EPP Election Document 2009

(adopted by the EPP Congress, Warsaw, 29-30 April 2009)

PFD versions of the Election Document are available here - short version and whole document

Introduction

In June 2009, citizens of the European Union will vote for the European Parliament - at a crucial moment for Europe. European integration is the greatest achievement in the history of our continent. It has brought not only peace, freedom and stability to our continent, but also an era of understanding, cooperation and unprecedented prosperity. In the past, the need for peace brought the peoples of Europe together. Today, a number of problems require both close cooperation on European level and a strong Europe in the world: the current crisis in the financial markets and a severe worldwide recession, the fight against climate change, our ageing societies as well as terrorism and organised crime. Only a strong Europe will be able to defend and protect our interests in the world. Only a strong Europe will be able to create a more stable global financial system and tackle the other global problems which also deeply affect European citizens.

Today we must seize the opportunity to shape the world economy in a more sustainable way, based on our concept of a Social Market Economy, the success of which was shown during the post-war reconstruction period and the trials and tribulations of the re-unification of Europe after the downfall of the former Soviet empire. Whereas the Socialists in Europe see this crisis as an opportunity to push for a backward leftist agenda which will destroy jobs and Europe's position in the world, we are convinced that our vision of a Social Market Economy is the best response to this crisis. Our positions are distinctly different from the ideological leftist approach of the Socialists, but they also differ fundamentally from the position of market fundamentalists who believe that markets alone should rule the world. The loss of rules and ethical standards is a major cause for the problems our societies are now suffering from. We need better, more sensible regulation and supervision of the international financial and economic system. We strongly promote and support clear rules for the markets to function and prosper for the benefit of everyone - society, the entrepreneur and the employee. This is what distinguishes a real People's party pursuing the common good from political competitors.

Our political family, the European People's Party, has influenced the historical development of Europe like no other political force. Throughout its history, the EPP has been the one political family with a clear vision for Europe. We are convinced that many of today's problems can no longer be solved on national level alone. As the heirs of the founding fathers of European integration, Jean Monnet, Robert Schuman, Konrad Adenauer and Alcide de Gasperi, we are conscious of our rich heritage and committed to shaping the Europe of the future. In this respect it is of crucial importance to increase public awareness about the crimes committed by National Socialist regimes and totalitarian Communist regimes and to condemn these crimes without any ambiguity.

Out of bitter experience with the socialist experiment, responsible for several decades of paternalism, the oppression of free will and the systematic neglect of human dignity, we do not believe that the state should be responsible for every decision in people's lives. We are also convinced that the European Union should not deal with issues that can be better and more efficiently dealt with on a national, regional or local level. The EPP advocates a European Union that sets clear priorities - but stays out of issues that should be handled on a lower level, closer to the citizens themselves. To this end, the EPP strongly promotes the application of the subsidiarity principle and the bottom-up approach for organising a European Union supported by all citizens.

The EPP has for a number of years advocated a new treaty for the European Union because Europe needs to be more transparent, more efficient, more democratic and more capable of acting in order to cope with the enormous challenges ahead. We will continue our work of informing citizens of the benefits of the Lisbon Treaty and the Charter of Fundamental Rights, which will strengthen not only the democratic legitimation but also the judicial foundation of a Union of values. The consolidation of the EU must now be our first priority. In further enlargement rounds, the EU's ability to act efficiently must be ensured. Accession negotiations with Croatia will be pushed forward and concluded as swiftly as possible. The other Western Balkan states also have an accession perspective. We must be prudent about potential future enlargements; the EU's ability to act efficiently must first be ensured, and a new treaty is very important for this. European countries which cannot or do not want to become members of the European Union should be offered a close partnership with the EU.

Our values

Our idea of Europe is the consequence of our attachment to the values of an open society and of the European common cultural heritage; it has always been based on values and common traditions which are deeply rooted in our civilisation. Our universal spirit, Europe's Judeo-Christian roots and common cultural heritage, the classical and humanist history of Europe, the achievements of the period of the Enlightenment and the active role played by the churches in Europe to promote tolerance and mutual respect, these are the foundation of our political platform.

We have become used to living in a common geographic and political space of peace, freedom, democracy and prosperity, a space with enormously rich and inspiring cultural diversity. Our thought and political action are based on fundamental, interdependent and equally important universal values: freedom and responsibility, fundamental equality, justice and solidarity. For us, genuine freedom means autonomy and responsibility, it means neither collectivism nor irresponsible and selfish individualism. For us, the dignity of the human being is central; we regard the human being as the subject, not the object, of history. This brings us to respect human life in all its forms and at all stages, to respect human dignity in medical and genetic advancements.

The promotion of equality between men and women in all decision-making processes and in the labour market is a priority area.

In our view, persons are not merely individuals but human beings belonging to families. The family, especially today when we are witnessing profound changes in society, deserves the special and concrete support of society. What is good for the family is good also for society. Human beings belong also to communities, regions and countries, enjoying both full rights and duties - also on the EU level. Justice, fundamental equality for all and the dignity of every individual are inseparable. Solidarity means awareness of the interdependence of individuals and their communities. But it means above all protecting the weakest in our society and around the world. It implies global responsibility.

In the framework of responsibility, the EPP also advocates a more sustainable way to deal with the planet we all share as our home. The responsible management of the biosphere and the forms of life which make up humanity's common heritage is essential in order to keep our planet viable for future generations. The urgent problem of global warming underlines the need for humanity to decisively deal with this problem as quickly as possible on a global level. The EPP is convinced that the European Union will and must play an important role and show to other parts of the world that it is possible to modernise economically, create new jobs and preserve the environment at the same time. The current crisis is a reminder that sustainable development should be at the very core of all our decisions.

The values of the European People's Party are pointed out in its Basic Programme and the document "A Union of Values" decided in 2001 in Berlin. The values pointed out in those documents remain the foundation of our political family.