The next G8 summit will take place in June 2007 in the Baltic coastal resort of Heiligendamm, near Rostock, after summits in Edinburgh and St Petersburg. Poverty, debt, environmental destruction, war, social cuts and attacks on our democratic rights - this is the catastrophic balance-sheet of the neo-liberal policies of the leaders of the eight most powerful countries that meet up every year.

The G8 symbolises more than any other international institution the economic and political order of capitalism. A group of industrial states which govern only 13% of the world‚s population sets the agenda for the other international institutions in secret meetings and assumes it can just dominate the rest of the world. These are precisely the countries where the biggest financial centres are concentrated, where most transnational companies are based, the most billionaires live and insatiable greed for natural resources dominates.

A broad European counter-movement to this summit is necessary to protest against the cruel policies of this self-appointed elite and develop social alternatives to the dictates of capital. The Assembly of Social Movements decided at the European Social Forum in Athens to turn the G8 summit into a huge European demonstration of social opposition.

The parties and groups organised in the European Anti-Capitalist Left are part of a broad social alliance at European level to protest against the G8 and their policies as effectively and visibly as possible. But our aim is not just to oppose these attacks on our rights, living conditions and future, but to develop an alternative society based on peace and not war, on solidarity not competition, on equality, not discrimination.

WE CALL ON THE WHOLE EUROPEAN LEFT AND PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATS TO JOIN US IN THE ACTIVITIES AND DEMONSTRATIONS IN ROSTOCK IN JUNE 2007!

EACL Secretariat

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European Anticapitalist Left declaration

One year after saying NO to the European Constitutional Treaty

1- One year after, the European Union faces challenges

The French and Dutch “No” ended up being a fatal blow to the project of the militarist, antidemocratic and neo-liberal constitution for the European Union (EU). This victory is first of all a defeat for neo-liberalism. Workers and youth don’t accept capitalism as the end of history for humanity any more. In a context of globalization, of delocalization and privatization, the values of the market and competition are definitely not ours.

The rejection of the constitution is a sanction against the autocratic power of the ruling elite. They cannot indefinitely ridicule universal suffrage and all our democratic gains, the fruits of two centuries of struggle.

Finally, the results of the French and Dutch referendums express a deep aversion to war and imperialism, at the time of the Iraqi mire and the militarization of Europe through its subordination to NATO. We oppose any imperialist war against Iran.

2- From the No of the ballot to the No on the streets

The French and Dutch “No” have been a tremendous lever for all the social struggles in Europe those past few months. The rejection of neo-liberalism in the ballot has been translated into powerful European social movements on the streets. The Lisbon and Barcelona strategies, with their antisocial effects have been massively rejected. In January 2006, thanks to their European mobilization and the pressure they put on the European Parliament, dockers have defeated the directive which liberalizes port services for the second time.

With their European demonstrations, social movements and unions have pushed back the Eurocrats on the country of origin principle in the Bolkestein directive. The struggle goes on for its total rejection and for the improvement of working conditions in all the countries of Europe and legislation offering workers the highest degree of protection. Being challenged in Strasbourg and Brussels, the strategies of Lisbon and Barcelona have been challenged with a new dimension in many European countries, after several decades.

Germany’s biggest strike in 20 years happened while the government wanted to increase working time from 38.5 to 42 hours in regional public services. In Great Britain too the biggest strike since 1926 took place in transport and municipal services, with more than 1.5 million workers on strike for 24 hours. In Denmark over 100,000 demonstrated on 17^th May against the right-wing government’s plan to attack the welfare system. Finally, in France, after the movement of the poor suburbs in autumn 2005, a long, massive and powerful social movement took place among youth and the working class against the CPE (“First Job Contract”), which legalized contingent work for youth under the age of 26. On 8^th March and 4^th April, more than 3 million people demonstrated against the French government’s policy.

Across Europe with more or less intensity, new generations of demonstrators realise the need for an alternative to neo-liberalism.

3- Preparing political alternatives

As participants of the European Anti-Capitalist Left, we have participated in those social and union movements with all our strength. We favour the unity of all progressive forces against neo-liberal projects, be they launched by conservative, social-democrat or neo-liberal labour governments.

Our goal is not only to resist the attacks on our rights, living conditions and our future, but also to help develop an alternative society founded on peace not war, on solidarity not competition, on equality not discrimination, on environment not pollution. It’s based on this programme of political, democratic and social breakthrough that we stand in elections. We reject racism, sexism, homophobia and all kinds of discrimination. We reject any compromises which would lead to capitalism being stabilised on the back of workers, youth, women and immigrants.

4- Against the role of Multinationals in Europe and in Latin America

The legitimate nationalization of the oil and gas industry by the Bolivian government has met with an angry response from right-wing European governments and multinational corporations. It forces us, the parties and movements involved in the EACL, to support campaigns in defence of the rights of the Bolivian people and other oppressed peoples of Latin America to use their own natural resources as they want. This, we believe is, the main task of the anticapitalist left in Europe in the struggle against the transnationals in our own countries.

5- Against War and discrimination of immigrants

Social struggles and the anti-war campaign are very closely linked. A new stage of imperialist war is on the horizon. The US government has declared its new aim of overthrowing the mullahs’ regime in Teheran. That means the dispute about nuclear power in Iran is central and the EU, in particular the British, French and German governments, are playing the role of a useful idiot in a murderous strategy which is no longer under their control.

Anti-war mobilisation must return to the streets. Solidarity with the Palestinian people and the rejection of cynical European cessation of aid is an urgent necessity.

The renewed peace movement is confronted with a brutal anti-immigrant and islamophobic campaign aimed at those sections of society which are most susceptible to racism and xenophobia. The European governments are directly responsible for creating this atmosphere. All across Europe they are proposing new discriminatory measures. On the borders of Fortress Europe they are pursuing a shameful policy which is turning immigration into a national security issue and the immigrants themselves into criminals. This hatred and fear is coming from above. That’s why we, the parties of the EACL are taking up a two-pronged battle for hearts and minds: for peace and equal rights for immigrants.

6- Towards a new social and political force across Europe

The rejection of the European Constitution made the 450 million citizens aware that the fight against this Europe is a common fight. The Social Forum of Athens, which has just come to an end, leads the way towards this new Europe, thereby following on from the previous social forums. Enhanced by these new struggles, new experiences and new generations, it is up to us in the European Anti-Capitalist Left to deepen our cooperation and our links, beyond our different histories and cultures. We support the effort to build a new social, political and pluralist force across Europe able to overthrow neo-liberalism. This is the commitment we are making.

Saint-Denis, the 19^th of May 2006

Bloco de Esquerda (Portugal),

Esquerra Unida i Alternativa, (Catalunya)

Espacio Alternativo (Spain)

Deutsche Kommunistische Partei (Germany)

Ligue Communiste Révolutionnaire (France),

Özgürlük Dayanisma Partisi (Turkey),

Red/Green Alliance (Denmark),

Respect (Great Britain),

Scottish Socialist Party (Scottland),

SolidaritéS (Switzerland)