counterproductive. In light of the key impact that the French referendum on 29 May 2005 will have, attac Switzerland particularly invites its activists and supporters to respond to attac France’s call to build groups of international volunteers against this “Constitution.”

Attac Switzerland’s NO is more than a statement of solidarity with other European attac groups involved in the campaign. Although Switzerland does not plan at present to officially join the European Union, Swiss economic and social policies are intimately tied to the neoliberal framework of the EU. Proof can be found in the bilateral agreements which give priority to defending Switzerland’s secret bank accounts at the expense of workers’ and immigrants’ rights, all in the name of sacrosanct “competitiveness.”

Another Europe, based on social justice, solidarity, equality and pacifism, is yet to be built. Attac Switzerland has been part of the overall European social movement at the European Social Forum and other mobilisations. Together we are building a social movement to achieve a Europe that is not a fortress, a Europe with political, economic and social rights for all.

(Auf Deutsch, In italiano, en français)

For another Europe, against the “Constitution”

The Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe (commonly and erroneously called the European Constitution) has been submitted for ratification in several European countries. This Treaty concerns all people of Europe, whether or not they have been called to vote and whether or not their country is a member of the European Union. Not only does this Treaty uphold neoliberal policies implemented these past two decades and that have made Europe a motor of neoliberal globalisation, but it is also designed to render them permanent through constitutional legitimacy. It establishes free markets and competition as inevitable and gives them primacy over social, economic and environmental rights. It will be imposed on all new member states without negotiation and in a practically irreversible manner.

Contrary to what proponents of the Treaty say, a NO to this “Constitution” is not a NO to Europe, but a YES to another Europe, one based on rights, equality and solidarity between people. Therefore attac Switzerland calls on all citizens of Europe to join the protest against this counterproductive Draft.

Saying NO to this “Constitution”...

... means opposing a Europe that is anti-democratic

There was no elected Constitutive Assembly, nor was there open debate. Negotiations were kept beyond public access. However, to modify the text members will be required to agree unanimously, which will be next to impossible in light of future expansions.

... means opposing a European Union that is ultra-liberal.

The trend in the ten years since the signing of the Maastricht Treaty is clear: increasing liberalisation and weakening of the labour market, decreasing taxes, “offshoring,” dismantling public services, and economic layoffs to protect shareholder value. The Draft Treaty closely governs the EU’s economic policy and commits it to the “total neoliberalism” long advanced by the economic and financial elite, multinationals and international financial institutions.

Unlike most European countries’ constitutions, the Draft Treaty grants more importance to free competition than to social rights. The latter are rarely mentioned and when they are, the Draft Treaty stipulates: “taking account of (...) the need to maintain the competitiveness of the Union economy” (article III-209). In doing so the Draft Treaty blocks governments that may wish to promote progressive policies such as the right to housing for all, the right to secure employment (which even features in the declaration of human rights) and the right to social security.

In the name of this same free competition, the Treaty coins the term “services of general economic interest,” SGEIs, and the notion of public service is not defined anywhere in European Union texts. Furthermore, SGEIs are no longer considered a Union value (art. I-2) as they were in the Amsterdam Treaty, nor as a Union objective (art. I-3). Instead, they are entirely subject to the provisions of the Constitution (art. II-96) and according to these provisions, must comply with rules of undistorted competition (art III-122); “... any aid granted by a Member State or through State resources in any form whatsoever which distorts or threatens to distort competition by favouring certain undertakings or the production of certain goods shall... be incompatible with the internal market.” (art. III-167): negating all public service policies.

What this Draft Treaty also does is permanently remove all possibility to introduce means, such as the Tobin tax, of regulating international financial transactions. Article III-156 for instance stipulates: “Within the framework of this Section, restrictions both on the movement of capital and on payments between Member States and between Member States and third countries shall be prohibited.”

These examples, chosen among many, demonstrate that this “Constitution” is a further step in the direction of dismantling the European social system. However imperfect and uneven, this system was the fruit of more than a century of struggle and emancipation by social movements.

...is to oppose a militarised Europe

The Draft Treaty dashes all hopes of those who would like to see the birth of a citizen-sponsored Europe engaged in peace. It subjects Union foreign policy to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). It gives free reign to the leaders of the United States and their European allies whose expansionist and imperialist policies place us and the planet at increasing risk every day. Also, as the European Defense Agency is ratified by the constitution, it will become the motor of preprogrammed Defense budget increases and research and industrial activities focused on military buildup.

A policy on all levels, in Switzerland, Europe and the world

Attac Switzerland’s NO is more than a statement of solidarity with other European attac groups involved in this campaign. Although Switzerland does not plan at present to officially join the European Union, Swiss economic and social policies are intimately tied to the neoliberal framework of the EU. Fearing a “loss of competitiveness” relative to our European “rivals,” our economic and financial circles pressure Switzerland to adopt most neoliberal measures taken by the EU. As a result, “markets” such as telecommunications, the Post Office and electricity have been forced open, directly parroting the various Directives issued by the European Commission. Proof can also be found in the bilateral agreements which give priority to defending Switzerland’s secret bank accounts at the expense of workers’ and immigrants’ rights.

The draft directive on services (the “Bolkestein Directive”), whose aim is to liberalise the internal market in services within Europe, is a particularly blatant sign that the neoliberal attacks by the European Commission against the foundation of the European social model are becoming more radical and determined. If systems guaranteeing social security and labour market regulation are not standardised from above, the salaried workforces of Europe will enter into direct competition, leading to the unacceptable situation of social dumping. Such forced competitiveness further benefits European multinationals, who push for the global opening of markets in services through negotiations within the World Trade Organization’s General Agreement on the Trade of Services (GATS).

In Switzerland and in the world, attac is engaged in the struggle to disarm the financial powers that be (multinationals, financial institutions) and to re-appropriate society by and for the people (through democratic control of public services, the right to self-determination and food sovereignty, etc.).

Given the key impact of the French vote on 29 May 2005, attac Switzerland invites its members and supporters to join groups of European volunteers who are petitioning for a NO to the “Constitution” (invitation in French).

ATTAC

Rue des Savoises 15

1205 Geneva, Switzerland

A social, sharing, egalitarian and pacifist Europe is yet to be built. Attac Switzerland has been engaged alongside other European social movements during the European Social Forums in Florence, Paris and London and in European mobilisations. Together we are creating a social movement for another, possible Europe.

Let’s take back our future