The S&D Group has presented the Commission with 10 overarching priorities on harnessing globalisation as their contribution to the European Commission’s forthcoming reflection paper. Recognising that globalisation is already affecting every area of people’s lives and every policy issue, the S&D Group calls on the Commission to put harnessing globalisation at the heart of their political work.
S&D Group vice-president responsible for globalisation, Jeppe Kofod, said:
“Unfettered globalisation has not fulfilled its promises and has left too many people worse off and more vulnerable. As all are affected by globalisation, all must come to benefit from it. By harnessing globalisation we can reap the benefits of closer links between countries, continents and people, whilst shielding citizens and their jobs and security from the negative aspects. Globalisation needs fair rules and a better management and it is upon the progressive forces to bring about these changes.
“Workers have too often borne the brunt of globalisation, in the guise of unfair competition, social dumping, wage dumping and precarious employment. Harnessing globalisation means ensuring that it creates jobs instead of threatening them, and it means ensuring better, safer employment and higher levels of protection.
“Trade can have negative and positive consequences. We want to make sure that global trade is fair and sustainable, and that the wealth it creates is distributed, not amassed by the lucky few. Paying taxes where the profits are made must be the cornerstone of any fair taxation system.
“With this first input paper, our group is launching a concerted effort to present a new vision of fair and sustainable globalisation. This is by no means a definitive or all-encompassing list of S&D priorities on globalisation. In the coming months we will be presenting new demands, policy proposals and initiatives in our fight to make sure that globalisation works for all – not vice versa.
“Globalisation is a fact of life: we can’t stop it and we can’t build walls to hide from it - but we can and must harness globalisation to the benefit of all, not just the few. That is the message we're sending to the European Commission."
The 10 overarching S&D Priorities:
· Sustainable Development Goals: A Guideline for harnessing globalisation
· Ensuring quality employment and labour rights in a globalised world
· A global generation: enabling European youth to harness globalisation
· Making safe: Managing migration and helping refugees in a globalised world
· Fair, sustainable and progressive trade: no one left behind
· Global tax justice: ending tax havens and tax competition
· Globally connected: Making digitalisation and new technologies work for all
· A new EU-Africa deal: Promoting global equality and creating prosperity
· Promoting security in the EU neighbourhood
· Global EU: Promoting multilateralism and reforming global governance
