EU policy brief
PES priorities for the EU agenda 2008
Priorities for the EU policy agenda: PES Leaders and Prime Ministers adopted their priorities for the EU policy agenda 2008 on 21 June. These were communicated to the heads of the EU institutions and to all European heads of state and government. The five priorities are the following:
Hedge and private equity funds: establishing full transparency, disclosure and accountability - particularly in relation to hedge and private equity funds - in the financial markets, and leading calls for the establishment of an international taskforce to examine this question and make all relevant recommendations. (Not the position of the UK Labour party.)
Climate change: the European Union and its Member States should take the global lead in international negotiations on a post-2012 Kyoto framework, acting as a single voice to achieve a target of 30% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2020.
The Lisbon Strategy: the Lisbon Strategy's policy guidelines should be reviewed to recognise: the benefits of simultaneous and coordinated investments in Lisbon objectives across the EU; the fight against climate change; the fight against delocalization and social dumping; the objective of full and high quality employment, particularly for young people and women, notably through the elimination of gender inequalities; the possible use of income policies to reduce income inequalities; the need for territorial cohesion; the need to create a system of lifelong learning accessible to all, including pre-school education; the objective of 3% GDP for R&D
The Internal Market: the revision of the Internal Market Strategy should have as a primary objective to improve the benefits of the Internal Market for Europe's consumers, ensuring access and affordability in relation to public goods such as energy, and to ensure that the completion of the Internal Market takes place in full respect of the European Social Model, notably with regards to public services and the public interest.
Migration policy: The European Union should agree on a sustainable and effective migration policy as it has a huge responsibility in ensuring the social, economic, cultural and political integration of migrants, as well as in combating human trafficking and the exploitation of migrants, in order to achieve social cohesion and economic progress.
Priorities for the EU policy agenda: PES Leaders and Prime Ministers adopted their priorities for the EU policy agenda 2008 on 21 June. These were communicated to the heads of the EU institutions and to all European heads of state and government. The five priorities are the following:
Hedge and private equity funds: establishing full transparency, disclosure and accountability - particularly in relation to hedge and private equity funds - in the financial markets, and leading calls for the establishment of an international taskforce to examine this question and make all relevant recommendations. (Not the position of the UK Labour party.)
Climate change: the European Union and its Member States should take the global lead in international negotiations on a post-2012 Kyoto framework, acting as a single voice to achieve a target of 30% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2020.
The Lisbon Strategy: the Lisbon Strategy's policy guidelines should be reviewed to recognise: the benefits of simultaneous and coordinated investments in Lisbon objectives across the EU; the fight against climate change; the fight against delocalization and social dumping; the objective of full and high quality employment, particularly for young people and women, notably through the elimination of gender inequalities; the possible use of income policies to reduce income inequalities; the need for territorial cohesion; the need to create a system of lifelong learning accessible to all, including pre-school education; the objective of 3% GDP for R&D
The Internal Market: the revision of the Internal Market Strategy should have as a primary objective to improve the benefits of the Internal Market for Europe's consumers, ensuring access and affordability in relation to public goods such as energy, and to ensure that the completion of the Internal Market takes place in full respect of the European Social Model, notably with regards to public services and the public interest.
Migration policy: The European Union should agree on a sustainable and effective migration policy as it has a huge responsibility in ensuring the social, economic, cultural and political integration of migrants, as well as in combating human trafficking and the exploitation of migrants, in order to achieve social cohesion and economic progress.
EU budget: The European Union should agree on a review and reform of the EU budget - including all policies on which the budget is spent - on the basis of the political ambition to build a New Social Europe, strengthening Europe's Member States in a mutually-reinforcing dynamic of social justice, sustainable economic development, fighting global threats including climate change and achieving the global objective of sustainable development and decent work for all.
