The Progressive Post

A progressive roadmap towards EU 2019 elections

Roadmap 2019 : The EU needs to assert itself as a political democratic power with an economic, social and cultural dimension.

02/02/2018

Editorial from the January 2018 edition of The Progressive Post

 

This time things mights be different. The 2019 European elections are drawing ever closer, but, before they take place, a sequence of key, long awaited decisions might be taken and reshape the the face of the EU. The overlapping of crises in 2016 was such – financial, social, terrorism, refugees, Brexit – that a roadmap for the future of the EU was launched after a Rome Declaration in March 2017, recognising that we need to go beyond a single market and a monetary zone. Once and for all, the EU needs to assert itself as a political democratic power with an economic, social and cultural dimension and as a continent supporting international cooperation and the multilateral system in face of the new global challenges. This became even clearer when Trump’s election as President of the USA pushed the world towards becoming a more multipolar order.

The EU should promote new trade agreements with other parts of the world, provided they respect sustainable development goals, including better social standards and public services.

This new EU roadmap must be led by progressive forces to deliver on citizens’ expectations. Yes, the EU should promote new trade agreements with other parts of the world, provided they respect sustainable development goals, including better social standards and public services. Yes, migration should be managed on a European scale, provided that peace and development of the countries of origin is better supported by the EU and its responsibility to protect refugees is really met with a European asylum system.

All of these challenges can only be met if the internal cohesion of the EU is strengthened first of all via the comprehensive implementation of the European Social Pillar. Everyone in employment should, irrespective of their type of job, be able to rely on a decent labour contract and access to skills and to social protection. This is also particularly important for young people and in the new jobs that are being created by the digital economy. And more quality jobs must be created with an investment strategy driven by sustainable development goals and in line with the Paris agreement on climate change.

But all these policies are only feasible if EU Member States have the means to invest. This starts with the eurozone where the Banking Union must be completed and where a fiscal capacity must be developed to complement national budgets. Otherwise, the current economic, social and political divergences will continue.

Moreover, these new European public goods can only be delivered if they count on an EU multi-annual budget oriented towards the future and of the necessary size. This leads us to the need for new budgetary resources, which should come from other sources of taxation, be that on financial transactions, on carbon emissions or on digital operations in the European single market.

A central priority in this EU roadmap is to ensure that, whatever happens, basic democratic standards, fundamental rights and the rule of law are fully respected. Deviations from these standards simply cannot be accepted and violations of these standards must be rigorously dealt with.

Progressive forces should unite to change the direction of the European Union and to re-engage with citizens’ needs by inventing new solutions. The conservative and neo-liberal mantra has led to fragmentation and the emergence of nationalist and xenophobic forces claiming that they are the ones who can protect people. This a big and dangerous illusion. In this global era, real protection requires the European level and progressive European solutions to complement national ones!

Find all related publications
Publications
05/03/2024

A European feminist foreign policy?

The need for a progressive and transformative approach
01/03/2024

The transformation of the mainstream right in Western Europe

Implications for social democracy
01/03/2024

Next Left Vol. 15

Progressive Ambition: How to shape Europe in the next decade
29/02/2024

The European political community

Informality as a key to success
Find all related news
News
18/03/2024

FEPS President on Euronews talk-show ‘Brussels, my love?’

NATO extension, Portuguese elections, far-right and gender equality were the topics of the debate
08/03/2024

Discover the updated EU Care Atlas!

07/03/2024

Call for videos – Your Call to Europe

This call closed on 24/03/2024
04/03/2024

FEPS at the PES Election Congress in Rome

Find all related in the media
In the media

Women leaders in CSOs—overworked, overwhelmed

by Social Europe 27/03/2024
This article published in the digital media Social Europe focuses on the findings of FEPS policy study 'Women CSO leaders for systemic change'

The EU pursues make-believe in Bosnia

by Financial Times 23/03/2024
Financial Times featured our policy brief 'Bosnia-Herzegovina', which analyses the journey of BiH's EU membership and the necessary reforms to make it happen

AI won’t replace quality journalism, but sector needs safeguarding, says socialist think tank head

by Euractiv 18/03/2024
Interview with FEPS President on the role of media in Europe’s future

FEPS President on Euronews talk-show ‘Brussels, my love?’

by Euronews 16/03/2024
FEPS President Maria João Rodrigues discusses NATO expansions and elections in Russia and Portugal on Euronews talk-show ‘Brussels, my love?‘