PES Newsletter n°23 - December 2007

PES Newsletter n°23 - December 2007
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Watch PES Council!
Despite travel chaos caused by heavy fog, PES Council - the biggest gathering of European socialists and social democrats in 2007 - took place in the capital of Bulgaria and featured lively debates on international relations, climate change, financial markets and the PES manifesto for the 2009 European elections. Special guest was Barney Frank, Democrat chairman of the US House Committee on Financial Services. See all the adopted resolutions and watch the debates on video.

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Manifesto2009 - join in

Have your say on what should be in our European-wide manifesto for the 2009 European elections - take part in the 'Yourspace' open consultation on what progressive policies the PES should highlight in its manifesto. There are lots of ways to participate on line and in meetings.

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Employment ministers act on PES Council resolution

PES Employment Ministers, led by Portuguese Minister José Vieira da Silva, endorsed the resolution adopted at PES Council on financial markets and agreed to write to President José Manuel Barroso, bringing his attention to the demand of European socialist and social democratic parties for more transparency in financial markets and better protection of companies and workers from leveraged buy-outs.
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PES PMs agree on Treaty

Six Prime Ministers took part in the PES meeting just ahead of the EU Summit on 18 October in Lisbon that agreed the new Reform Treaty. PES President Poul Nyrup Rasmussen said afterwards that the new treaty has social democratic values and progressive goals.

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Where MPs fear for their lives

The PES launched a declaration in support of 41 Lebanese MPs living for over forty days under armed guard in a hotel in Beirut unable to leave due to fears for their safety. The action followed a PES delegation to the Middle East led by Swedish Social Democrat Carin Jamtin which visited the Lebanese MPs confined in the hotel.

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A year of child care campaigning
The PES child care campaign resulted in new commitments on child care services from Governments, PES Member Parties and the European Commission. Watch the video or read the brochure highlighting the campaign's successes.

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European Socialist TV
Have you seen the PES TV channel? No one will ever be able to say again that there's nothing worth watching on TV!

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Congratulations Caroline, Piero and Walter
Congratulations to Walter Veltroni for becoming leader of the new Italian Democratic Party in primary elections supported by over 3 million voters! Congratulations are also deserved for former Democratic Left leader Piero Fassino for working so hard to create the new centre-left party, and for becoming EU special envoy to Burma. More congratulations, this time for Caroline Gennez for becoming leader of Flemish Socialist Party Sp.a.

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Romania elects 10 Socialist MEPs

In the first ever European elections in Romania 10 members of the PSD - Romanian Social Democratic Party - were elected to the European Parliament. The Romanian Social Democratic MEPs include former Foreign Minister Adrian Severin, current PSD Secretary General Titus Corlatean and PSD international secretary Victor Bostinaru.

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Cut VAT on Condoms

Please support the campaign of the PES Group in the European Parliament to make condoms more affordable by applying only the minimum rate of VAT.

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Action for Decent Work!

Join the PES in supporting the Decent Work Decent Life Campaign's Call to Action for Decent Work! PES President Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, Austrian Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer, Chair of the European Parliament's Development Committee Josep Borrell and Director General of the ILO Juan Somavía, have already signed up.

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No to racism

PES President Poul Nyrup Rasmussen supported a joint statement of the Italian and Romanian Socialist delegations in the European Parliament on aggression against Romanians in Italy following the murder of an Italian woman allegedly by a Romanian of Roma origin. The PES recently proposed to other European political parties to update Charter of European political parties for a non-racist society.

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FORTHCOMING EVENTS

PES Diversity and Integration Network

Will have a fact-finding mission to the UK on 28 January and its next network meeting on 14 February in Brussels.

PES @ctivists

Launch of PES activists Netherlands will take place on 15 December in Amsterdam, while PES activists in Poland are gearing up to campaign for Poland to sign up to the European Charter of Fundamental Rights. Welcome to the 500 new PES activists from Flanders