EU/GATS Anti Privatisation Meeting Minutes, 15.11.2003

EU/GATS Anti Privatisation Meeting Minutes, 15.11.2003

EU/GATS Anti Privatisation Meeting Minutes, 15.11.2003
Hi Folks,
Minutes Below - apologies for the delay,
Slán, John

Minutes of a Meeting on the European Union / GATS / European Union Constitution (agreed after an Irish Social Forum workshop @ the Cooperation & Solidarity Summit on October 1719 2003)

Meeting held @ the Teachers’ Club, 36 Parnell Square on Saturday November 15 2003

Attendance :

Sandy Boyer, Tadhg Crowley, Hilary Dorgan, Orla Drohan, John Fitzgibbon, Conor Joyce, Austin Kennan, John Meehan, Miriam Murphy, Conor Ó Brían, Brendan Young

Brendan Young was nominated to chair the meeting, and John Meehan agreed to take the minutes.

People introduced themselves. Some explained what they hoped would come out of the day’s meeting, and how they heard about it.

Barry Finnegan made a short introduction, recalling the main decisions made at the previous meeting.

December 6 Event

At our previous meeting we agreed to invite Dr Franz Josef Stummann to a public event organised by our group on Saturday December 6 next – any later date in 2003 would be unrealistic because of the Christmas holiday period.

Brendan reported on behalf of a sub-committee :

The reason for inviting him is, to recap :
Comprehensive information on the proposed European Union Constitution is contained in a document drafted for the Assembly of the European Regions by Dr. Franz-Josef Stummann (web link http://www.a-e-r.org/)

[Brendan pasted the relevant information on to the Irish Indymedia site : www.indymedia.ie )]

Highlights :

- Important changes for education under the EU-Common Commercial Policy

- No further exemption of Education, Health and Social Policy

- Council now can decide by Majority and overrule objections of individual member states

The European Convention, in its final sessions on 13 June und 10 July 2003, adopted a draft of a "Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe". The text (Conv 850/03) was published on 18 July 2003 and submitted to the European Council the same day

Doctor Stummann has accepted the group’s invitation; he will be in Dublin from Thursday December 4 to Saturday December 6. Accommodation costs will arise.

Attempts were also under way to invite the Danish MEP Jens- Peter Bonde – Éamonn Crudden and Barry agreed to follow this up.

It was agreed to stage a press/media event on Friday December 5, to coincide with a public event to “launch” the Irish presidency in Dublin Castle – likely speakers include ex- Taoiseach garret Fitzgerald.

It was agreed that we would stress this main point :

The GATS / Privatisation proposals are non-reversible, are therefore inherently anti-democratic, and constitute a major barrier to any plans to start resolving regional inequalities – serious investment in infrastructural projects would require state aid, which is barred under these proposals.

It should be noted that the only role allotted to the European Parliament is to be “informed” (!) of the decision made by the member-state Governments.

Miriam Murphy agreed to contact Dr Joan Murphy-Lawless, to see if she would be available to speak @ either the press conference or public event.

Conor Ó Bríain will report on getting a short and concise legal opinion on the treaty.

John Fitzgibbon drew attention to a British legal assessment written by martin Howe – it can be accessed at the website

www.congressfordemocracy.org.uk

Other people to be approached include (people to do the follow- ups named in brackets) : L Gold (Barry), Joe Higgins TD (Orla), Conall Ó Caoimh (Barry), Deirdre de Búrca or Patricia McKenna (John), Jens-Peter Bonde MEP (Éamonn and Barry), Joan Murphy-Lawless (Miriam), Dermot O’Loughlin (Orla).

Brendan agreed to see if the Earl of Kildare Hotel would be available for a press conference.

Miriam agreed to research the Health and Education Deregulation issue.

Brendan agreed to circulate a research note written by Orla Drohan.

Orla Drohan agreed to contact Niall Crampton re Public/Private partnerships.


Éamonn McCrudden’s proposal to produce a 4-5 page briefing document was agreed.

We agreed to provisionally adopt Brendan’s draft title for the group –

Public Services and Democracy in Europe.

Open to anyone to come back with a better title, if they think it is better!

Noted that next Saturday, November 22, a report-back meeting on the European Social Forum is taking place in the Teachers’ Club – agreed to convene a meeting of the group, and follow up the practical work to be done for the December 5 and 6 events.