EU Constitution must go back to drawing board, say Greens
23 October 2004
The Green Party announced from its conference in Weston Super Mare todaythat it would campaign actively against the current draft of the proposed EUConstitution - and would continue to offer positive, progressive policiesfor EU reform.
Caroline Lucas MEP, the party's Principal Speaker, said today: "We arecommitted to the European Union and to the idea of an EU constitutionaltreaty. But we want a more progressive EU, an EU which serves social justiceand provides for an ecologically sustainable future."
The conference reiterated a previous statement by the party council that itwould say "no" in the referendum to be held on the proposals, and committedthe party to joining the umbrella "no" campaign that will be set up for thereferendum.
But the Greens made it clear that they would not tolerate right-wing orxenophobic arguments. For the Greens, the issue was about the contents ofthe proposed draft, not least its economic provisions. Party campaignscoordinator and economics spokesperson Molly Scott Cato explained: "Thecurrent proposals would commit the EU strongly to neoliberal economics,which would take Europe in the wrong direction. Any move we might maketowards building a sustainable economy could be ruled unconstitutional if itimpeded the drive for profit that's central to the capitalist economy. Thereare more important things than profit."
Wrong type of constitution would derail real progress
She added: "There's a lot that needs improving about the EU, and the wrongtype of constitution would derail real progress. The Constitution shouldenshrine principles of democracy, accountability, social justice andsustainability. The Greens will keep on making the progressive case for EUreform."
John Norris, the party's international coordinator, underlined that "TheGreens are an unashamedly internationalist and pro-European party, but weare very sceptical about the existing arrangements in the EU. We want moredecisions taken lower down, closer to the people most affected by them. Wewant the EU to take its proper role in dealing with issues that crossnational boundaries, like human rights and environmental protection, andpromoting peaceful and constructive ways to prevent conflict."
John, who introduced the motion, stressed the party's concerns about theincreased military role of the EU. "The Green Party is about peace and weare not into a constitution which prescribes that all countries willincrease their military capabilities. We are not in favour of an EU army -not even an EU army euphemised a 'rapid reaction force'."
For Caroline Lucas, Green MEP for South East England, the proposedConstitution represented "a missed opportunity, because it fails theEuropean people. Its original intention was to simplify the EU and redefineits areas of competence. But instead of allocating competences at theappropriate levels it actually extends EU powers and makes the EU morecomplicated. This is not what we need."
