Invitation: Alternative European Summit

(6.3.2012)

Dear friends,

Never since its creation has the European Union experienced such a crisis. The policies that are being implemented — unconditional support for the financial markets, austerity and serious violations of popular sovereignty — are ineffective and unbearable, aggravate the burden of the debt which it claims to be reducing; each day makes any escape from the crisis more remote. The situation in Greece shows us the chaos to which they inevitably lead.

These policies are imposed in an increasingly authoritarian manner. A system of humiliating surveillance of countries is set up together with the installation of governments of unelected technicians, peoples' sovereignties are affected and parliaments ignored.

Either these choices persist and divisions between the peoples will increase until they endanger the very idea of a Union and allow the far Right to gain ground; or those who, like us, demand for social development, real democracy, solidarity, are able to unite and create hope. Inventing new ways out of the crisis, connecting our social and political struggles at national and European levels, and rethinking the European Union have become one and the same challenge.

It has become urgent to open a dialogue and the search for convergence between all forces which are fighting against austerity and which want to build another kind of European Union. That is why

the Party of European Left and the European network transform!

invite you to participate in building a first

ALTERNATIVE EUROPEAN SUMMIT

Against austerity, for a social, democratic and ecologic Europe

Friday 30 (18:00– 22:00) & Saturday 31 march 2012 (9:00–17:00)

Confederation of Christian Trade Unions, Brussel

Hope to see you there, Sincerely

Walter BAIER and Elisabeth GAUTHIER – Transform!Europe

Pierre LAURENT, President of the European Left Part

PROGRAMME AND PARTICIPANTS

Friday, March 30

Presentation by various organizations and individuals of the reasons for their presence, their demands and proposals

Saturday, March 31

Vis-a-vis austerity, what economic and social policies?

How to free from the grip of financial markets?

How to deal with the need for ecological transition?

Faced with authoritarianism, what democracy in Europe?

by Pierre Laurent, President of the EL

The following have already announced their participation:

Representatives of European networks: Soziales Forum Europa (Trade unionists network), Joint Social Conference (trade unionists and movements network), EuroMémorandum (economists), Dynamo (researchers), REALPE (progressive local elected representatives), Euromarches

Representatives of observers and members parties of the Party of European Left, see the list

Representatives of Transform! Europe and of its member organizations, see the list

National and European parliamentarians: Members of the GUE-NGL Group in the European Parliament -Parliamentarians of the National Assembly (France – Front de gauche), Bundestag (Germany – Die Linke), Vouli (Greece – Syriza) …

Personalities and organizations (unions, networks, associations) from the various member countries of the EU

Contacts: for Pierre Laurent , for transform!