Final Version of the Resolution - Social Affairs and Human Rights Committee

SOCIAL AFFAIRS AND HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE

Given that:

The Social Agenda 2005-2010 pursues prosperity and solidarity. So as to achieve such goals, the document refers to:

Analysing the impact of ageing populations and the future of relations between the different generations, by launching a Green Paper on Demography;
Supporting the member states in reforming pensions and health care and tackling poverty;
Tackling discrimination and inequality (the Commission will examine minimum income schemes in the member states and set out a policy approach for tackling discrimination, particularly against ethnic minorities);
Fostering equal opportunities between women and men (for example, by setting up a gender institute);
Clarifying the role and characteristics of social services of general interest.

The Charter of Fundamental Rights guarantees the fundamental rights and freedoms recognised by the European Convention on Human Rights, the constitutional traditions of the EU Member States, the Council of Europe's Social Charter, the Community Charter of Fundamental Social Rights of Workers and other international conventions to which the European Union or its member states are parties.

We, the Young Advisors Network of Galicia, think that:

With regard to the Social Policy:

We, the Young Advisors Network of Galicia, believe that the EU needs to find a balance between the concepts of strong welfare state and strong economy by establishing, first of all, a common European system of taxation, by combating the demographic age and number gaps between generations and also by paying special attention to the discrimination present in the legislation and in society regarding, for example, immigrants and handicapped persons.
The European Union is not only an economical and political system, but also a social body with cultural diversity. The European market’s level of economic competition does not encourage the building of a social Europe. While outlining the powerful lobbying effect of the multinational companies, this trend also points out the weak influence of the politically non-involved NGOs. Nowadays, only on a European scale is it possible to ensure social welfare for all citizens. Our social Europe cannot be built if information about social measures does not reach people and if there is a general lack of communication/abstract form of communication between EU institutions and EU citizens (transforming the European Union into a brand through the mass-media advertising tools). Consequently, the EU needs a common regulation on social matters.
Taking into account that there are 27 different welfare systems within the EU, We, the Young Advisors Network of Galicia, consider that it is necessary to elaborate a framework of common criteria (free hospitalization, free education, pensions, etc.) so as to unify them with the purpose of creating a European social insurance system on a long term basis.
The Social Agenda 2005-2010 is a professional form of theoretical knowledge that can be used as the specialists’ point of departure in promoting concrete and simplified European measures that will overcome in the citizens’ interest the national governments’ social plans.
The European Union should put forward a regulation on lobbying in EU institutions in accordance with the fundamental rights of equal opportunities and transparency for all lobbying parties (companies, NGOs, trade unions and other civil organization groups).

As for the Human Rights Policy:

There is a lack of support for the actual implementation of the Charter which determines, for the moment, only a theoretical protection of human rights.
We, the Young Advisors Network of Galicia, believe in a unified process of European legislation and a clearer institutional structure that will harmonize the documents related to fundamental rights recognized by both the Council of Europe and the EU.
Taking into consideration the crucial importance of the Charter in protecting EU citizens’ human rights, we, the Young Advisors Network of Galicia, strongly suggest that the Charter should become an integrated part of the Lisbon Treaty with a legally binding power for all EU countries.
All countries should sign the Charter of Fundamental Rights so that all the articles (no national opt-outs possible – equality between the Member states within the decision-making process) of this document become legally binding across all the EU territory.
The EU should develop a system of local information (e.g. through the Eurodesk network, etc.) campaigns in order to get morally closer to the citizens and make them understand that the human rights protected through the Charter are part of their daily life.
As an additional proposal, we, the Young Advisors Network of Galicia, suggest the development of a European school programme that should teach children about the fundamental rights and values that stand as the theoretical basis of our European culture and spirit.
We, the Young Advisors Network of Galicia, consider that NGOs are a very important social player but, in order to play their designed future role, we believe that the national governments must support them in obtaining the right information and better understanding methodology applied in the funding procedures.
We, the Young Advisors Network of Galicia, encourage the development of multilateral cooperation between the NGOs and the academia (also with a focus on trade unions) in order to create strong civic movements that will eventually influence the decision-making process and the conscience of electorate while still preserving their political independence.
Moreover, the effective inclusion of third generation rights, such as the right to housing, to data protection and to development, ought to be considered.
Taking into account that economical international advantages often determine national governments to close their eyes in front of certain human rights violations within the economic partner countries, we, the Young Advisors Network of Galicia, suggest that both the unconventional (legal strikes, protests, petitions, etc.) and official (campaigns like All Different, All Equal) forms of fostering civic participation are the future tools of solving the social problems of Europe, also having in mind the synchronization with the Millennium Development Goals.
Keeping in mind that certain European companies develop regional branches in non-EU countries in order to escape/avoid applying the European legislation related to work conditions, we, the Young Advisors Network of Galicia, advise the European institutions to reach an official agreement regarding the implementation of EU law in those non-EU countries that are part of the European Neighborhood Policy.
We, the Young Advisors Network of Galicia, would like to remind the Member States that human rights are universal (as the Charter has its theoretical roots within the Universal Declaration of Human Rights) and that their membership of the EU makes them compulsory.

Dream Projections - New World Projects

The Team, The Solution, The New EU, Another Europe

As part of my dissemination activities related to the knowledge (about Europe's future) I began to acquire through EU courses, I will now share with you my impression of the YANG Project (Young Advisors Network in Galicia), Santiago de Compostela, Spain, 12-15 December 2007 which I have recently returned from.
The four days were an intense intellectual mixture of debates both in the committees and in the plenary session and, despite the fact that the problematic subjects discussed needed, in general, only suggestions for improving their respective solutions from young experts, controversial issues appeared along the way and this proved to be true especially during the final voting session where amendments to the resolutions were hotly argued upon.
I truly believe that the combination of internal events was complete due to the fact that we also had a historical tour of the city where we understood that our journey towards uniting the concepts of Europe and the EU is similar to the sacrificing experiences of the way of Saint James (because, after all, our dissemination, be it on websites, blogs, conferences or just through informal conversations, is a form of preaching the European values).
Moreover, I consider that the conference on diversity and the visit at the Galician Parliament determined us, first, to feel like European citizens and then, to really enter our EU roles.
I can now say that, without a doubt, I have met people whom I can trust in forming a team for organizing similar events all around Europe and this is, probably, the most important advantage that I can mention when evaluating this experience.
I have met several professional people, really devoted to their field of study and work and I have seen the local Galician authorities getting involved in supporting Young and YANG initiatives which is a great incentive for our generation's hope for actually being the change and not always becoming the change of our world.
This YANG experience also meant for me my first role as a secretary within a European Parliament Simulation which was very important for me in my future career as a debate mediator on conflict resolution and for this, I must thank my committee colleagues and, of course, Susana Ferreiro, the understanding, open-minded and conciliating president of the Social Affairs and Human Rights Team.
I will certainly not forget to congratulate the other colleagues, presidents, secretaries, deputies, journalists and translators (who all got involved in the process of debating, positively surpassing in many times their limited procedural roles) for the concrete, concise and, in my opinion, realistic and applicable work they have done through the resolutions presented at Casa do Europa on the 15th of December 2007.
Last but not least, it is the organizers' time to hear the good words: the collaboration between Fundacion Galicia Europa from Spain and Pontus Iuventae from Hungary proved once more that there is no gap between the West and the East of Europe but that, more than anything else, young people are building a powerful, environment-changing bridge.

I would like to thank persons like Luis and Tamara and the others composing the YANG staff for the opportunity of enhancing several of my communication, negotiation and socializing skills in a wonderful city which history will guide us during the process of learning to plan the European architecture.