P6_TA(2005)0054

World Social Forum, World Economic Forum

European Parliament resolution on the World Social Forum and the World Economic Forum

The European Parliament,

- having regard to its resolution of 12 February 2003 on the World Economic and Social Fora (Davos and Porto Alegre) [1],

- having regard to the 2005 World Social Forum in Porto Alegre and World Economic Forum in Davos,

- having regard to the 2005 G7 Meeting in London,

- having regard to Rule 103(4) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas the 2005 World Economic Forum has been addressing issues of global importance, including China, climate change, the global economy, Islam, poverty, weapons of mass destruction, the Middle East, world trade, US leadership, Europe, global governance and equitable globalisation,

B. whereas the 2005 World Social Forum has also focused on global issues, including peace, the fight against poverty, health, education, trade, agriculture and human rights,

C. whereas the World Economic Forum and the World Social Forum address the process of globalisation, which is a consequence of heterogeneous and not always planned progress in different areas such as market development, communication technologies, reduction of transport costs, expansion of free market economies and international agreements such as those of the WTO, the IMF and others,

D. whereas globalisation presents a real opportunity for growth and higher living standards throughout the world, but does not imply homogenisation, so that cultural and linguistic diversity remain essential to a full human existence,

E. whereas the 2005 World Economic Forum has set out action priorities for 2005, including the adoption of technology to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases, the creation of a fund to accelerate financial aid to the poorest nations and the removal of trade barriers that deprive developing countries of the dividends of global economic growth,

F. whereas the Doha development round of the WTO negotiations is approaching a crucial stage; whereas freer and fairer trade would increase growth worldwide and create more and better jobs,

1. Believes that globalisation must be accompanied by greater efforts to reduce poverty; welcomes the G7 compromise to launch a debt relief programme for poor countries; recognises debt cancellation as a measure for fighting poverty in countries progressing towards democracy, respect for human rights and the rule of law, and a sustainable economy; rejects however, an unconditional cancellation of debt for countries that do not prioritise these issues;

2. Welcomes the action priorities set out by the 2005 World Economic Forum and asks the Council, Commission, and Member States to develop and support initiatives that contribute to the implementation of these priorities; notes that the lack of implementation of action priorities has been highlighted in the annual report of the World Economic Forum's Global Governance Initiative;

3. Believes that the World Social Forum should also set out action priorities which can be implemented, instead of merely issuing 352 proposals accepted by panels as has been the case this year;

4. Notes the increasing presence of Chinese and Indian business leaders at the World Economic Forum, which brings home the necessity of improving Europe's competitiveness through implementation of the Lisbon modernising agenda, and of developing closer relationships with the EU's trading partners in Asia and South America as well as with the US in order to complete the transatlantic market by 2015 and to replace the New Transatlantic Agenda with a Transatlantic Partnership Agreement to be implemented from 2007;

5. Welcomes the commitment of several European leaders at Davos to the revival of the European economy; welcomes in this context the Lisbon midterm review report by the Commission and urges individual Member States to shoulder their responsibility for making the revised Lisbon Agenda a success;

6. Considers that in order to support long-term sustainable global growth the US must commit itself to fiscal consolidation while Europe and Japan must accelerate the process of structural reform;

7. Welcomes the World Economic Forum's Partnering Against Corruption Initiative (PACI) and the signing by 62 companies of the support statement on the Partnering Against Corruption Principles for Countering Bribery (PACI Principles), thereby underlining the importance attached by the corporate sector to the fight against corruption and bribery;

8. Welcomes the selection of 29 companies as 2005's Technology Pioneers by the World Economic Forum as part of its Technology Pioneers programme, which enables companies involved in the development of potential life-changing technological innovation to be fully integrated into Forum activities;

9. Reaffirms its commitment to the United Nations Millennium Declaration and the Millennium Development Goals; welcomes the emphasis placed by both Fora on making world trade fairer and freer; urges the negotiators at the WTO to take this advice seriously; also points out the beneficial effect that the dismantling of trade barriers would have on the recovery of regions hit by the tsunami; underlines the positive impact which the liberalisation of agricultural trade would have on developing countries;

10. Considers globalisation a key element in promoting competitiveness and growth within the EU and in developing countries; underlines the importance of the multilateral approach to trade policy, especially for the developing and least-developed countries, whose interests are best served in a multilateral framework, and the multilateral governance needed to ensure a free and fair trade system worldwide; therefore supports the WTO as the principal forum for the management of globalisation, through trade opening and the strengthening of multilateral rules, and the pursuit of sustainable development;

11. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and Commission.

[1] OJ C 43 E, 19.2.2004, p. 242.

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