Social Platform made a short report of our conference and published it in The Social Compass February 18, 2014.

On February 13, the Alliances To Fight Poverty organised a Round Table event to present and discuss the Memorandum “Another Europe is possible: for a fair distribution” putting forward their priorities in view of the forthcoming European elections. Different stakeholders were invited to present their views on the Memorandum, including Claire Roumet, Vice-President of Social Platform. She called for the revitalization of European democracy.

Against the background of the current social situation with unacceptably high unemployment and poverty rates, the members of the Alliances are calling for a social, democratic and sustainable Europe. They want to put forward a model for Another Europe, to be discussed broadly with politicians and all other stakeholders in order to realise this. For them, fighting poverty goes together with fighting inequalities as two heads under the same hat.

Richard Wilkinson presented why a more equal Europe works better for everyone. While European countries are still focusing on economic progress to achieve prosperity, rich countries have reached the maximum of increasing well-being in this way. His research has shown that, the more unequal the society is in a country in terms of income differences, even if it is doing well in terms of economy, the worse its health and social problems are. Such inequality is negatively affecting all people in the whole society and not only those who are at the bottom of the social ladder, with material differences providing a framework for social differences. We therefore need to create a vision of the future society towards which we want to work.

Our Vice-President Claire Roumet welcomed the Alliances’ Memorandum as it contains many ideas and recommendations in line with Social Platform positions. Next to this, she considers it will also concur to a great extend with the new Manifesto of the Spring Alliance that is currently being finalised and will be presented in April. Some of the important recommendations in the Memorandum are definitely those on a participative democracy for Europe which allows for both civil and social dialogue. Such dialogue has to be based on working together and cannot just consist of the mere consultation of stakeholders. It has to go together with complete transparency of all stages of the EU processes. This is the only way to ensure that citizens also have a real impact on policies.

ETUC was warning for the danger of deflation in Europe as a result of wage competition between countries leading to lower wages and thus also to less purchasing power. Patrick De Bucquois of Social Services Europe identified supporting human rights as a key priority. This is not only important for poor people, but for everyone in the whole society.

Also members of different political groups in the European Parliament presented their reactions to the Memorandum. Gaby Zimmer (GUE/NGL) supported the recommendations on social rights next to economic freedoms; decent work with minimum wages and homelessness. She also mentioned the need for discussion of policies with people concerned and European networks. Elmar Brok (EPP) focused on the need for market regulation towards a social market economy. He considered it a priory to fix the economy in a sustainable way, which does not mean just cutting budgets, to be able to finance social protection mechanisms. Karima Delli (Greens) expressed her disappointment about poverty being still not an EU priority. Her focus was on an EU homelessness strategy, which the EP has been calling for since some time, and on social housing. Furthermore she mentioned the need of quality when creating employment, linking this to the need for minimum wage and minimum income. For Frederic Daerden (S&D), represented by his assistant Denis Janquin, also wants to see an EU homelessness strategy put in place. His other key recommendations were those on fair taxation, the implementation of an employment strategy with quality jobs and minimum wages, and minimum income.

It was concluded that there are still possibilities to develop a social Europe, but for this to be achieved, we need to put the fight against poverty and inequalities as a first priority.