Undermining Fortress Europe
Sónia
On July 19-26, revolutionary groups from 15 countries will organise the 14* European youth camp in solidarity with the Fourth International.
This year's camp focuses on the European integration process governed by the Maastricht and Schengen accords. The development of the "bosses and cops Europe" involves the looting of the public sector, privatisation of universities, attacks on women's rights, restricting entry across Europe's external frontiers, massive waves of redundancies, and the replacement of full time jobs with part time and precarious contracts.
Attacks on wage-earners, young people, women and immigrants are the same in all countries of Europe. And in most countries we can see the development of similar struggles: to defend the public sector, women's rights, and justice for immigrants. This camp is an occasion to share our experiences of these struggles, to co-ordinate our activities, and to come together in opposition to the bosses and cops Europe of Maastricht and Schengen. This camp is about preparing the social and political movements which are the only way to impose another kind of Europe: open, social, ecological and democratic.
For most of the organising groups, European capitalist integration is an important theme. "Belgium is in the centre of Europe, says Ataulfo Riera of the Belgian Young Socialist Guard (JGS/SJW). "Most of the EU institutions are based in Brussels. The country is also a cross-roads for European struggles. Protest against the closure of the Renault-Vilvode plant has demonstrated the need for another Europe, an alternative to the continental system bourgeoisie." by proposed the European Women "particularly hit"
"The Italian government is using European integration and the Maastricht convergence criteria to justify a series of neo-liberal and austerity measures, which are destroying the social security system, and worsening living and working conditions," says Angelica Lepori, a member of the Bandiera Rossa current in Italy's Communist Youth (GC). "Women are particularly hit by these blows to the "welfare state," and increasingly forces to take on caring tasks previous guaranteed by the state. At the same time, the authorities have launched a massive ideological campaign celebrating the family's fundamental role in society, and women's "traditional" role. This is linked to challenges to fundamental rights won over the years. There are initiatives to recognise the rights of the foetus, and "increase the status" of part-time work (without, of course, increasing the salary).
"Most of Italy's three million unemployed are women and youth," says Lepori, a politics student at Bologna University. "In some parts of the south, half those under 26 are out of work.
The Italian government proposes to "fight" unemployment by "improving flexibility of the labour market", with greater use of "apprenticeship" and "temporary" contracis, and a wider use of low-paid "socially useful" workers. Rather than reducing the underlying unemployment rate, these measures will increase the number of Italians in the marginal periphery of the workforce. For the first time, young Italians expect that their social situation as adults will be worse than that of their parents. Maastricht Europe also means strengthening institutional racism, xenophobia, and social exclusion. Italy's recent expulsion of Albanian retugees is the clearest example of the way Europe intends to deal with its southern and eastern neighbours." Internationalist alternative
In Denmark and Sweden, large parts of the labour and radical movements are strongly opposed to the European Union, and plans for closer integration. "We find that it is very easy to get in contact with left-wing youth on these says Anders Lange of the Socialist Workers Party (SAP). "After all, many young people get radicalised on questions with an international dimension, like imperialism, refugees, police powers and international police co-operation, and so on. Also, the EU as such is still a very important question in Denmark. Campaigning organisations created to oppose Denmark's approval of the Maastricht Treaty still exist. For many young people, internationalism is a credible alternative to the EU." Not always an easy campaign theme
Portugal's Revolutionary Socialist Party (PSR) is also campaigning on Maastricht, and the need for a referendum on a common currency. But as Sérgio Vitorino admits, "many young people, including those who join the PSR, are indifferent to this theme. They are neither informed nor aware of the effects that this new Europe will have on the lives of Portuguese and European workers, on immigrants here in Portugal, or even on their own lives."
Nevertheless, he continues, "participation in the camp is very important for the formation of new cadre, and developing an internationalist conscience among younger militants."
Whatever the difficulties in campaigning on European themes, the choice of tocus for this 14" Fourth International youth camp is unlikely to deter prospective participants.
"Participation in the camp would be a central priority for us, whatever the theme, " stresses Ataulfo Riera of the Belgian SJW/JGS group. "It is a unique chance to live a week of political debate in the company of young militants from all corners of Europe and the world, in a self-managed, alternative context." *
June