Time for a European Spring

People across Europe come together to reject EU austerity policies in Brussels and other European capitals next week

When the EU Summit takes place in Brussels on the 14th of March it will be in the midst of protests all over Europe and in the Belgian capital itself. “For a European Spring” – a coalition of movements from 13 countries – is calling for actions to denounce the EU approach to the eurocrisis.

Under the slogan “Our democracy against their austerity!” the coalition will denounce the EU push for austerity, including cuts in social expenditure, radical wage cuts, attacks on social rights - including labour rights - and other aspects of what the President of the Commission José Manuel Barroso has called “a silent revolution”.

Sol Trumbo Vila from the coordinating group of “For a European Spring” said: “For three years now, the EU has responded to the crisis with attacks on standards of living and with austerity policies that are decimating the welfare state across Europe. As unemployment and misery spreads across the continent and support for austerity vanishes, resistance is already increasing and will continue to do so in the years to come.”

 “While the European Union is severely undermining the welfare of its citizens, the member states have supported ailing financial corporations with a staggering EUR €1,6 trillion  since 2008. That is a disgrace. Why should we pay the price for the excesses of the financial sector?” said Pierre Gottiniaux (CADTM) from the coordinating group in Brussels.

So far, most protests against EU policies have taken place in Southern Europe. According to the coalition For a European Spring, this will have to change.

“People in Southern Europe are currently paying the highest price for the EU's austerity policies, but their impact is by no means limited to the South. The EU policies represent an attack on people's welfare and democracy in the North as well. To stop the destructive impact in both halves of Europe we need to act, and act together,” Sol Trumbo Vila.

The actions developed under this umbrella are now taking their form.  On Wednesday the 13th of March there will be events, marches or actions in Denmark, Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium (Brussels), Spain and Austria. More actions are organised and will be announced in the coming days.

On Thursday the 14thof March, people from across Europe and Belgium will gather in Brussels for a march, a 'noise demo' with pots and pans, at 12 PM in Brussels under the slogan “Our democracy against their austerity”.

Contacts
Sol Trumbo Vila, soltrumbovila@tni.org, tlph. 0031 610172065
Pierre Gottiniaux, pierre@cadtm.org  tlph. 0032 (0) 498 35 36 66

Notes to the editor
·    For more information on activities on 13th March, see www.foraeuropeanspring.org, where events from across Europe are listed.
·    For more information on the march on 14th in Brussels, see www.foraeuropeanspring.org.
·    Already confirmed as Joining the demonstration on the 14th will be participants from Spain, Greece, Italy, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland, Denmark and Germany from social movements of all kinds, including ATTAC-groups, indignados (15M), environmental groups, debt groups, left wing parties (including politicians), trade unions and many others.
·    The platform of the initiative was agreed on in December, and came out of Firenze 10+10  with the following slogans: Abolish all EU-austerity treaties and legislation!; For an ecological Transition!; Disarm Financial Markets!; Debt: Don’t owe, don’t pay!; Fire the Troika, not the people!”

Signatories to the call so far include

Action from Ireland (AFRI) , Alternative Trade Mandate, ATTAC-Austria, ATTAC-Germany, ATTAC-Poland, ATTAC-Spain, ATTAC-Hungary, ATTAC-Greece, Afrika Kontakt (Denmark), CADTM Europe, Collectif Artiviste, Commission for Filipino Migrant Workers (NL), Die Linke.Bruxelles, Ecologistas en Acción (Spain), FairFin (Belgium), Fairwatch (Italy), RESPECT Network in Europe (Amsterdam), Reforma del Sistema Electoral 15M, ReINFORM group (NL), European Alternatives, Hungarian Social Forum, Internationale Socialisten (NL), Center for Encounter and Active Non-Violence (Germany), Debt Justice Action Ireland, Vredesactie (Belgium), Precarious United (Belgium), 15M Amsterdam, 15M Bruxelles, Internationale Sozialistische Linke, Pacto Ciudadano Barcelona, Blockupy Frankfurt, PRC (Italy), Corporate Europe Observatory, Social Network Unionism (NL), transform! Europe, Transform Italy, Transnational Institute, Comités contre l'Austerité en Europe (Belgium), Jeuneusse Ouvrière Chrétiene Bruxelles (Belgium), Initiative de Solidarité à la Grèce – Bruxelles, Partito dei Comunisti Italiani Europe, TRUSTED Migrant (NL), Transnational MDW (NL), Jeunesse Syndicales FGTB (BE), Brussels popular teams, Agir pou la Paix (Belgium), Action pour la paix (Belgium), Arbeitskreis für kritische Europaforschung (AKE), verdi Landesfrauenrat, 15M Asamblea Popular Moncloa (District), Madrid Working group politica internacional 15M, Madrid Comisión Comunicación Asamblea Moncloa (15M Madrid), Economía Sol - 15M (Spain), Jubilee Debt Campaign UK, Ligue Communiste Révolutionnaire Jeunes anticapitalistes (JAC), Critical Political EconomyLa Asamblea Popular de Moratalaz 15M (Spain), Asamblea San Blas Canillejas (Spain), Grupo de Trabajo Transversal RE-ACCIÓN CIUDADANA (Spain)