Challenging and Eroding Corporate Power: Building States of Citizens for Citizens

Call for participation on AEPF, 2-5 Oct. 2010, Brussels

In October 2010, the eighth Asia Europe Summit (ASEM8) will take place in Belgium. Heads of State and Government from across Asia and Europe will meet to discuss their future priorities and plans. While countries that comprise ASEM make up over 60 per cent of the world's population - who face a wide range of pressing problems - the agenda of these bi-annual meetings is dominated by powerful economic and financial interests.

With ASEM8 coming to the institutional heart of the European Union and in the midst of overlapping and prolonged social, ecological and economic crises, ASEM8 provides a unique opportunity for citizens of Asia and Europe to assess the impact of current policies and to demand change.

The Asia Europe People's Forum (AEPF) began in 1996 in Bangkok before the first ASEM summit. AEPF is grounded in the common desire of people's organisations and social justice networks across Asia and Europe to open up new venues for dialogue, solidarity and action.

The battle between corporations and democracy

In 2006 the EU adopted a new trade strategy called Global Europe - competing in the world. This strategy is explicitly designed to benefit European companies and includes plans to further deregulate financial markets, to open up public services to private sector companies and to provide European corporations with access to lucrative government contracts. It also includes Free Trade Agreements and Economic Partnership Agreements. The Global Europe agenda marks an aggressive push to access raw materials and new markets in an increasingly competitive world economy.

This drive for deregulation and privatisation parallels the economic development approach taken within many Asia countries. Public services are being progressively undermined, companies are being given huge concessions, workers' rights are under threat and massive job cuts continue. Asian governments, like their European counterparts, are fast becoming willing partners in advancing the global agenda of competitiveness through corporate power.

In both Europe and Asia the political consequences of this reassertion of corporate power are clear. At best there has been a hollowing out of democratic accountability as elites make decisions and implement policies with little or no scrutiny from citizens. At worst, the economic development model further embeds authoritarian regimes that treat citizens' rights with impunity. It is this profound democratic deficit, combined with increasing poverty and inequality, that creates the conditions for growing social unrest and resistance.

The AEPF represents a growing interregional movement for economic, social, political and environmental justice, and continues to recommend alternative systems to replace the failed free market ideology and practices. The current crises must be seen as an opportunity to develop policies based on principles of sustainable public benefit and democracy rather than greed, profit and corporate control. This unfettered control of trade, finance, capital and natural resources by companies must be replaced by policies that meet real social needs, underpinned by full democratic accountability.

A new European parliament was elected in 2009 and the EU is embarking on a major review of its trade policy as part of its post-2010 Lisbon Strategy. The ASEM summit in Brussels is an historic opportunity to challenge decision makers and to propose substantive and realistic alternative responses.

AEPF8, 2-5 October 2010

A series of events will be held in Brussels on 2-5 October 2010. Events will focus on the relation of corporate power to: trade, finance, labour rights/decent work, food security and sovereignty, climate change, public services, social protection, peace and security, human rights and democratic accountability.

The AEPF will be a series of interlinked spaces, actions and dialogues. Events are being co-ordinated by Belgium organisations, Brussels-based European networks and the AEPF International Organising Committee. AEPF8 will include a conference, policy debates with the European Commission and Members of European Parliament, people's tribunals, workshops and street actions.

We are sending this Call to social movements, trade unions, NGOs, networks, parliamentarians and policymak

ers, women's organisations, youth, urban poor, migrants, peasants, farmers, fisherfolks and citizens across Asia and Europe. Join us in October 2010 to build a more just and equal Asia-Europe relationship. Participate in actions and events during AEPF8, Co-organise events and national activities in the run up to, and during AEPF8, Contribute resources and time to ensure AEPF8 is a success.

AEPF provides a space for citizens to share, strengthen struggles and develop recommendations, campaigns and alternatives for both regions. For over a decade AEPF has contributed to building stronger networks at national and regional levels and has implemented cross regional initiatives around peace and security, economic and social justice, democratisation and human rights. It has three current campaigns - EU-ASEAN Free Trade Agreements, Reclaiming People's Dignity (Campaign for Social Protection) and Alternative Regionalism.

Contacts

Mr. Nicolas van Nuffel
CNCD - 11.11.11. Brussels

Ms. Pietje Vervest
Coordinator for Europe, AEPF-IOC, Transnational Institute

Ms. Tina Ebro
Coordinator for Asia, AEPF-IOC, Institute for Popular Democracy

AEFP Website: www.aepf.info