| Associate
Members’ Conference
THE
FUTURE OF EUROPE: ENLARGEMENT AND ITS IMPLICATIONS
Towards a Quaker view of Good Governance
Friday 18 – Sunday 20 October 2002
Report
of working group 1:
Democratic
and Spiritual Values: the governance of an enlarged Europe
After
much thoughtful discussion, informed by contributions from several
participants with specific experience of the European institutions,
we offer the following conclusions:-
1 We
need to address the EU via the Convention, which is already at an
advanced stage in its preparatory work, conducted by ten focus or
working groups (Charter of Human Rights, Subsidiarity, Legal personality,
National Parliaments, economic and social governance, simplification,
Justice, Defence, Security, Supplements). Out suggestions should,
therefore, when mentioning specific topics refer them to these categories.
However, since ‘facts’ such as EU legislation are contingent
and transitory, we should suggest values and principles to be incorporated
in the preamble to the Constitutions for
the EU being prepared by the Convention. Situated in the preamble
they will then apply to all the subsequent chapters/sections.
2 The
values and principles, to which Quakers have consistently and persistently
witnessed in their lives and works over the last 350 years, and
which we recommend, inform the three strands of QCEA’s current
policy for its programme of work:-
PEACE,
HUMAN RIGHTS, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE
2.1
PEACE
“The
ultimate blasphemy is to believe that you can please your god
or advance your cause by killing another human being because he
or she does not believe what you believe.”
The promotion and pursuit of PEACE would, for instance include:-
Conversion of the armaments industry to production of peaceful
products;
Development of a non-military foreign policy;
The right to conscientious objection to military service;
The rights to conscientious objection to taxation for military
purposes and to contribute the equivalent tax to peaceful purposes;
Maintenance of an EU Peace Service for non-violent conflict-transformation.
2.2
HUMAN RIGHTS
The values expressed in the Quaker reverence for ‘that of
God’ in each person, without distinction, would require
the European Charter of Human Rights, enhanced to include social
and economic rights, be fully incorporated into the Constitution
(like the US Bill of Rights) with legally enforceable status.
Its provisions should apply to all residents in the EU, whether
nationals of the EU states or not, and to refugees.
An EU Human Rights Agency in each member state would promote and
publicise the application of HR laws.
2.3
SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE
There can be no peace without adequate provision for establishing
and maintaining social and economic justice. This, too, should
apply to all residents within the EU, and not least to the peoples
of the states which are candidates to join. They will bring a
25% increase in population but initially only 4% increase in GNP.
Now and after admission they need sensitive and appropriate assistance
for their development of infrastructure and services, and to rebuild
their internal economy.
Similarly EU principles of social economic justice should be applied
in all its relations with non-members of the EU, in diplomacy,
trade and development aid. Attaining global sustainability will
require determined and courageous leadership, supported by well-informed
and committed people, willing to make the substantial changes
to our present ‘way of death’ if there is to be in
future a viable way of life for humankind. A sustained educational
effort is urgently required.
2.4
INTERDEPENDENCE OF ALL THE ABOVE
Successful realisation of each depends on the success of the others.
The Constitution should encourage and enable the institutions
and people of the EU to lead by example, to undertake the necessary
transformation of their lifestyle to ensure sustainability. The
EU in adopting the precautionary principle can enable its members
to resist the attempts of others to dominate or control our minds,
our lives, our cultural diversity and our economic behaviour.
3
TRANSPARENCY AND REVIEW
3.1
It is recommended that the EU establish an independent Monitoring
body, to ensure transparency and accountability in all aspects
of the EU deliberation and operations in the three ‘pillars’
or whatever structures replace them.
3.2
This or another similarly independent body could also undertake
either a 10-15 yr general review of the Constitution and its viability
in operation, much as Friends have reviewed their Faith &
Practice over the generations.
3.3
It is also suggested that the Forum of NGOs and the Forum of Religious
bodies, each with preferably more than mere advisory status, could
also form a recruiting ground for members of the Monitoring body.
Rapporteur:
Dennis Tomlin, France Yearly Meeting.
Conference
materials also available:
Conference
report and general conclusions
Keynote
speech by Michael Lake, former EU Ambassador to Turkey and Hungary
(1991-2001) and Special Adviser to Commissioner Gunter Verheugen.
Reports
from conference working groups on:
External
Relations: focus on development and trade.
Foreign
and Security Policy: focus on Conflict Prevention and US/Europe
Relations.
Supporting
the Citizen: rights, responsibilities and social policy.
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