The EuroMemorandum 2016 critically analyses recent economic developments in Europe and emphasises the strong need for an alternative economic policy that is based on the principles of democratic participation, social justice and environmental sustainability.
The year 2015 was marked on the one hand by the inability of the EU to emerge from the crisis which began in the financial sector in 2007/2008 and which shifted into the sphere of public finances in 2009/2010, and on the other by a dramatic rise in the number of people taking flight from their homes and from their homelands, because of wars and terrorist attacks, in many cases caused by the destructive policies of the EU and of its member states.
The continuing low growth rate environment in many countries, stagnation in others and even recession in some, have led not only to a general slow-down, but also to deepening divisions within the EU, both between member states and between regions. Such divergences are reflected in the basic economic and social indicators of the area, as well as in the democratic process on the political level, as certain countries acquire a hegemonic role in the shaping of EU policy, while particular group interests, notably those of financial capital, become dominant across the EU as a whole. The Greek experience amply revealed the connecting links between politics and economics in the EU, i.e. the power imbalance between the ruling elites and society at large. Furthermore, it raises serious issues of constitutionalism: namely, the tendency of the EU institutions to restrict the area of democratic decision making by democratically elected governments, focusing instead on technocratic rules imposed by undemocratic decision bodies. In this sense, a discussion of alternative proposals to the current EU economic and social policy needs to take into account the underlying political process and the squeezing out of democracy.
The EuroMemorandum 2016 can be downloaded here. More than 320 economists and social scientists from all over Europe and beyond have declared their support for the new EuroMemorandum (click here for the list of signatories).
The full text of the Euromemorandum 2016 is available in
English: Addressing Europe’s Multiple Crises: An agenda for economic transformation, solidarity and democracy
French: Traiter les crises multiples de l’Europe: un agenda pour la transformation économique, la solidarité et la démocratie
German: Wege zur Bewältigung der Krisen in Europa: Eine Agenda für einen wirtschaftlichen Wandel,Solidarität und Demokratie
Greek: Για την αντιμετώπιση των Πολλαπλών Κρίσεων στην Ευρώπη: Ατζέντα για τον οικονομικό μετασχηματισμό, την αλληλεγγύη και τη δημοκρατία
Italian: L’Europa delle crisi. Le alternative per l’economia, la solidarietà, la democrazia
Portuguese: Para enfrentar as múltiplas crises da Europa: Uma agenda para a transformação económica, a solidariedade e a democracia
Spanish: Abordando las múltiples crisis de Europa: agenda para la transformación económica, la solidaridad y la democracia
The summary of the EuroMemorandum 2016 is available in several European languages
Czech: Jak řešit mnohočetné evropské krize: Agenda pro ekonomickou transformaci, solidaritu a rozvoj
English: Addressing Europe’s Multiple Crises: An agenda for economic transformation, solidarity and democracy
Finnish: Keskustelua Euroopan moniulotteisesta kriisistä: Esityslista taloudelliselle muutokselle, solidaarisuudelle ja demokratialle
French: Traiter les crises multiples de l’Europe: un agenda pour la transformation économique, la solidarité et la démocratie
German: Wege zur Bewältigung der Krisen in Europa: Eine Agenda für einen wirtschaftlichen Wandel,Solidarität und Demokratie
Greek:Για την αντιμετώπιση των Πολλαπλών Κρίσεων στην Ευρώπη: Ατζέντα για τον οικονομικό μετασχηματισμό, την αλληλεγγύη και τη δημοκρατία
Italian: L’Europa delle crisi. Le alternative per l’economia, la solidarietà, la democrazia
Portuguese: Para enfrentar as múltiplas crises da Europa: Uma agenda para a transformação económica, a solidariedade e a democracia
Slovenian: Reševanje Evrope več kriz: agenda za ekonomske spremembe, solidarnost in demokracijo
Swedish: För att ta itu med Europas mångfald av kriser: Sätt ekonomisk omvandling, solidaritet och demokrati i fokus
As in previous years booklets of the printed version of the EuroMemorandum 2016 are also available in English, French and German. Please contact transform!europe for the English version, Espaces Marx for the French version and visit Zeitschrift Sozialismus for the German printed version.
The EuroMemorandum 2016 draws on discussions and papers presented at the 21st Workshop on Alternative Economic Policy in Europe, organised by the EuroMemo Group, from 24-26 September 2015 in Roskilde, Denmark.
