A draft European Directive seeks to prevent governments from restricting trade in services. This would force the privatisation of services currently provided by the welfare state, such as education and health care. This would be a European version of the infamous GATS treaty proposed by the WTO.
Stop Bolkestein !
NO to a socially retrograde Europe
NO to an educationally regressive Europe
At the instigation of the former European Commissioner Frits Bolkenstein (a Dutch liberal), a draft directive (European law) on the free circulation of services within the European Union is currently under discussion.
If adopted, this European directive would result in the merchandisation of all services within the Union. This would mean that essential sectors such as culture, education, health care and all services relating to national social welfare systems could be exposed to the same forms of economic competition as commercial goods.
This merchandisation would inevitably lead to the deterioration of pension systems, social welfare and health care cover in favour of private insurance. It would also entail the deregulation of our education systems and the end of any kind of cultural exception.
Furthermore, the application of this directive would call into question workers’ rights as established by the national laws of the countries in the Union.
From March of this year, certain political parties and a whole host of national and European bodies (associations, unions, etc.) have sounded the alarm and called for progressive forces to make a concerted effort to fight this draft directive which represents a backwards step in terms of social rights.
Despite these efforts, a very large majority of member states now appears to be in favour of the rapid adoption of this draft directive. As unanimous approval is not required for this decision, no single government, far less a political party, is capable of preventing the adoption of this directive.
Only a concerted effort on the part of civilian society within the Union could prevent this development.
We need to act quickly.
We hereby invite you to say a clear NO to a socially retrograde Europe by signing the electronic petition available on this website (
http://www.stopbolkestein.org/index.cfm?Content_ID=1472851 ) and by forwarding this email ( http://www.stopbolkestein.org/index.cfm?Content_ID=8638336 ) to as many people as possible.
NO to a socially retrograde Europe
NO to an educationally regressive Europe
At the instigation of the former European Commissioner Frits Bolkenstein (a Dutch liberal), a draft directive (European law) on the free circulation of services within the European Union is currently under discussion.
If adopted, this European directive would result in the merchandisation of all services within the Union. This would mean that essential sectors such as culture, education, health care and all services relating to national social welfare systems could be exposed to the same forms of economic competition as commercial goods.
This merchandisation would inevitably lead to the deterioration of pension systems, social welfare and health care cover in favour of private insurance. It would also entail the deregulation of our education systems and the end of any kind of cultural exception.
Furthermore, the application of this directive would call into question workers’ rights as established by the national laws of the countries in the Union.
From March of this year, certain political parties and a whole host of national and European bodies (associations, unions, etc.) have sounded the alarm and called for progressive forces to make a concerted effort to fight this draft directive which represents a backwards step in terms of social rights.
Despite these efforts, a very large majority of member states now appears to be in favour of the rapid adoption of this draft directive. As unanimous approval is not required for this decision, no single government, far less a political party, is capable of preventing the adoption of this directive.
Only a concerted effort on the part of civilian society within the Union could prevent this development.
We need to act quickly.
We hereby invite you to say a clear NO to a socially retrograde Europe by signing the electronic petition available on this website (
http://www.stopbolkestein.org/index.cfm?Content_ID=1472851 ) and by forwarding this email ( http://www.stopbolkestein.org/index.cfm?Content_ID=8638336 ) to as many people as possible. 
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