Neither red nor green – but orange

Our Europe has a future!

“Red Dany has become one of the best advocates of green capitalism. He is just the man the system needs in order to push its wrong “solutions“ to the crisis through. Who could have legitimized this operation of ‘greening’ (verdissement) better than him? Sarkozy talks of morally upgrading capitalism. Orange Dany reconciles capitalism with ecology.”

^{Source: Paul Ariès, Florence Leray: Cohn-Bendit, L’imposture, p. 13
(Translation Current Concerns)}

In wording:

Joint declaration of the First Green Lake Constance Conference

For the first time in our history representatives of Green parties from Austria, Switzerland and Germany assembled at a Green Lake Constance Conference. We are doing this at a point in time and space which symbolizes “Europe” being part of people´s daily routine, but also facing the biggest challenges perhaps since the middle of the last century.

Europe struggles for her future, but all too often only symptoms are treated without tackling the actual causes. The heads of states and governments lack the vision, the answer to the question: What kind of Europe do we want to live in? We Greens carry no perfect concept in our pocket either, but instead of talking about our neighbours and their problems and solutions, we discuss with them and work together towards a European idea.

The choice of location was not arbitrary. Focussing on a detail may often help to view the complete picture. What is it that Europe can learn form the Lake Constance area? Trans-border cooperation and solidarity has been going without saying for people around the third largest lake of central Europe at the border triangle of Germany-Austria-Switzerland for a long time.  A matter of course – unfortunately far from being the rule in the rest of Europe.

Demounting borders instead of erecting new barriers

At present, the governments of Germany and Austria are even trying to close the open borders again. With the no-border area right in the middle of Europe, which was created by the Schengen agreement as one of the essential achievements of European integration and which, with Switzerland, also includes a neighbour of the European Union, is meant to be renationalized. This would amount to nothing less than erecting barriers between the neighbours again. We as Greens oppose these plans with all determination, which also means for us that Europe must not fortify her external borders. We need a joint migration policy which really deserves this name. It should be inspired by the principles of humanity, legality, a fair distribution of migrants throughout all European states and the unquestionable compliance with human rights.

Renewing Europe ecologically and socially: the ”Green New Deal“

We as Greens want to think and solve the crises of Europe together in a Europe-wide ”Green New Deal“, because only with an ecological and social renewal we will be able to solve the fincancial crisis, economic crisis, climate crisis and the question of justice together and put Europe on a sustainable success track .

Regaining the primacy of politics

Decisive action is needed in order to fight tax evasion and put an end to windy financial deals. Those who are responsible for the financial crisis have to be made liable for its costs at last. Only together we will be able to meet the challenges of imposing a rigorous and effective regulation on financial markets, to close the loopholes, introduce fair taxation and at the end serve the common good that way. Politics has to fight to regain supremacy over the economy and financial markets again. We need clear regulation for the financial markets who much too often privatize their profits while nationalizing their debts. A financial transaction tax is the core issue here and has to be introduced immediately throughout Europe. However, as long as some states keep obstructing, those other states who are willing to introduce such a speculation tax on their own need to take the lead. Afterwards the financial transaction tax has to be imposed on the basis of the European commission ruling on the so-called enhanced co-operation within the European union, as quickly as possible.

Green economic activity

The project of an ecological transformation of our economy is a challenge across borders and generations. For sure, economic business as usual that got us into this crisis will not lead us out of this crisis again. Reformation must not be confined to the ecological transformation of our economy, though. We aim at a social reformation as well. This is also necessary from an economic point of view, in order to enable the reformation process and to achieve a sustainable economic system.  

A Europe-wide Green energy change, i.e. the consequent switch to renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, water or biomass energies and a revolution of energy efficacy are the decisive pillars. The same way we used to fight across borders for a nuclear phase-out which is agreed upon now in Germany and Switzerland, we as Greens work across borders today towards the reformation of our energy supply with decentralized solutions which will render fossile power plants unnecessary in the medium run. The Lake Constance region can take the lead here with efforts towards modern technologies enhancing efficacy, including developments from the region, and achieve the entire electric energy supply being covered by renewable energy sources.

Many corporations are much more advanced than their elected governments and have recognized the economic opportunities of this reform process. We want to assist them by providing reliable framework conditions for their investments in the development of highly efficient innovative products and services in order to save ressources. This is good for both the climate and the job market.

We as Greens appreciate that such a reformation of society and economy requires more co-operation with democratic structures being enhanced rather than weakened. Switzerland serves as the example how reforms may be promoted with direct democracy, Austria and Germany may actually learn here. That is why we fight together for a change in political culture, for more transparency and participation of citizens.

In many ways the Lake Constance region foreshadows the picture of a future Europe as we have it in mind today. Instead of being a mere border or transport route, the lake is the valuable source of drinking water for all neighbouring countries, sheltering numerous animal and plant species, promoting tourism and connectivity between its shores. This gave rise to a shared regional identity and responsibility which has become at least as important as patriotism.
Of-course there may be still some differing points of view and conflicts of interests in minor issues. But this is no phenomenon of (former) border regions.

We as Greens are convinced though, that the best way forward is to find solutions together. Therefore we want to expand the Lake Constance Conference into a regular platform  of dialogue between the Greens of Austria, Germany and Switzerland and take the opportunity for an invitation to continue the discussion with us together in Austria 2013.

Constance, 22 June 2012

^{Source: www.gruene.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Dokumente/20120622_Bodensee-erklaerung.pdf}