Détente and Realpolitik?

13 February 2015

The tough negotiations that ended on Thursday morning in Minsk did not bring the hoped-for breakthrough. The German Chancellor and French President François Hollande took a joint initiative to negotiate with Porochenko and Putin. Deeply concerned at the prospect of a new cold war and the increasing risk of a real war that could start regionally and may spread across the entire continent, they overcame their political differences and again gave meaning to Franco-German cooperation based on common historical experiences and the lessons learnt from three wars between the two countries. At a time when more and more voices in the US are calling for weapons to be sent to Ukraine, the Franco-German initiative is a strong sign of their political will to solve the dispute without violence and to strengthen the European voice in conflict resolution. Nevertheless we again have a situation where it is not the EU that is acting for Europe in the face of conflict, but two Member Stat es. The next few days will show whether it is the beginning of a real détente.

Having reached this agreement both Heads of State joined the informal European summit which is dealing with another ticking bomb: the GREXIT. After the roadshow of the Greek Prime Minister and the Finance Minister last week, the new Greek government now has to show its capacity to act in the European arena. Progressives are very supportive of the new approach that won the government the election and which is more than just a rejection of austerity, but the reality of European cooperation and treaties must bring in a sense of Realpolitik to all sides. Waving the flag towards Russia (and China) instead of integrating in Europe has nothing progressive about it. It would mean seeking support from an undemocratic country that has for the first time since the Second World War violently crossed its borders and invaded a neighbouring country. It is an act of aggression and a violation that goes against any progressive belief in peaceful conflict resolution, against any idea of hu man and social rights!

Many commentators today compare the key elements of the different crises (social, economic, political) and the ticking time bombs to the events of 90 years ago. Learning from history is possible and compromises are necessary to assure that budding Le Pens are not able to thrive and a world order based on nationalism, exclusion, rejection and destruction by claiming to defend conservative values cannot prevail.

Détente is needed for both the wording and military action. Realpolitik has to show real results for those who are suffering, for different reasons, in Ukraine and in Greece: their citizens!

• See also ‘Growth, not Grexit’ by Anna Diamantopoulou (To Diktio).

Save the Date – SOLIDAR ’20 years in Brussels’ Reception

16 March 2015 – 19:00 – 20:30 – Venue (tbc)

20 years ago International Workers Aid became SOLIDAR the secretariat was established in Brussels to work closer relationship with the European Institutions and to advocate and lobby effectively for Social Justice in Europe and worldwide.
Since then SOLIDAR has had many achievements and has now a profile as one of key Civil Society Organisations in the EU Political arena

As it is exactly 20 years ago that SOLIDAR settled in Brussels, we would like to herewith cordially invite you to our SOLIDAR ‘20 years in Brussels’ Reception that will take place 16th March 2015. You can already register here.

Dialogue with US Ambassador Gardner on Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) with public procurement, Social Services provision & ISDS on the menu

12 February 2015

On Thursday 12 February SOLIDAR together with our partners European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), Social Platform and European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) met with US Ambassador Gardner to exchange views on the current negotiations on the TTIP with a focus on possible impacts on social, health and public services, their providers and their provision referring to our European Social model. In an open discussion, concerns on both sides of the Atlantic were exchanged, especially regarding public procurement, the enforceability of labour standards and the possible carve-out of social and public services. It was stated that our different historical developments and understanding of the welfare state, its actors and responsibilities as well as the sometimes misleading communications between negotiators and the wider public have led to a certain scepticism and at times mist rust over the negotiations. The open debate allowed a better understanding of the different positions on both sides. While identifying commonalities in some areas, other areas such as the system of dispute settlement remain subject to further discussions.

SOLIDAR will continue to raise awareness among its membership about TTIP’s challenges and we will also continue the dialogue with negotiators and stakeholders, together with our alliances.

Related document

• ‘Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership: Our crown jewels for sale?’

SOLIDAR calls for the release of nine right-to-work activists arbitrarily arrested in Algeria

12 February 2015

The Algerian government restricts workers’ rights to form labour organisations, and punishes peaceful protesters and strikers, including with retaliatory suspensions or dismissals from public service jobs, and arbitrarily arrests and prosecutes union activists on politically motivated charges.

In this context of impunity, on Wednesday 11 February 2015 nine right-to-work activists, arrested in late January, were sentenced at Laghouat to 18 months in prison for one and six months in prison for the other eight. The activists were known for their commitment to defending Algerians’ right to work. They were charged with “unarmed gathering” and exerting “pressure on the decisions of judges”.

SOLIDAR joins the Call for the release of nine activists for the right to work arbitrarily arrested launched by the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network and the International League for Human Rights.

SOLIDAR calls for:

• The immediate and unconditional release of Mohamed Rag, Khencha Belkacem, Brahimi Belelmi, Mazouzi Benallal, Azzouzi Boubakeur, Korini Belkacem, Bekouider Faouzi, Bensarkha Tahar Djaballah and Abdelkader and an end to all acts of harassment against them, including at the judicial level, in accordance with the provisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders;
• Promoting, securing and guaranteeing the exercise of the freedoms of assembly, association and expression, according to the Algerian Constitution and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), ratified by Algeria.

Solidarity at the Heart of EU Migration, Development and Neighbourhood Policies

On 9 and 10 February 2015, SOLIDAR in collaboration with the International Trade Union Confederation, CGIL, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, and UGTT, hosted the Trade Union Network on Mediterranean and Sub-Saharan Migrants (RSMMS) to Brussels. Together, they organised two capacity building workshops, held bilateral meetings with the European Commission and organised a roundtable discussion to tackle the ongoing challenges related to EU migration policy in the Mediterranean and Sub-Saharan region.

SOLIDAR strongly supports the engagement of trade unions and civil society in defining a new approach to EU migration policy based on fundamental rights, in the framework of the revision of the European Neighbourhood Policy, the EU Strategic Framework and Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy, the Post-2015 Development Agenda and the revision of the European Agenda on Migration.

As a result of these two days SOLIDAR strongly calls for:

• Promoting a rights-based migration policy based on a more efficient responsibility-sharing system and improved harmonisation of protection standards among Member States which the mechanisms that are in place now such as the Dublin system and FRONTEX missions fail to ensure. Also, there is an urgent need to rethink the security-based approach to migration at our borders, , which has multiplied the dangers on the migratory routes into EU and strengthened the smuggling networks.

• The European Institutions to invest in the immediate opening of humanitarian corridors with the involvement of the United Nations.

• European institutions to ensure that people seeking asylum are able to freely choose the Member State which they want to move to. The implementation of the European residence permit for temporary protection foreseen by the Directive 55/2001 could be a way to partially overcome the obstacles derived from the Dublin Regulation that stipulates that asylum seekers have to ask for asylum in the country where they arrive.

• European Institutions to promote equal access to public and social services for migrants arriving in the European Union, especially with regard to health, education and housing services for all, in accordance with the Charter for Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

• Effective consultation with trade unions and CSO in the negotiation process of Mobility Partnerships and bilateral agreements, as well as in the revision of ENP, post 2015 and migration agenda.

Read the full Activity Report here.

Building Learning Societies

Widening access to learning opportunities

13 February 2015

One of the benchmarks set by the EU to be achieved by 2020 is the participation in lifelong learning of an average of at least 15% of 25-64-year-olds.To meet this target in the current socio-economic situation there must be a focus on providing policy measures that support access to learning opportunities for all. This European Commission’s report “Adult Education and Training in Europe: Widening Access to Learning Opportunities” released this week presents the list of programmes focusing on the development of basihttps://archive.europeanmovement.eu/wp-admin/post-new.php?post_type=newsc skills in 32 countries in Europe (all EU Member States, together with Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway and Turkey). The findings of the research show that adults with the biggest education and training needs have the least opportunity to benefit from lifelong learning. In most of the coun tries there is sufficient emphasis in the policy agendas on promoting access to education and training, including for vulnerable groups of learners, suggesting there is a failure to fully implement these strategies in order to have a real effect on enhancing lifelong learning.

In SOLIDAR’s opinion the recognition and validation of learning outcomes of non-formal and informal learning is a powerful tool to support the social inclusion and empowerment of people in vulnerable positions and with limited opportunities to access and participate in formal education. This process helps bridge the educational inequalities, and offer further pathways for the development of skills and competences needed in life and in the labour market.
Read the full article here.