EUCDW Manifesto 2020-2024

EUCDW MANIFESTO

A Just, Competitive and Protective Europe 2020-2024

Adopted at the EUCDW Board of 01 February 2020

In a world of constant change, people expect reassurance, hope and leadership. A stronger Europe, with robust democratic institutions under the rule of law can deliver this. A Europe, which focuses on solutions for our security, cost of living and climate change.

Working together is the key to achieving our goals. Because no country is up to this challenge on its own.

As Christian Democrats and as the voice of Christian Democratic workers at European level, we aim to be the central force for a just, competitive and protective Europe in this legislature.

I. Just Europe

A just Europe must offer people the prospect of progress. We commit to the quality of life of all citizens, with a focus on resilience. Nobody may be left behind.

Social Europe

Continue to deliver on the European Pillar of Social Rights, jointly proclaimed by Parliament, Council and Commission in November 2017, including through binding measures at the appropriate level.
Ensure the swift set-up of the European Labour Authority for an effective cross-border cooperation, with the aim to end social fraud and letterbox companies, and further develop the possibility of sanctions. Facilitate the control of social security contributions with a European Social Security Number.
Ensure a framework for minimum wages per Member State through social partner negotiations, in full respect of national wage setting and the autonomy of social partners, coordinated through the European Semester.
Extend minimum standards for the participation and codetermination of workers in companies that operate according to EU law and in a cross-border context in order to prevent the lowering of codetermination rights through relocations to another Member State.
Agree on measures for the platform economy, in dialogue with social partners, in order to adapt the scope of social and labour rights for platform workers and look into how their health insurance, effective social contributions and collective bargaining rights could be improved.
More efficient decision-making in existing Union competences in the field of social policy, in particular on protection against discrimination and recommendations in the field of social security and social protection for workers, by moving from unanimity to qualified majority voting through the use of the passerelle clause, according to Article 48(7) of the Treaty on European Union (TFEU), with full respect for social partner autonomy and social partner agreements.
Realise equal pay for equal work in the same workplace in all sectors of the European economy.
The principle of equal pay for equal work between women and men is enshrined in the Treaty. It should form the basis for an ambitious Strategy for Equality which should ensure equal legal rights between women and men across all of the life decisions, such as starting a job, running a business, getting paid, getting married, having children, managing assets and drawing a pension.
Develop a European Social Protocol, which includes the operational use of the horizontal social clause in Article 9 of the TFEU, the European Pillar of Social Rights and the ILO Conventions and Standards, which the European Union should sign.

Just taxation

Ensure a just contribution of all business models, in particular from tech giants and digital platforms, to our European social model. We support a Digital Fair Contribution and a European Financial Transaction Tax to ensure that taxes are paid when and where profits are made in Europe. We need a fair and modern taxation policy, adapted to the challenges of the digital economy and ensuring a level playing field for internet giants, on-line merchandise platforms and SME’s.
Tackle tax evasion, fraud and avoidance through deeper cooperation amongst national tax authorities and at international level.

II. Competitive Europe

A competitive Europe must be a global leader in innovation. We commit to invest in future-oriented jobs and set out consumer protection, environmental and labour standards as the global benchmark.

Strong Industry

Put an ambitious and forward-looking European industrial policy on track, enabling European companies to be sustainable champions to compete with China and the United States, while defending our economy and society against unfair practices.
Support a substantial increase in investment in research and development, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence, robotics, batteries and bio-economy, in order to ensure global European leadership while shaping these innovations in line with our European values. Today, China and the US together represent 86% of global AI investment. We must act now to avoid that our ethical, labour and environment standards are decided in Washington and China tomorrow.
Promote European industrial collaboration, partnerships and breakthrough SME’s, which are the backbone of the European economy, for example by expanding the Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI), allowing Member States to jointly support research and innovation projects where private initiatives fail to materialise. Today, only 5 out of the 40 leading global enterprises and 2 out of the 100 top digital start-ups are European. It’s time to reverse that situation.
Generate ambitious EU-wide investments and targets for education and training in order to leverage Europe’s scientific and data strengths, from artificial intelligence to fight cancer, to sustainable alternatives for energy and plastics. To achieve this, we support the creation of cross-border university collaborations and a European University Institute 4.0, combining the latest breakthroughs in technological innovations, to foster human-centred innovations where people come first. Today, 97% of the digital economy is created in the US and Asia, while 43% of Europeans lack basic digital literacy.
Further update the European legislation in the field of public procurement and competition law, including by better taking into account the social and employment conditions.

Fair and Balanced Trade

Sign ambitious trade and investment agreements, enforcing core ILO conventions and a global ban on child labour. We want an ambitious, but not a naive European trade policy. Workers are the first victims of dumping practices as well as of higher tariffs.
Further improve trade defence, systematic foreign investment screening and mutual reciprocity in public procurement in order to protect our high-quality workers’ jobs against dumping, delocalisation and technology sell-out.
Significantly increase the budget and application of the European Globalisation Adjustment Transition, working hand in hand with trade unions and industries, to accompany people who are confronted with structural changes on the work floor and ensure assistance and training towards new jobs.

III. Protective Europe

A protective Europe must combat climate change and guarantee our health. We commit to joining forces for a healthier environment and healthy democratic institutions.

Climate, health and environment

We will deliver on our 2030 Paris commitments and engage on our ambitious long-term strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions; and make Europe climate neutral by 2050. We want to increase the 2030 greenhouse gas reduction targets and earmark 30% of the future Multiannual Financial Framework for climate measures.
Establish an ambitious Just Transition Fund to provide financial and practical support to workers and generate investments in regions particularly affected by the sustainable transition, while ensuring that this Fund does not draw away funds intended for other social objectives under the European Social Fund +.
Link our energy networks in a true Energy Union in order to bring down the energy bills and support the cost-effective expansion of renewable energies.
Ensure an effective price on CO² with a well-functioning emission trading system and a CO² contribution by international aviation and shipping.
We do not want to substitute our carbon efficient products with less sustainable imports from abroad. Therefore we need a global level playing field to ensure that imported products face a similar CO² cost, if necessary with a WTO compliant European carbon border adjustment mechanism.
Double investments in safe and healthy workplaces and the fight against cancer and pool our talents, knowledge and resources in a European Masterplan against Cancer.
Fight for a global ban on single-use plastics and a transition towards a resource-efficient circular economy by promoting sustainable growth, bio-economy and sustainable innovations. This is crucial for citizens, resource security, and our industries.

Democracy

Protecting also means living up to our collective responsibility to uphold democratic institutions and values in Europe. Defending democracy goes beyond party politics. All democrats must work together, because democracy is vital for the future of our European way of life.
We support the establishment of an effective new instrument to protect the rule of law. Only a transparent and independent body that is protected against political pressure and equally assesses all Member States can ensure that the independence of the judiciary, freedom of the media and the fight against corruption in our Union be maintained.
We support the establishment of a new financial mechanism to hold national governments that obstruct the independence of the judiciary or do not fight against corruption accountable to EU values.