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Urgent and essential mobilisation

Francis Wurtz, President of the GUE/NGL group calls on the European Commission to give an explanation.

Monday 20 December 2004

It is probable that a large number of MEPs, taken individually, would expect President Barroso to respond favourably to President Wurtz’s three requests.

However, this will probably not be the case and it is up to European civil society to put rapid and strong pressure on its European MEPs to make them understand that they are expected to take a clear and swift stand in order to express clearly the opinion of their electoral basis on these three essential issues and not to let themselves be influenced by group discipline, which often goes against their inner convictions.

Strategic orientations of the Commission

Statement by Francis Wurtz, President of the GUE/NGL Group

Strasbourg, December 14, 2004

Mr. President,

Given the dominant political profile of the new Commission, it would be somewhat too bold of my group to ask you to carry out a series of strategic orientations corresponding to our vision of Europe. Nevertheless, considering the unexpected amount of hostility which appeared when he was vested with his office, I allow myself to advise Mr. Barroso to offer the citizens who have different point of view to his, two or three clear signals showing that he has understood their message.

The first signal could address the draft directive on the liberalisation of services, known as “the Bolkestein Directive”. This text crystallizes in the social movements - including the European Trade Union Confederation - all the preventions against the liberal model. And with reason! At the heart of this project is the famous “country of origin law” which aims at allowing a company offering a service to apply in all its member countries the social laws in vigor in the country of its headquarters. This will be a machine for social dumping, a sort of mechanism for “flags of convenience” spread to all services. I am sure that such a measure is not acceptable to our citizens. My request is simple Mr Barroso: withdraw the Bolkestein Directive and initiate a vast debate on the subject!
A second signal could address the proposal to set up detention centres for refugees and migrants on the south side of the Mediterranean or in other counties outside the EU. This is shameful! However, the previous Commission, in setting up and financing pilot projects legitimised this path. Here too my request is simple: stop these projects completely and definitively.
We consider that the third signal should address the interminable and dramatic conflict in the Middle East. The EU is co-initiator of the “road map” which foresees the creation of a Palestinian state in 2005. We are at the end of 2004 and our involvement has not led to even the beginning of the realization of this proposal.
The main obstacle is Mr Sharon. No other leader - except George W Bush - could violate UN resolutions like he does, ignore the Hague Court, snub the EU and get away with it. The Commission has just offered him participation in a “circle of friends” and to benefit from its new “policy of neighborliness”. This measure risks being very badly understood by those who can no longer accept the policy of “two weights, two measures”. My request, Mr Barroso, is that you dissipate all ambiguity on this issue and reply to a double question: “What are you going to demand from Mr Sharon? And what measures do you propose to undertake if he continues to ignore you?”
Your replies to these three points will no doubt be followed with great attention. Thanking you.