Welfare has never been assured by nation states on a spontaneous and regular basis, this is the idea, which we all agreed upon and was part of the debate we held. On the contrary, welfare was and still is the clashing motive, which opposed social classes; moreover, we agreed upon the fact that the quality of public services, that are guaranteed to citizens, mirrors the power conquered by social classes, this is an area on which conflicts and clashes move to and fro, and are in favour or against the people, depending on the outcomes of class conflicts. This debate also highlighted that welfare has been lately influenced by the transformation of social services into mere goods, with the aim of selling these services at a profit. The market trading in the “old” goods is now stagnating and free-trade policy is trying to privatize social services and to turn education, training, research and the health system into new goods to be launched on the market.

Since these two processes (welfare reduction and privatization/commodification) can be stopped - they are in fact the outcome of the conflict opposing ruling and ruled social classes - the debate also highlighted that the movements against free-trade must not only be an active part in this conflict (which is what we are doing in our campaign against the Bolkenstein directive), but also develop a number of fundamental principles, which will be included in the Charter to be presented in Athens. What must be said to free-trade and market is “keep your hands off social common goods” and what is important is defining a public and social management of these same services.

EDUCATION AND HEALTH
These are universal rights and not a new business for the XXI century

Many speeches highlighted that the school and health systems are two public sectors that have been targeted by privatization and commodification policies, which aim at turning these services into fundamental goods to be sold at a profit - a new business for the XXI century.

Education cannot be seen as a mere “service”: it is the cornerstone of modern States, it creates citizens, who - thanks to education - actively participate into the collective process of integration into the social, political and institutional fabric of their countries.
The widespread awareness related to another universal right, i.e. health care and health systems, is turning health systems into something more than a “mere” service. That’s why a number of principles, which must be included in the Charter of Another Europe, can be applied to both the school system and the health system. As for these principles, the European movements against free-trade should call for the following features:
they must be universal rights, guaranteed to everybody, without distinction of revenue or citizenship, and they must be first-quality services intended for all citizens;
they must be free of charge, and not be sold as services aimed at a profit, they must based on collective solidarity, equality, the principle of non-discrimination due to people’s social class, gender, religion, origin, colour of the skin or sexual orientation;
they must be human-centred, tailored for women and men, they must respect people’s dignity, differences, sensitivity and origins, because people spend many days of their lives in these structures, and they must also respect all workers, who work within these very structures.

PRINCIPLES AND GOALS AIMED AT THE STATE SCHOOL SYSTEM

The European movement against free-trade must support a kind of public school system, which:

1) triggers a number of real cultural and social emancipation processes and does not just mirror our society and its inequalities, it is to support the greatest social inclusion and prevent social selection, social exclusion and the pointing out of all those differences related to origin, class, physical capabilities and gender from occurring;

2) promotes active participation into the learning process, rather than just a passive participation, as well as the full involvement of people, which must respect time needed for learning,

3) is completely secular and keeps out of schools and classes religious propaganda and teaching, as well as discrimination based on the supremacy of a “preferential” religion, whose symbols, traditions, habits and duties are promoted.

European countries and institutions ought to guarantee what follows:

a) large investments on education, primary schools all the way up to Universities, and on public research studies;

b) state-managed education up to Universities, and the obligation, which States must fulfil, focused on guaranteeing state-managed schools from primary education up to University education everywhere in Italy;

c) education must also be totally free of charge, from primary to University education, moreover school attendance must be compulsory - and must be solely accomplished as attendance at school - up to 18 years of age;

d) school, universities and the research sector must be totally independent and not be influenced by companies, governments, political bodies and institutions, churches and religious bodies;

e) education and research must not subjected to commodification, and the full independence in the elaboration and research sectors must be guaranteed to students and workers in the school, university and research fields;

f) obstacles and discrimination towards students belonging to migrant families, disabled people or socially excluded people must be removed, their learning must be integrated into the ordinary school education, and not be separated from it by creating “different” educational paths;g) religious propaganda, the forced presence of symbols related to religions or any kind of religious faiths must be banned from University and Research sector.

HEALTH SYSTEM: A UNIVERSAL RIGHT

1) In order to create a real first-quality, state health system, which must serve everyone, what is needed is increasing subsidies, which must be allocated to the public health system;

2) Public health systems must improve the quality of their services by diffusing their most excellent and most advanced experiences

3) Networks focusing on the right to health must be established and aimed at workers, citizens and associations. What has to be established, is a public, free, general and human health system, which must respect the physical and psychical integrity of citizens and workers, moreover treatment must not be “invasive”. These networks ought to monitor health services and policies and are supposed to promote the active participation of people into the health process;

4) Private medical profession must not be in competition with its public counterpart and this principle must be applied to all health workers.

MORE PRINCIPLES

During the debate, it was decided to include the following principles as well:

a) getting back those subsidies and funds needed to govern common goods and public services from a social and public point of view, this is one of the fundamental steps of the anti-free-trade policies;

b) the right to have a house, which is more than just a service or the guarantee of survival: it is a qualifying feature of our life style and an essential feature of citizenship;

c) the right to culture and learning and creativity, and the right to enjoy these former permanently.

(ed. by P. Bernocchi)