Challenges for the Danish EU presidency

THE NEW Danish Government has presented a document called ‘Europe at Work’ as a programme for its presidency of the EU. They apparently stand for a responsible, dynamic, green and safe Europe. Over the coming months, the Left will be testing such claims and pushing the Danes to take tangible steps towards solidarity, job creation and real financial sector regulation in a progressive Europe.
First-off, a tax on financial transactions must be implemented quickly in order to rein in speculation and raise funding for job creation and public services. This will be at the heart of the efforts of the GUE/NGL group in the European Parliament in its work for a social union that places needs before profit and ensures that taxpayers do not have to bear the costs of financial speculation.
The issue of transparency and democracy is also going to be pivotal in 2012. Unfortunately, there is scant detail available in the Danish presidency’s programme on the issue. The exclusion of the European Parliament from the creation of a fiscal union and the fact that the elected representatives of the people simply observed the preparation of the new rules is a disgrace. While my own group doesn’t support the deal, a transparent and democratic process with the full involvement of Parliament and the people of Europe should follow in 2012 or another reason for the growing frustration and disillusionment with politics will be added to the heap.
Sadly, the Danish presidency programme is also subdued on human rights. The EU has a major problem in the widespread export of weapons and torture instruments from EU countries to various oppressive regimes.  Following the Arab Spring and a year during which EU countries’ weapons were used by undemocratic regimes against activists seeking basic rights, it seems remarkable that human rights does not feature more strongly on the Danes’ agenda.
My group has already expressed our profound concerns about Hungary’s slide towards authoritarianism over recent years. Given recent developments, the EU has no choice but to take immediate action to thwart any supplementary moves by the Hungarian Government to flout fundamental European values.
As social discontent continues to rage, EU politicians must stop serving the powerful and connected and put themselves at the service of the people.

This is funded by the European United Left/Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL)