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PES Presidency adopts declarations for a stronger, fairer and more sustainable EU

PES - Party of European Socialists
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Date

10 Feb 2023

Sections

Global Europe

Pictured from left: PES Secretary General Achim Post, PES President Stefan Löfven, S&D President Iratxe García and PES Executive Vice-President Katarina Barley

Following the meeting of the PES leadership, prime ministers and European Commissioners earlier today, the PES Presidency met in Brussels to discuss items on the progressive agenda. The PES governing body adopted three declarations on the PES positions on: humanitarian support for Türkiye and Syria; support for sustainable European industry; and, an effective and humane migration and asylum system.

Presidency members also reiterated their steadfast support for Ukraine and its sovereignty and territorial integrity. The meeting condemned Russia’s continuing brutal attack on the country and reaffirmed that socialists and democrats will continue working to support Ukraine in the immediate- and longer term. S&D President Iratxe García exchanged on the visit of the Ukraine President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, to the European Parliament earlier today.  

Urgent support to save lives in Türkiye and Syria

The PES Presidency sent its condolences to the people of Türkiye and Syria following the devasting earthquakes that have struck the region.

The Presidency declaration reads:

“The PES commends the bravery of the families, first responders and rescue teams who continue to work to save lives despite continuing aftershocks, freezing temperatures and extensive damage to roads and other infrastructure in the affected areas.

“At the critical moment, the PES calls for the urgent mobilisation of all available resources to assist the search and rescue operation. Saving human lives must be our priority. We have a moral duty to do anything in our power to help the people affected by the earthquake. All extraordinary measures put in place by authorities must focus entirely on the humanitarian dimension of the disaster.”

Read the full declaration.

 
Members of the PES Presidency meeting today in Brussels, Belgium
 
Supporting Green Deal Industries for Quality European Jobs

Together with our socialist and social-democratic governments, European Commissioners, and the S&D Group in the European Parliament, the PES will push for Europe to remain a cutting-edge industrial power playing its part in the green industrial revolution.

The Presidency declaration reads:

“The Party of European Socialists therefore urges immediate action to strengthen our industry and specifically our green industrial fabric in the face of difficult global headwinds. All initiatives at EU level including the Green Deal Industrial Plan recently announced by the European Commission and the upcoming Net-Zero Industry Act must be based on the six principles of sustainability, fairness, flexibility, sovereignty, solidarity, and conditionality to ensure social inclusion and territorial cohesion.”

Read the full declaration.

A progressive Pact on Asylum and Migration – social democrats are leading the way

The progressive political family wants a system that allows citizens to trust that migration in Europe is managed in an effective and humane way, fully in line with our values and with international laws. We support the progressive and balanced way forward opened by the New Pact on Migration and Asylum presented by European Commissioner Ylva Johansson.

The Presidency declaration reads:

“Social democrats always aimed to move towards a predictable and reliable common EU asylum and migration management system based on solidarity and a fair sharing of responsibility with a particular attention to the protection of children and of women, as the Pact does. Member States must live up to these principles as well as their international obligations, by committing to saving lives, showing solidarity with people in need, as well as to other Member States. A common EU system must be based on true solidarity and shared responsibility, fair and effective procedures, humane reception conditions, partnerships on equal footing with third countries, legal pathways and effective inclusion.”

Read the full declaration.

Free-to-use high-quality photographs from the event are available on the PES Flickr.

The PES Presidency brings together the PES leadership and representatives of PES member parties and organisations.