People First: A New Direction For Europe
Tuesday, December 9th, 2008
On November 28-30th SDLP Youth representative and Lecale Branch Secretary Barry Magee was in Madrid, Spain for a European Community Of Socialist Youth (ECOSY) bureau meeting and the Party of European Socialists (PES) Council.
With the European elections in June 2009 the PES Council provided an opportunity for social democrats and socialists from all over Europe to adopt the PES manifesto for the European elections.
The PES manifesto ”People First: A New Direction For Europe” was adopted in Madrid by over 232 delegates from 33 member parties. At the centre of the manifesto is building a new Social Europe- by putting people first.
SDLP Youth believe that this can be done through building a citizens’ Europe by engaging more young people in policy developments and enlarging the scope of youth exchanges.
During the year ECOSY formally adopted 9 Deliverables that would form the basis of the ECOSY input into the PES manifesto.
These deliverables include: 15 million new jobs by 2014 - better working conditions for young people; more social security - better public services; eradicate poverty - national minimum incomes and wages; no unnecessary bureaucracy - building a citizens Europe; better integration - tackling roots cause of migration; equal rights; sustainable lifestyles; no more unilateralism; and decent work for all.
SDLP Youth are very happy with our contribution into the final official ECOSY input into the PES manifesto. SDLP Youth input focused on creating a level playing field for agency workers; reforming the European social model in light of recent EU enlargement; addressing the current global economic malaise; and creating social responses to the globalisation of capital markets.
We want Change For Europe, We want to put People First!
Further information:
- ECOSY 9 deliverables
- The 2009 PES Manifesto


